Aviation Photography - 161 Filo Bandirma 2016

Turkish Air Force - Türk Hava Kuvvetleri
Bandirma Air Base, 6 Wing (6nci AJÜ)
Turkey
May 2016

A detailed report appears in my book; Thunder Through the Valleys: Low Level Flying - Low Level Photography

161 Filo (Squadron)
161 Filo, 6nci AJÜ (6 Wing or main jet base) at Bandirma routinely fly LANTIRN equipped F-16 Fighting Falcons down to 100 feet AGL day and night. To emphasize their mission one side of its F-16's tails are painted with hawk and the other side with a Bat (Yarasa), which is the squadron's name.
6 Wing was reportedly closed down after the 15th July 2016 coup but that remains unconfirmed. 161 Filo is reported as disbanded while 162 Filo is believed to have been transferred to Incirlik.

Turkish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16D Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1023) of 161 Filo (Squadron) based at Bandirma.

Left to right: F-16D Block 50+ Fighting Falcons (07-1022 and 07-1023) of 161 Filo.

Left to right: F-16D Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1023) and F-16C Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1012) of 161 Filo.

F-16C Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1012) of 161 Filo.

Left to right: F-16C Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1012) of 161 Filo.

Left to right: F-16D Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1019) and F-16C Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1001) of 161 Filo.

Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 50+ Fighting Falcon (07-1001) of 161 Filo.
As the sun goes down 161 Filo the pilot and ground crew check the aircraft over prior to flight.