Zaragoza Bomb Range
Zaragoza Air Base, Spain

We were deployed to Zaragoza Air Base, Spain with ½ of our aircraft. Us maintenance support technicians and some equipment deployed there in C-130's and I was lucky and got to fly back to Germany in the back seat of an OV-10A Bronco.

These deployments to the bombing range were a nice exciting operation for us maintenance troops as we operated like we were at war. We helped each other out and it didn’t matter what your job or career field was, you pitched in where needed. On this deployment I refueled aircraft and loaded rockets when I wasn’t repairing and servicing the turbo-prop engines.

It was my turn to go on a flight to the NATO Bombing Range located about an hours flight from the Air Base. Our OV-10A Bronco aircraft flew at around 200 MPH so it took us about an hour to fly there where the jets got there in less than half the time.
Spain had some good flying weather when the wind wasn’t blowing. This part of Spain was dry and sandy so wind kicked up dirt and sand. But this day was great for my flight, just a slight breeze.

Pre-flight and take off went without any problems, and our four aircraft joined up for some formation flying. We flew in a V formation for a while and then went tactical formation. From my observation we had 2 aircraft in front spread about ¼ to ½ mile apart and the two other aircraft about a mile trailing also split apart, but the two trailing aircraft crossed back and forth to check the 6 o’clock position against fighter aircraft attack.

As we got near the bomb range and the target we went into a trail formation which was basically a follow the lead with a mile or two separation into the target.
At this point our four aircraft dove down to brush & cactus level until we hit the bomb range and our target was at our 9 o’clock position (off left wing tip).

The pilot then pulled the aircraft upward until we hit maybe 1,000 or 1,500 feet and then banked sharply to the left and dove at the target and leveled the wings.
As we swooped in at the target the pilot fired a few 2.75 rockets at the target and then banked sharply away and once again headed for a low level departure to hide from anti-aircraft fire as if in a combat area.
We repeated this pop-up attack six times until all our rockets were fired. Each time a rocket left the tube I could hear the whoosh sound. I never got to see the impacts as we were diving away from the target with evasive action. It was a blast!

After we were finished at the bomb range our aircraft formed up again in a V formation and headed for the base.
After a few minutes flying the pilot asked me “if I had ever did any formation flying.” We were at maybe 3,000 or 4,000 feet and the air was rough. Turbulence was in play, and the aircraft were sliding up and down as we flew through the air in tight formation. I though it over for a second or two and replied something about it looked pretty rough and we were pretty close. He said that I should give it a try and see how it felt. Not wanting to be called a chicken after we landed I said OK I’ll give it a try.
He told me to pick out a rivet, chip of paint, or some other marking on the aircraft next to us and keep it always the same size and in the same location. I said “OK”.
He said “take the flight control stick in 3,2,1, and you got the aircraft.” Our aircraft was on the outboard right side of the formation, and I flew formation for 10 minutes.
Let me tell ya! It’s not as easy as it looks like on TV or at military air shows. It was the longest 10 minutes of my life looking at one tiny rivet and trying my best to keep it in place while our four aircraft were bouncing around.
At one point while I was flying I heard over the radio from the Flight Leader, “what’s up number 4, you have the sarge flying?” My pilot laughed and replied, “roger that.” Seems that I was drifting just abit out away from the formation at times. At the end of the 10 minutes I was glad to hand the control back over to the pilot, as my hair was wet with sweat. Like I said it is not as easy as it looks.

I then asked my pilot if we could move out away from the other 3 aircraft so I could take a few pictures. He checked with our lead aircraft and we were given the OK. So I got a few minutes to take a few photos.

Then another radio call from the flight leader, this time the order was, “follow the leader.”
At this point the flight leader dove toward the ground and banked hard left above the terrain followed by #2 and #3, and then us.
It was rock & roll, yank & bank, through the valleys and up over the hills. Positive and negative G-Forces and my stomach was not very happy with it. My pilot came over the intercom and ask if I was doing OK and still with him. I replied, “yep but my stomach was not.” He told me to keep the barf bag ready and don’t throw-up inside the cockpit, as the crew chief would get very pissed off. He said even pilots get sick at times in the back set not knowing in advance what the aircraft is going to do especially with negative G’s. He suggested that I flatten out the palm of my hand and rest it slightly on top of the flight control stick so my body would know what the aircraft would be doing next. That way my stomach would not get surprised. After about 10 or 15 minutes of this low level follow the leader flying we changed.

The flight lead climbed and instructed the aircraft to join on him and we were maybe five minutes from the base. Just before we got the base in sight we went into a landing formation and as we flew down above the runway the lead aircraft banked to the right away from the runway, flightline, and tower followed by the rest of us for landing.

After landing I thanked the pilot for the flight and the control stick time. My next stop was the life support shop to turn in my flight helmet, oxygen mask, and helmet liner to be cleaned and checked as other maintenance troops would need it to go flying. Next stop was the restroom so I could wash my hair and freshen up.

Then of course right after work I dropped of my film to be developed, had dinner, and then headed to the Non-Commissioned Officer’s Club (NCO Club). Oh, what a day!

Photo's taken by me during the bomb range mission.