The clip features the final flight of an F-15E driver who was a pupil of Texas Tech University.
The cool video in this post was taken by our friend Dafydd Phillips and shows some great low level F-15E Strike Eagle passes from 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons, belonging to 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF Lakenheath, UK.
However, what makes this clip interesting is that it features the final flight of an F-15E driver belonging to 492nd Fighter Squadron “Madhatters” who decided to complete it in the Mach Loop as part of an F-15E 4-ship. He was a pupil of Texas Tech University and as it can be seen at 0:31 in the video he displays the flag of the university in the cockpit of his Strike Eagle.
The 48th Fighter Wing has played an invaluable role in the history of the United States Air Force (USAF). When the 48th Bombardment Group (Light) originally activated on Jan. 15, 1941, it provided pilot training as a close air support and air interdiction unit. The group and its flying squadrons participated in every major campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The unit changed names three times before inactivation as the 48th Fighter Group on Nov. 7, 1945.
With the onset of the Cold War, the unit was redesignated the 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing in June 1952 and activated on Jul. 10, 1952 at Chaumont Air Base, France. The 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing stood continuous alert with F-84 Thunderjet and F-86 Sabre jet aircraft, prepared to respond to Communist threats. For their efforts in and contributions to the local area, the wing received the moniker Statue de la Libertè (Statue of Liberty Wing).
The 48th Fighter Wing is the only USAF unit with both a numerical designation and an official name. When relations between the United States and France soured in the late 1950s, the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, along with its newly gained F-100 Super Sabres, moved to RAF Lakenheath, England, where members continued to maintain alert duties. The wing transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II in 1972 and the F-111 Aardvark in 1977, and participated in countless deployments, inspections, and exercises throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Since 1986, the 48th Fighter Wing has clearly shown the power of the US Air Force during numerous operations with its F-111s, F-15C Eagles, F-15E Strike Eagles, and HH-60 PAVE Hawks.
