F-15s Flying Low Over Reading, PA

Not an Aircraft Project, but I am looking for anyone that might know why a group of F 15 Eagles would be flying very low over Reading, PA.
My daughter is cyberschooled and called me from home yesterday morning saying that she was scared because there were very loud planes flying over our neighborhood. She said they were triangular in shape and had 'missiles' on them. She did see three at the same time.
I asked on Facebook if anyone else had saw these aircraft and I ended up getting a photo of one of them, gear down flying near the airport. I could not discern the tail numbers due to the photo quality.
So I was looking at what air bases have F 15s stationed there. The closest one that I found was in Langley, VA. The plane in the photo did have a drop tank visible on the port side in the photo.
Does anyone know of any maneuvers going on that would have those aircraft flying so low over a residential area?

a reply to: butcherguy

If gear was down near the airport, maybe they are Air National Guard aircraft that landed for some reason?

ETA: Not Pennsylvania ANG, at least according to Wikipedia

Cheers

a reply to: butcherguy

There is an air guard base somewhere in the area. Think it's further south near 3 mile island if I recall correctly. Maybe an hour and change away.

They should not be flying over residential areas that low. They can do it but it's frowned upon. When I was in the USMC airwing we'd get calls all the time of people complaining. Could be nothing but a couple of # head pilots showing off for a girlfriend or something but who knows. Definitely not normal.

originally posted by: F2d5thCavv2
a reply to: butcherguy

If gear was down near the airport, maybe they are Air National Guard aircraft that landed for some reason?

ETA: Not Pennsylvania ANG, at least according to Wikipedia

Cheers

I was thinking that could be the case, but they were flying around together several miles from the airport and were very low considering the distance.
When I looked at ANG units flying the F 15, most of them were West Coast or extreme southern US.

originally posted by: Stupidsecrets
a reply to: butcherguy

There is an air guard base somewhere in the area. Think it's further south near 3 mile island if I recall correctly. Maybe an hour and change away.

They should not be flying over residential areas that low. They can do it but it's frowned upon. When I was in the USMC airwing we'd get calls all the time of people complaining. Could be nothing but a couple of # head pilots showing off for a girlfriend or something but who knows. Definitely not normal.

That is at Middletown, and according to the internet, they do not fly the F 15.

a reply to: butcherguy

The "missiles" she saw could be a lot of different gear like sensor pods or fuel tanks.

Sounds like they had just taken off or intended to land somewhere if gear was down. Flying low with gear down really drives up the fuel consumption.

At times, ANG unit deploy to other states, or it may been the active USAF.

Cheers

If coming from the west coast it would be cross country flight which is normally for training. There would not be any reason to fly that low on a CC flight.

Sounds like air guard to me or someone wanting to give someone in the residential area the "ah cool he did it just like he said" blah blah thing.

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

The photo that I saw with the gear down was taken at the airport. They may have been doing touch and go's there. I just watched a video that someone else had of one of them flying over their house with gear up. Looked like they were a maximum of 300 feet in the air.

a reply to: butcherguy

Good point. Surprised I recall that base was there. Flew out of it once years ago. All I remember is driving pass 3 mile island to get there.

I still believe it's jerk pilots screwing around. I worked with those guys for years. Always doing stuff like that, getting bitched out. The XO of my unit use to smoke in his FA-18. Pissed off the avionics crew because the smoke and ashes would jack of the electronics.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

I think the name of that place is Olmsted Field. I took a look on Google maps. They have five C-130s sitting there and an old P-51 on display.

In 1990 I worked at a small airport in Western Pennsylvania. While Desert Shield was ramping up the local Reserve C-130 Squadron starting practicing missed approaches on our Instrument Landing System. A little bit after they started our phone started ringing off the hook from people wanting to know what was going on. Finally I called the Reserve Squadron and told them about the complaints. I was talking to a Major who asked if the airport had any problems with it. I told him that we didn't, that it was the people on the approach that had the problem. Then I asked if there was any way that he could arrange for a C-5 to do a missed approach? I think he hurt himself laughing.

I was in the poconos at the end of August and two days in a row we saw two A-10s ,they flew a few times around the campground we were at and they were pretty low, low enough to see the pilot.
They are loud and an awesome sight to see.
I wish I had my phone with me during the last pass because I would have gotten an awesome pic.

a reply to: JHumm
I think that the A-10's are out of Hagarstown MD.

Cross country flight dropping in for fuel.