Lockheed KAI T-50

[iambrb]

hey I am now working across from the main gate at Donalfson Center in Greenville, and there are two of these flying about:



and here is the linked story

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2016/12/08/lockheed-builds-its-case-air-force-training-jet-contract/95153028/

Curiously, I also live near a small rural airport about 40 miles south of this, and I have several times seen what I thought may have been a T-38 or perhaps a F-5 Tigershark, but hey Moon Pup, it appears that this was what it was!

 

[moon puppy]

Nice shot Bruce, what I saw at GSP was a T38 without a doubt. What I saw at GSP had dark grey, light gray camo. It was not this aircraft.

I'm flying out to Tulsa next Monday so I'll keep an eye out.

For those who don't know, Donaldson Center is the former Greenville AAB later Donaldson AFB. A lot of cold war activity happened there from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the 6 day war (unoffically).

Lockheed has a major facility there, think I read the other day they are moving some more operations to the plant. I've "heard" an F14 there and saw them flying out later that day. Bruce I was in Mauldin at the Bilo warehouse (pretty far piece) and heard it throttling engines like it was in the parking lot or something. C130s of all sorts and nationalities, P3 Orions and even a EA Extra 300 that I saw doing stunts over the airport once. Scared hell out of me, saw it in a flat spin falling out of the sky and below the tree line, thought I was going to see a mushroom cloud next but no, saw it coming back up over the tree line in slow climbing spiral. He went up and did it again. I parked and watched him for about 30 minutes.

Bruce that hanger the Extra is stabled at, or was, is right across from where you are working now.
I think it's this hanger here.
https://goo.gl/maps/Fg1LrpQdcwD2
Keep a look out for it.

Neat place to be working, you're going to be seeing all sorts of things flying in and out.

 

[iambrb]

I think I know what you are talking about. Lockheed is going to move F-16 prouction to Donaldson to free up space for deomestic proction of the T-50. I am pretty sure what I saw was the T-50, as the tail section is so much thicker, but again, this was near dusk, so being able to see it was not easy. P3's appear to be out of there for the moment, and the T-50's have taken thier place at the exterior hangars.

I know the hanger of which you speak for the Extra, but have not seen it flying since there. That hanger now has a lear and out a front a static display (at least it appears to be) of what I think is an older Mooney with that vertical tail

 

[iambrb]

PS - when that T-50 throttles up. itis LOUD even in our insulated building!

 

[moon puppy]

Correction
It's this hanger

https://goo.gl/maps/wwmpfBwzdpP2

I parked in that gravel parking area watching him and he rolled up right there, I was giving him thumbs up as he taxied in. I don't know who the guy is but he's loaded, I saw a very high end Porsche sitting there one day.

 

[iambrb]

Yes, I used to work with a guy that detailed high end cars like that guy's and knew him. That car was a $150K Special Order model, all of which told me to stay away from it.

There is another guy I keep seeing from either that hanger or the next one over in a Lotus Evora that i am fan of but doubt I will ever own, as it costs almost as much as my house and is like putting on a shirt.

 

[iambrb]

Hey they are doing some testing of this aircraft today...man that thing is loud!

Been out on the parking lot watching them, seem that they will take off one at a time, then form up, and at pretty low level they will take turns doing knife edges, one flying level, the other a perfect 90 degrees to the horizon. NEAT!

 

[moon puppy]

:nopics