Mid-Air Pitstop

Hi All,

Below are some shots from one of the most fun assignments I've had. As part of Air Force Week, Beale Air Force Base invited the media to go up on a KC-135 during a mid-air refueling mission. We got to lay in the belly of the plane right under the tail and watch (and photograph) as the boom operator manuevered the refueling boom to gas up seven F-16 Thunderbirds. It was a pretty incredible view from up there. Hope you enjoy the shots.

Cheers.

Staff Sgt. Jason Tyler controls the refueling boom as an F-16 Thunderbird manuevers to be refueled. Hovering at 21,000 feet over Nevada, the 940 Air Refueling Wing unloaded 12,000 lbs of fuel to seven Thunderbirds in a mid-air refueling mission.

Capt. Zachary Davidson watches out of the cockpit window for other aircraft while the KC-135 manuevers to refuel seven F-16 Thunderbirds over the Nevada desert.

An F-16 Thunderbird manuevers away from the refueling boom of a KC-135 with the 940 Air Refueling Wing. The 940 ARW refueled seven Thunderbirds 21,000 feet over the Nevada desert, off-loading 12,000 lbs of fuel, as part of Air Force Week 2007 ceremonies.

An F-16 Thunderbird flies off the wing of a KC-135 as it waits its turn to be refueled.

Journalist Jill Bauerle, of The Union newspaper in Grass Valley, looks out of the window inside the KC-135 during a mid-air refueling mission over Nevada as part of the Air Force Week 2007 ceremonies.

Capt. Michael Andrews, one of the main coordinators for Air Foce Week at Beale AFB, catches a few moments of sleep during a refueling mission over the Nevada desert.

Capt. Zachary Davidson updates the off-load forms as the KC-135 returns to base at Beale AFB.

Half Dome stands tall, even as seen from the air through the window of a KC-135.

Singles

Here are a few singles from the past week. So excited graduations are over. 10 was enough.

Harpreet Gill hugs a friend before walking with the 2007 graduating class at Live Oak High School

Taking a break from the dancing, Wayne Arnell, of North Dakota, fixes a feather on his bustle during the 26th annual Yuba-Sutter Pow Wow at Yuba College

2nd Lt. Torrey Harris of the Air Force Junior ROTC kneels during the playing of the national anthem at Lindhurst High Friday.

Brannen Pelfrey, 8, shows his excitement as he receives autographs from the Gold Sox baseball players at the Gold Sox Fanfest

Kelly Shaw, left, and Fallon Hartin share a laugh over the malfunctioning of their air horns before walking with the graduating class of 2007 at Live Oak High School