EPIC & FURIOUS! No less than 18 Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs on the ground at Lakenheath!

As we hit April and a new month, you’d be forgiven for thinking some of the footage featured here is some elaborate belated April Fools hoax, but what we saw was very real, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to present mega rare aviation opportunities that I wouldn't have even deemed possible at the start of 2026. Given the current issues around the Iran conflict, some aircraft movements involved in the region are currently having flight plan issues and are unable to transit via bases like Prestwick, Lajes or Moron, leading to another rarity of aviation transpiring as part of operation 'Epic Fury', whereby no fewer than x18 A-10 Thunderbolt II ‘Warthogs’ transited to RAF Lakenheath!l from Pease AFB arriving under the cover of darkness on Monday and Tuesday evenings. There were high hopes that today we might see the first wave of x12 A-10C Thunderbolt II’s from the 107th Fighter Squadron flown in from Michigan, home of the 127th Wing of the Air National Guard, depart Lakenheath for the Middle East in a couple of cells following a 36 hour crew rest period from their arrival on Monday evening. Late Monday evening 30.03.2026, two cells of x6 Fairchild Republic A-10s from 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan Air National Guard flew into Lakenheath from Pease AFB. Another x6 more from Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron 'Skullbangers' arrived on Tuesday evening 31.03.2026 bringing the total count to x18 Warthogs at Lakenheath, yet another unprecedented scene running concurrently to x23 USAF Bombers currently stationed at RAF Fairford all as a result of 'Epic Fury’ in the Middle East. However as we well know, nothing is guaranteed in the hobby and sadly they didn’t go up, supposedly due to a dispute with France, Spanish and Italian air traffic control over using European airspace to transit, but we did get to see them all parked on base awaiting their next orders, a truly awesome sight considering the imminent retirement these aircraft soon face and the fact I never envisaged I’d get the opportunity to see one, let alone x18! The following day x6 Idaho ANG 194th FS 'Skullbangers' A-10s departed in the morning on Thursday 02.04.2026: 78-0618 A-10C 124 FW / 190 FS (special Skull Tail) 79-0165 A-10C 175 Wing / 104 FS 78-0643 A-10C 124 FW / 190 FS 79-0084 A-10C 124 FW / 190 FS 80-0276 A-10C 124 FW / 190 FS 78-0707 A-10C 124 FW / 190 FS This left the below A-10s remaining: 78-0689 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 79-0082 A-10C 175 Wing / 104 FS 79-0104 A-10C 175 Wing / 104 FS 79-0108 A-10C 175 Wing / 104 FS 80-0196 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 80-0221 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 80-0224 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 80-0255 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 80-0262 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 80-0265 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 81-0994 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS 81-0998 A-10C 127 Wing / 107 FS Lakenheath was still active with local traffic, and mass morning launches of F-15E Eagles and F-35A Lightning IIs, and there are still x2 F-35Cs, x6 F-22 Raptors from Langley AFB and Mountain Home F-15s all currently stationed at Lakenheath creating a lot of rare aviation interest! | 01.04.2026 I hope you enjoy this video and thank you for watching! If you like what you've seen, please head over to Instagram   / brunelheritage   and Tik Tok   / brunel.heritage   for more and please feel free to leave comments, ratings, and subscribe to the channel. #A10Thunderbolts #Hawg #Lakenheath #Warthog #FairchildA10 #soecialtail #gun #tankmaster #F22Raptor #Raptors #donaldtrump #94thFighterSquadron #94th #BossBird #FighterWing #fighterjet #F35 #ang #F35Lightning #aviation #aviationphotography #aviationphoto #QuickClimbFriday #Iran #aviation4u #aviation #avgeek #aviationphoto #aviationpics #aviationdaily #avnerd #avpics #USAF #UnitedStatesAirForce #landingzone #aviationreels #aircraft #flight #Airforcebase #MilitaryAviation #aviation #avgeeksassemble #RAF #aviationpics #aviationspotter #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #beast #usa #usaf #airforce #america #Suffolk #military