F-15C Eagle, 57 FIS "Black Knights of Keflavik", 85 WG, NAS Keflavik Classic White Print
Images are reduced fidelity for copyright protection.
An unusual configuration for an unusual Eagle squadron.
Founded early in WW2, “The Black Knights of Keflavik” of the 57th FIS flew air defense sorties from the North Atlantic island nation of Iceland for 41 years… the last 10 of which were with the F-15. Situated almost exactly half way between the UK and Greenland, the Black Knight’s base allowed those Eagles to track, intercept, and identify Soviet bombers and patrol aircraft flying from Eastern District airfields toward the western hemisphere.
Covering vast distances over the frigid waters made the otherwise not overly popular conformal fuel tanks a must and the Black Knights, uniquely, rarely flew without them. 80-00259 is shown “cocked” for 5 minute “Zulu” alert with a pair of AIM-7M missiles on the CFT forward inboard stations. Her configuration is unusual both because she carries only a pair of AIM-7.s and no AIM-9’s and the that the 57th carried the otherwise unpopular C-model CFT’s well past when any other USAF unit did so.
Any Fighter Studios print can be customized with different squadron marking, different store configurations, names on the nose or canopy rail. To get yours started, click Personalized Print for more information or click Email with questions.
Images are reduced fidelity for copyright protection.
An unusual configuration for an unusual Eagle squadron.
Founded early in WW2, “The Black Knights of Keflavik” of the 57th FIS flew air defense sorties from the North Atlantic island nation of Iceland for 41 years… the last 10 of which were with the F-15. Situated almost exactly half way between the UK and Greenland, the Black Knight’s base allowed those Eagles to track, intercept, and identify Soviet bombers and patrol aircraft flying from Eastern District airfields toward the western hemisphere.
Covering vast distances over the frigid waters made the otherwise not overly popular conformal fuel tanks a must and the Black Knights, uniquely, rarely flew without them. 80-00259 is shown “cocked” for 5 minute “Zulu” alert with a pair of AIM-7M missiles on the CFT forward inboard stations. Her configuration is unusual both because she carries only a pair of AIM-7.s and no AIM-9’s and the that the 57th carried the otherwise unpopular C-model CFT’s well past when any other USAF unit did so.
Any Fighter Studios print can be customized with different squadron marking, different store configurations, names on the nose or canopy rail. To get yours started, click Personalized Print for more information or click Email with questions.