Photographers capture F-35 Jets from Steptoe Butte

COLFAX - A group of photographers were excited to get the opportunity to take pictures of F-35 jets flying to Fairchild Air Force Base's Skyfest on Friday, June 21.

A local Facebook group "Photography of the Palouse," viewed a post by Farmer and Air Force Reserve Joe Goldsworthy, who farms between Rosalia and Oakesdale, asking if photographers would be interested in taking pictures for his squadron as they flew into Skyfest in Airway Heights on June 21.

Endicott resident, Misty Stephens Zornacki, of Misty Dawn Photography, was one of the photographers who got the chance to make an appearance and capture as the jets flew by.

"It was awesome," Zornacki said, adding that when she saw the post she told her mom they had to go.

Zornacki said that the Steptoe Butte top parking lot was full, with at least 30 photographers showing up. "It was pretty amazing," she said. "He made a lot of people happy and a lot of kiddos."

Goldsworthy followed up the event with a thank you to the group who had shown up and posted pictures. "I just want to express my gratitude and thanks to all of you who took photos and reached out," he wrote to the group, adding that he had no idea they would generate so much interest.

Goldsworthy's post featured a picture from local farmer Jason Cronk, who Goldsworthy said he had lived with at Washington State University.

"You are truly a talented bunch of photographers and I'm blown away by the quality of the photos and the great people I met," Goldsworthy said on the Facebook post.

Goldsworthy answered several questions that he had been asked stating that the F-35's were from Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Goldsworthy and his wingman are instructors in the 52nd Fighter squardron. "We were lucky Steptoe Butte was on our route of flight and we needed to hold a few minutes before we could land at Fairchild which how were allowed to circle," he wrote.

A cropduster was flown by pilot Seth Denton who the squadron was in radio contact with for safety and an unexpected Cessna flew by, Goldworthy told the group.

Born and raised in Rosalia, Goldsworthy splits his time between the Air Force Reserves and farming. After landing at from the airshow he checked his crops.

"Thank you all again, it was a thrill for me," Goldsworthy wrote at the end of his post.

Several comments were made by attending photographers thanking Goldsworthy for including them and for his service to the country.

In comment from Ashley Barber, she said thank you and that her 2-year-old kept calling the jets 'spaceships.' "We were out there waving with all our might," she wrote.