Three F-22A Raptors of the 94th Fighter Squadron based at Langley Air Force Base request ‘Unrestricted Climb’ at RAF Lakenheath Suffolk, UK. They are part of the 1st Fighter Wing and their nickname is “Hat in the Ring”.1:57 3x LOCKHEED MARTIN F-22A RAPTOR takeoff4:29 4x LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35A takeoffFounded on the 20th August 1917, the 94th FS is one of the oldest units in the US Air Force starting as the 94th Aero Squadron of the USAAS (United States Army Air Service) at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during World War I as a pursuit squadron. It took part in offensive and defensive missions. HAT IN THE RINGOn the 30th of September 1917, two officers and 150 enlisted men left Texas for France and were sent to seven different aircraft factories for maintenance and repair training. In April 1918, the 94th was reunited and stationed at the Gengault Aerodrome near Toul, France, where it began operations as the first American squadron at the front. It was placed under the command of Major Raoul Lufbery, an ace pilot and veteran of the Lafayette Escadrille.As the first American squadron in operation, its aviators were allowed to create their squadron insignia. They used the opportunity to commemorate the United States’ entry into World War I by taking the phrase of tossing one’s “hat in the ring” (this is a boxing phrase to signify one’s willingness to become a challenger) and symbolising it with the literal image of Uncle Sam’s red, white and blue top hat going through a ring.The 94th became part of the USAAF in June 1941 and served in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations (MTO) and were part of Twelfth Air Force operating the P-38 Lightnings. This including both North African and Italian campaigns. In April 1945 the 1st Fighter Group received two YP-80 jets for operational testing. The 94th Squadron’s Major Edward LaClare flew two operational sorties in the YP-80 although without encountering combat. During the Cold War the 94th was both an Air Defense Command (ADC) fighter-interceptor squadron, and later as part of Tactical Air Command (TAC). With the official delivery of the F-15A Eagles in 1976, the 94th became one of the first operational squadrons to be equipped with the Eagle. In 2006, the 94th became the second operational squadron to fly the F-22 Raptor, receiving its first F-22A in June 2006.The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a unique American twin-engine all-weather stealth fighter aircraft. It descended from the Lockheed YF-22 and first flew in 1997, and was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Although the USAF had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs, it later scaled down to 381, and the program was ultimately cut to 195 aircraft — 187 of them operational models — in 2009 due to high costs, a lack of air-to-air missions at the time of production, and the development of the more affordable and versatile F-35. The last aircraft was delivered in 2012.The aircraft’s dual Pratt & Whitney F119 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; the nozzles are fully integrated into the F-22’s flight controls and vehicle management system. Each engine has dual-redundant Hamilton Standard full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) and maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22’s thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners. With 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) of internal fuel and an additional 8,000 lb (3,629 kg) in two 600-gallon external tanks, the jet has a ferry range of over 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi; 2,960 km)..#f22 #tedconingsby #raflakenheath