An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off from an airport in Madison, Wisconsin. | Wisconsin National Guard/Flickr
An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off from an airport in Madison, Wisconsin. | Wisconsin National Guard/Flickr
Green Bay Packers fans were treated to a bit of history during the team’s 27-10 home opening win over their longtime rival, the Chicago Bears.
The moment to remember for the Lambeau Field faithful came Sept. 18 in the form of the final flyover of the Wisconsin Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon after more than 20-years of flights.
Among those surely savoring that moment was Col. Charlie Merkel.
“Being that it was a Bears game, it was nighttime or almost nighttime and the last fly-by made it pretty exciting,” Merkel told WEAU 13 News.
The final flyover took place over a nearly dark stadium and raised goose bumps for the pilots who have long embraced the occasion.
“Of course, and you get good feedback from it because people enjoy it and they send you video of it and, yeah, that was great,” Merkel said. “Sometimes you see footage of the players on the field, they appreciate it, and you hope that it gets the game kicked off on an exciting note.”
Merkel said the F-16s will soon be transferred to bases across the United States, while the F-35 Lightning II is set to replace the jets, WEAU 13 reported.
“They’re the jets we’ve been overseas with,” Merkel said. “They’ve carried us over the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean many times. As the pilots and crew chiefs and really the entire fighter wing you get kind of attached to those airplanes.”
The Wisconsin Air National Guard is set to receive 20 F-35s, with the first four arriving in May 2023.
“We call the F-35 a fifth-generation fighter, meaning it’s got stealth, it’s got advanced sensors, it’s got electronic warfare built in, it networks with all the other airplanes that are airborne, and the capabilities are what we need for the future,” Merkel said.
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