Tyndall AFB, FL

Raptor Ranch

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Raptor Ranch, the Tyndall AFB FAMCAMP, is located just east of Panama City, FL, at the foot of the Dupont Bridge. Access to the campground is off US-98, and does not require passing through gated security. The main base is just east of the FAMCAMP.

850-283-2798

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The office is located just inside the entrance to the campground. The staff is very courteous and helpful.

Most recent visit: Dec 2010

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For the first time in our visits to Tyndall, we did not get to enjoy the sunshine of the overflow area. Being before the Christmas holiday, there were about 6 empty sites. This is site 6, not too far from the clubhouse.

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The year before , we found ourselves in the overflow area, this time for a week. Actually, that was fine with us, as it's a lot more pleasant out here in the sun than back in the fairly dark woods of the campground sites.

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Reservations are not accepted here, so one usually has to spend a few nights in the 16-site overflow area before moving to a regular site. Since our last visit a few years ago, the overflow area has been expanded, covered with new gravel, and new water and 30A electric hookups installed. This shows us in 2009 in overflow site 10, which is right beside the office.

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More of the overflow area.

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Last year (2009), after a week, we moved to site 31, which was a little larger than the previous year's site (see next picture). The trees made siting the satellite dish a challenge, but I did manage to find a hole through the trees. The dish was pretty close to the road so I placed a log beside it to help protect it. Near the end of our week-long stay, we had problems with the 30 amp breaker in the utility post. CE appeared bright and early the next morning and replaced it. In the meantime we got by using the 20 amp circuit.

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In 2008, after four nights, we were assigned to site 20. Not a bad site - down at the end of the back loop near the bay, with no one between us and the bay. It's fairly shady, as are most sites, but there were some holes through the trees that let some sun in and made it fairly easy to set up the satellite TV dish. The 30A box has no circuit breaker, so one has to plug in "hot".

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Site 24.

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Sites 38 and 39.

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Sites 61 and 60 to the left; pull-through 59 on the right.

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Sites 78 and 81.

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Sites 91-94 are near the front of the campground.

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Site 9 is a dandy site, large and private with a great view out over the bay.

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Sites 10-19 all face across the road to the bay and each is quite private. Site 10 is fairly large and open.

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Sites 14-15.

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In the afternoon the guys gather in front of the gazebo to play washer-toss. There's a large open fireplace inside the gazebo; there's usually a fire going on the chilly days.

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Informally known as the Tyndall Navy, the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron maintains three 120-foot drone recovery vessels and two smaller vessels to recover aerial targets and support range safety, patrol, and salvage operations. They are based just west of the campground at the Bonita Bay Recreation Area.

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The large community building provides a great gathering place as well as offering clean bathrooms with free hot showers and a laundry room ($.75 per load).

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The main meeting room inside the community building. Wi-fi is available for computer users.

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There are three cabins facing the bay, between sites 13 and 14.

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A lot of clearing has recently been completed in front of sites 10-19, giving them a nice water-view.

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A very pleasant nature trail winds around part of the campground.

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Over on the main base, one can visit Tyndall Beach. From the parking lot, a 1/2 mile boardwalk heads out to the beach.

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When you get to the end of the boardwalk, you'll find a beautiful broad white-sand beach

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Home of the 325th FW, Tyndall is a major fighter training base. There is a constant parade of aircraft over the FAMCAMP, making it a bit noisy at times. Here an F-15 Eagle circles over our campsite as it heads for a landing.

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A pair of F-15's coming in.

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The AF's newest fighter is the F-22 Raptor.

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The belly of the Raptor.

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Tyndall is also home to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, which assists in the testing of various weapons, such as air-to-air missiles. The 53rd flies QF-4 drones which serve as target aircraft. Although remotely controlled, a civilian contractor pilot usually flies in the drone, prepared to to take over in the event remote control is lost. On occasion a planned "kill" takes place; on those occassions the drones fly unmanned.