Some 75th EFS A-10Cs returned to Bagram after inspections at Spang

By Joachim Jacob

During the last three months, at least eleven of twelve A-10Cs, originally deployed with the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron for Operation Enduring Freedom to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, for USAF's AEF 5/6 (Cycle 7) rotation (September - December 2008), arrived at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, for wing inspections and repairs due to partial A-10 groundings.

In late December 2008, on this blog I posted the following info:

78-0674 (74th Fighter Squadron, marked 74 FS), arrival 5 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
78-0679 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 1 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
78-0697 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 2 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
79-0138 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 1 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
79-0172 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 29 December 2008
79-0186 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 2 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
79-0192 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 2 December 2008 (after diverting to Ramstein AB)
80-0140 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 8 November 2008
80-0149 (75th Fighter Squadron), arrival 8 November 2008
80-0178 (74th Fighter Squadron), arrival 29 December 2008

Meanwhile, some more related info was posted on Scramble Message Board and FlugzeugForum:

6 January 2009: The eleventh aircraft (probably 80-0226, 75th FS) arrived at Spangdahlem AB as Iron 01.

7 January 2009: One unidentified 75th EFS A-10C made a very short local flight at Spangdahlem AB.

8 January 2009: Two unidentified 75th EFS A-10Cs departed Spangdahlem AB as Trend 87 and Trend 88 for Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily.

12 January 2009: Seen at Spangdahlem AB was 78-0697.

14 January 2009: Seen at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, routing eastbound, were:
78-0674, 79-0138, 79-0186, 79-0192. At the same day, 78-0697 was seen on a local flight at Spangdahlem AB.

26 January 2009: Two unidentified 75th EFS A-10Cs departed Spangdahlem AB for NAS Sigonella as Mazda 08 and Mazda 09 around noon. They were scheduled to depart at 09:00 local, but visibility at RAF Mildenhall, UK, was only 100 meters. And so, the associated tanker had a three-hour delay.

At the moment, there are no indications which A-10 unit will replace the 75th EFS at Bagram AB for USAF's AEF 7/8 (Cycle 7) rotation (January – April 2009). But at least in my eyes it could be possible that the 75th EFS aircraft will stay at Bagram AB, supported by 74th FS personnel, also from Moody AFB.

See also:
Two more 75th EFS A-10Cs arrives at Spang for wing inspections and repairs
Spangdahlem helps get deployed aircraft back into the air, and into the fight
Diverted 81st FS A-10s relocated from Ramstein to Spang
USAF released first photos of diverted 75th EFS A-10s at Ramstein
Two diverted 75th EFS A-10s left Ramstein for Spang
Intel: Enroute to Spang, Bagram A-10s diverted to Ramstein
Intel: Two more 75th EFS A-10s enroute to Spang?
Two combat-deployed 75th EFS A-10s relocate from Bagram to Spang