On June 13, 2009, A-10Cs 81-0967 and 81-0979, both from the 74th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia, were caught at Lajes Field, Azores, either enroute to Bagram AB, Afghanistan, or on their way back home.
In an email from July 4, 2009, photographer André Inácio told me that both aircraft arrived June 11 and departed June 13.
Photographer Paulo Santos noted: This was some strange way to leave our island! After take-off, they came back, with A-10C 81-0979 doing an emergency landing! Someone forgot to close some kind of hatch, and it opened inflight!
A-10C 81-0979 returns after his first departure, doing an emergency landing. (Photo by Fábio Pinheiro) Hi-res
A-10C 81-0979 ready for takeoff for the second time that day on runway 33. (Photo by Paulo Santos) Hi-res
A-10C 81-0967 ready for takeoff for the second time that day on runway 33. (Photo by Fábio Pinheiro) Hi-res
Visible loadout: MXU-648 baggage pods on stations 4 and 8, external fuel tank on station 6.
Special thanks to Portuguese photographers André Inácio, Fábio Pinheiro and Paulo Santos for permission to post their photos and info on my blog!
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