Russell Hill, an aviation photographer from Portland, Oregon (USA), shared a stunning image of the new F-15EX Eagle II fighter of the U.S. Air Force.
The photo was taken at Portland International Airport (PDX), which also hosts the Portland Air National Guard Base (PANG), where the 142nd Wing and the 123rd Fighter Squadron, better known as the Redhawks, are stationed.
This unit was selected as the first operator of the new F-15EX fighter, rapidly transitioning the Eagle II from testing to operational status. In the process, the Redhawks retired their F-15C/Ds, which had been in service for 40 years.
RAMBO 2 F-15EX with some crazy vapor on takeoff out of PDX this morning pic.twitter.com/Jsp4tPZYUr
— Russell Hill (@Sabian404) January 9, 2026
In one of the images captured by Hill, an F-15EX, part of the RAMBO flight, can be seen blasting out of PDX in full afterburner and executing a steep pull-up for a rapid climb at the end of Runway 10R.
According to Hill, this was a “final flight” for one of the pilots of the 142nd Wing. This activity marks the end of a military career, according to the website The War Zone.
Video of Rambo and Eagle flight taking off unrestricted at PDX this morning pic.twitter.com/Kp7RlbPXRY
— Russell Hill (@Sabian404) January 10, 2026
Photos and video: X @Sabian404. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
