ANG "Rainbow Team" A-10Cs on stopover at Lajes en route CONUS back from Afghanistan

Updated May 22, 2010

Twelve A-10Cs from the 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing (Maryland Air National Guard), Martin State (tailcode MD), and from the 184th Fighter Squadron, 188th Fighter Wing (Arkansas Air National Guard), Fort Smith (tailcode FS), are currently on their way back home to United States (CONUS) after a four-month combat deployment to the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After a stopover already at Al Udeid AB, Qatar (379th Air Expeditionary Wing), on May 19, 2010, they arrived at Lajes Field, Azores, for their second stopover.

Warthog News contributor Fábio Pinheiro from Portugal have the details, e-mailed to me today and further edited by me (Please note: According to Fábio, Warthog News contributor Paulo Santos from Portugal also contributed to this first-hand info):

First to land:

A-10C 78-0659 (tailcode FS) TREND31
A-10C 78-0613 (tailcode FS) TREND32
A-10C 80-0166 (tailcode FS) TREND33
A-10C 79-0082 (tailcode MD) TREND34
A-10C 78-0719 (tailcode MD) TREND35
A-10C 79-0165 (tailcode MD) TREND36

+ KC-10A Stratotanker 60035

Second to land:

A-10C 78-0646 (tailcode FS) TREND41
A-10C 78-0720 (tailcode MD) TREND42
A-10C 79-0129 (tailcode FS) TREND43
A-10C 78-0702 (tailcode MD) TREND44
A-10C 78-0640 (tailcode MD) TREND45
A-10C 78-0682 (tailcode MD) TREND46

+ KC-10A Stratotanker 91710

Looks to me that Fábio confirmed 78-0646 for first time as part of this deployment.

Could be that the entire aircraft package will arrive at first at Martin State Airport on the East Coast, and then, the 184th Fighter Squadron jets will fly further south-west to Arkansas.

Special thanks to Fábio for his great support!


Update May 22, 2010:
They departed Lajes Field in the morning hours on May 21, 2010, Warthog News contributor Leandro Rocha from Portugal told me.

In contrast, on the Dutch Scramble Message Board, RH. (user name Dutchmil) mentioned: Ten A-10s arrived this evening at Martin State airport as Trend 31 and Trend 41 flight. The A-10s that stayed at Lajes should depart after the weekend.

I will try to get some more related update info.