AIRCRAFT ALERT: 3 Navy EA-18G Growlers in the area Thursday

(U.S. Navy photo: EA-18G Growler landing on a carrier in 2014)

We don’t always get advance alerts about military aircraft in the area, but we just got one for tomorrow so we’re sharing it. This is in a media advisory from the Museum of Flight, which as you probably know is not far east of West Seattle [map]:

Three frontline Navy EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets will fly to the Museum on Oct. 12 to preside over the donation of a 10-foot aircraft carrier model to the Museum. The model will be presented by the officers of VAQ-130 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island to the Museum’s Education Office. The aircraft will arrive at 11 a.m. and depart at 2 p.m. One of the Growlers will be stationed in the Museum parking lot with crew members standing by to meet the public. The other two planes will be parked next to the Museum’s airport fence. The event is free.

The advisory included this background, if you’re interested:

The aircraft carrier model is of the crew’s ship, the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69). It was built by the officers from VAQ-130 for a booth at the annual NAS Whidbey Island Airborne Electronic Attack Ball, where each Growler squadron contributes a booth that includes interactive games or displays of squadron pride. This year, VAQ-130 squadron built the carrier, jokingly referred to as “Low Cost Trainer” for the pilots because it includes a zip line that allows a model plane to be landed on the deck. Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Jones, VAQ-130, said of its donation to the Museum, “We think it will be a great addition to the education department at the museum, and hopefully inspire some young future naval aviators!”

7 Replies to "AIRCRAFT ALERT: 3 Navy EA-18G Growlers in the area Thursday"

  • Space Dust October 11, 2017 (5:00 pm)

    I want to go for a ride…

  • La October 12, 2017 (10:56 am)

    I work on QA and just saw/heard these 3 flying in formation, heading SE – toward the Museum of Flight, I assume. 
    They didn’t show up on https://www.flightradar24.com, but thanks to the WSB, I knew what they were!

    • WSB October 12, 2017 (11:06 am)

      Right on schedule. That’s our favorite flight tracker too but generally military aircraft does not show up, for obvious reasons (military vessels are a little easier to guess on MarineTraffic.com because of accompanying tugboats or mysterious codenames).

  • Erik October 12, 2017 (11:18 am)

    That was an exciting fly by. Glad to have found this article.

  • ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (5:58 pm)

    Lest we forget, these are meant to kill, and do by the thousands.  100’s of thousands of innocent people were killed by these and other aircraft during Shock and Awe.  Our country’s been in the longest war in its history.  Sad that this is promoted and propagated by The Museum of Flight:  “We think it will be a great addition to the education department at the museum, and hopefully inspire some young future naval aviators!”  Because it’s important our youth get in on a culture of never-ending war and death?   

    • WSB October 12, 2017 (6:26 pm)

      The Growlers are primarily radar/communications jammers, but as far as I can tell from a little research, yes, they also carry weapons and bombs. The Museum of Flight has long had military as well as civilian displays, and they are where the Blue Angels are based during their Seafair visits

  • Space Dust October 12, 2017 (7:46 pm)

    I went by the Museum of Flight today to get a good look, Those look sinister up close.  Props to the pilots who fly those F18’s.

Sorry, comment time is over.