Open house highlights fighter wing mission

by Staff Sgt. Nathanael Callon
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/1/2011 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Spangdahlem Air Base opened its doors to the public July 30 - 31 to demonstrate the military capabilities of the 52nd Fighter Wing and its NATO partners during the Spangdahlem Open House 2011 here.

Visitors were able to see various fighter aircraft first-hand, to include the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II, both assigned to Spangdahlem.

"I think this is a great opportunity to come up-close and see the planes in person," said Andre Vos, who travelled from the Netherlands to attend the event.

In addition to aircraft displays, there were numerous aerial demonstrations that highlighted the combat firepower of the 52nd FW.

The F-16 aerial demonstration included three high-speed passes, a low approach and a max power unrestricted climb.

"We see the planes fly from time to time, but being able to hear the engines roar above is amazing," Vos said.

The open house drew about 40,000 visitors over the weekend.

"The best part of the open house is that we let the local community see what we do on a regular basis," said Maj. Scott Sieting, 52nd Operations Group, who flew an F-16 during one of the demonstrations. "This way we are able to build a bond that will continue to foster a strong relationship in the future."

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