104th Fighter Wing F-15C/D Eagle Legacy (2007 – 2025)

Part 2 – 2013 to 2018
Story and photos by Ken Middleton

The 104th Fighter Wing, part of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, is based at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts. They recently retired their fleet of F-15C/D Eagles in October 2025, as they prepare to bed down the F-35A Lightning II in mid-2026.

On 27 August 2014, the tragic aircraft crash and death of LTC Morris “Moose” Fontenot occurred, while piloting F-15C Eagle 86-0157. The aircraft went down in a remote area of Virginia.
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With the disbandment of the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis AFB, the 104th received 2 former Aggressor Eagles in late 2014 – 78-0494 and 78-0528. 78-0494 arrived with its splinter camouflage and 57th Adversary Tactics Group (ATG) markings. 78-0528 went off to depot to be repainted before arriving at the 104th.

In 2015, the 104th FW was awarded the Aerospace Control Alert Unit of the Year.

On 2 October 2016, F-15C Eagle 85-0113 left Barnes for the 144th FW at Fresno ANGB, and in exchange, the 104th FW received 80-0004. While at the 144th FW, 85-0113 was decorated with the patriotic red, white and blue scheme and also commemorated 10,000 flying hours. It is now retired there and will be put on display.

Operations and Exercises:

2013:
Red Air, Nellis AFB, NV
Weapons Eval, Tyndall AFB, FL

2014:
Cape Taufan, Malaysia
Sentry Aloha, Hickam AFB, HI

2015:
Red Air, Nellis AFB, NV
Sentry Aloha, Hickam AFB, HI

2016:
Red Flag, Nellis AFB, NV
Atlantic Resolve, Iceland, Estonia, Bulgaria, The Netherlands

2017:
Amalgam Dart, Canada
Weapons Eval, Tyndall AFB, FL

2018:
Operation ATLANTIC RESOLVE, Romania

Part 3 of this series will include the years 2019 to 2025.