VFA-101 Deactivated at Eglin Air Force Base

US Navy VFA-101 Lockheed F-35C Lightning II 168845/NJ-107 at the NAS Kingsville Airshow in 2016 - Bob Sutherland / aviationphotocompany.com

The last F-35C belonging to VFA-101 "Grim Reapers" left Eglin AFB, Florida as the unit was deactivated on May 23, 2019. The unit had been reactivated in May 2012 as the first fleet replacement unit for the US Navy's F-35Cs. It had previously been disbanded in September 2005 when F-14 Tomcat operations ceased. The unit's aircraft and the majority of it's personnel have relocated to NAS Lemoore, California with the F-35 units based there.
Since 2012 VFA-101 has trained more 75 Navy and Marine Corps F-35C pilots, as well as more than 1,200 maintenance personnel. Eglin AFB will continue to host the U.S. Navy Enlisted Maintenance training program for the F-35.

 

The Aviation Photo Company: Latest Additions &emdash; US Navy VF-101 McDonnell F-4J Phantom 152781/AD-111 (1975)

US Navy VF-101 McDonnell F-4J Phantom 152781/AD-111 (1975)

The Aviation Photo Company: Latest Additions &emdash; USN VF-101 Grumman F-14A Tomcat 160408/AD-105 (1978)

USN VF-101 Grumman F-14A Tomcat 160408/AD-105 (1978)