Hat tip to David Cenciotti for finding and posting these amazing photos (apparently from the Chosun website) of an estimated 60 US F-16s and South Korean ROKAF KF-16s taxiing down the runway at Kunsan airbase during a military exercise.
Apparently, this type of military display is known as an “Elephant Walk” and its not performed for photo opts. Rather, the maneuver is performed at military air bases in order to prepare military squadrons for war and to test air crews for their ability to quickly launch armed aircraft in mass.
HOWEVER, I am wondering whether or not the photos below may have been photoshopped in order to look more dramatic because further digging reveals a Flickr photo album of the same type of maneuver being performed at the same Korean air base with fewer aircraft.
Either way, the “Elephant Walk” is an amazing show of force that should attract at least some attention up in North Korea!
I think it's pretty real. They noted both US and South Korean F-16's – The AF Link only says US aircraft so that would likely be why there is more.
Wow. I'd like to see that same formation airborne.
Its not photoshoped. I was there. I am actually surprised with how well the photos came out because of how crappy the weather was. But there we definitely 50+ F-16C and D models from five different Squadrons on the run way that day. A lot of work was put into getting that done.
Years ago I flew several F-4 missions in one day from Kunsan, it was part of an exercise to generate 1000 sorties in 24 hours.
They had NASCAR type pits set up, we didn't hot refuel, but we did taxi in, climb down the ladder, pee'd on the revetment while the airplane was refueled and rearmed, and then climbed back in and flew another sortie.