Photo: F-16 and F-15 pilots using sunshades attached to the canopy to keep the cockpit cooler during long range flights

Published on: July 6, 2012 at 2:30 PM

The following pictures, were taken on Jul. 5 by Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta.

They show the arrival at Morón airbase, Spain, of six UAE Air Force four F-16E and two F-16F fighter jets, enroute to Nellis AFB, Nevada, to take part to Red Flag 12-4.

The aircraft (3018, 3028, 3040, 3067, 3011 and 3068) used the radio callsign “Retro 51-56”.

Noteworthy, at least one of the pilots has what it’s like a car side sunshade attached to the canopy for heat/sun protection.

Fighter pilots on long range ferry flights sometimes use sunshades for UV protection and to keep the cockpit a bit cooler and more comfortable.

Here below, you can see sunhades (similar to those you use on your car) on the windshield of Saudi F-15Ss deploying to Nellis AFB, via Morón, to take part to Red Flag.

Image credit: Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.
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