Author Topic: Airfest 2004 Macdill AFB pics/movie (Read 821 times)

ALF · « **on:** April 05, 2004, 10:23:10 PM »

After spending countless hours in traffic, and nearly 12 hours on the tarmac over two straight days, Alf brings to you the initial instalment of Airfest2004. Included at this time are over a dozen 3D images of static aircraft on display and a 12 minute movie of the airshow.

Bear in mind that Alf has a sweet video camera...but Discovery channel I aint....still I cant help but share for those intersted. Also keep in mind that AIrfest is a predominantly modern aircraft show. Over the year it has sadely become even more so. In the past I used to fret that we had only a 8 or so WWII planes. This year we had 3, and two of them were bombers.

But I guess thats what the fun & sun flying will bring hehehe.

For what its worth, the video has:

P51 (very breif flyby only)
F16
F15
F14
SU31
Pit special
B2
F117
and one other stunt plane that elludes my memory.....but it had a gecco on it

Ah well

Check it out at:http://www.combathanger.com/airfest2004/airfest2004.html

Tumor · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2004, 11:19:48 PM »

You missed the F-104?? (only reason I went and got there too late). Saw it leaving the base in a streak today though.

United · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2004, 11:25:01 PM »

Alf, great job. You always seem to do these things up nice.

TBolt A-10 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2004, 11:32:20 PM »

I enjoyed the vid. Thank you for giving the prop a/c a fair share of airtime; those are usually my fav.
The P-51 in formation with a couple of jets...seems like well-earned respect to me.

Don't have 3D glasses, but I'm sure the pics are great.

ALF · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2004, 11:52:29 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Tumor
You missed the F-104?? (only reason I went and got there too late). Saw it leaving the base in a streak today though.

missed it...but got a still of it sitting on the runway somewhere

mars01 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 06, 2004, 12:51:42 AM »

Thanks for the vid, sure wish I could hear the jets over the mix tho

gofaster · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2004, 10:47:40 AM »

I saw the cars lined up on Dale Mabry all the way to Swann and knew I'd made the right decision to go to the USAV National Qualifiers at the convention center instead. You should get a combat medal for fighting your way to the base.

Did they have any scale model displays? The club from Sarasota used to put up some tables and that usually gave me some ideas for projects of my own.

:edit - I'm glad to see the F-14 demo. Looked pretty good! The last couple of times I went there, the F-14 was only a static display. I'm glad to see the ol' girl getting airborne for the public again.

ALF · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2004, 05:20:18 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by gofaster
I saw the cars lined up on Dale Mabry all the way to Swann and knew I'd made the right decision to go to the USAV National Qualifiers at the convention center instead. You should get a combat medal for fighting your way to the base.

Did they have any scale model displays? The club from Sarasota used to put up some tables and that usually gave me some ideas for projects of my own.

:edit - I'm glad to see the F-14 demo. Looked pretty good! The last couple of times I went there, the F-14 was only a static display. I'm glad to see the ol' girl getting airborne for the public again.

If you promise not to tell anyone:

Crosstown to Euclid....head south on Himes all the way down till Interbay...take left...make right on Macdill and you are 1/2 mile from the base.....BWAHAHAHA....but dont tell all the fools sitting in traffic....total drive time 55 min from brandon

They had static models, and while varied, they were less than impressive. 80% were 1/48th scale for fighters...and not in very nice shape (very apparently old and traveled too much...yellowing with lots of perma dust and no shine), and overall....nothing to write home about. Nothing against the modelers...just much of it was not show quality stuff IMHO.

Cobra412 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 07, 2004, 08:56:16 PM »

Nice vid Alf...

Mars just come out to California and you can hear all of those at my work. To some it's music to me it's just noise anymore. Well except when our 2 tails crack burner or break the sound barrier over base, thats music.

"If it ain't got two tails it ain't chit".

mars01 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:54:38 AM »

LOL pretty sweet Cobra.

I saw the Blue Angles first time ever this past year at Stewart Intntl. I was amazed at the sound of those jets when they passed by. The crackle that follows was wild. Can't get enuff lolh:D

Cobra412 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 08, 2004, 01:16:04 AM »

Mars the Hornets are nice but IMO the feel of the F-15 with PW220s or 229s in burner are so much more extreme. About 6 months ago I was on a afterburner integrity engine run and the dang thing stalled, fire flashed out and scared the watermelon outta me.

Plus the feel of it as the stages start kicking in is wicked to say the least. Just one engine going into burner will feel like your laying on a massive sub woofer as it's kicking. It's kinda hard to explain exactly what it feels like but thats about as close as it gets. Being at an airshow and getting fairly close is cool but being in the cockpit when they are rocking and rolling is a completely different world.

It's kinda funny cause I get so pissed at my job sometimes and then reflect back on the cool part of it. Makes the bad watermelon seem minor. Especially when your watching them take off fully loaded for a mission. Doing a quick turn on to the runway and immediately rolling in full AB. Then when they come back empty and you get to see the videos. It seems a bit demented as with my job comes death to say that. But when all of our birds come back and targets taken out it's bit of relief that you know you did your job and made it happen. It also gives you a weird feeling knowing that because of what you do someone may have lost their lives. Many folks think the military is just a robot doing as we are told but it's not as if we don't reflect back on what has transpired because of the mission. We're all human.

I need to get some photos of our jets. It's rare they allow us to but I'm gonna ask anyway.

mars01 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 08, 2004, 09:58:29 AM »

Turning green with Envy lol.

Yeah they had an F15 doing fly bys too, I think he did a low slow pass with a 51. Well the 15 was slow, I think the 51 was balls out lol.

I'm sure being in the seat must be awesome. Unfortunately that is a world I will never know, being a civilian peon and all

.

I will have to live vicariously through guys like you, thanks for the details and keep em coming.

When you make the runs are you PIC or do you go up with someone? Can't wait for the pics.

Cobra412 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 08, 2004, 08:30:03 PM »

Mars when we doing the maintenance engine runs it's all on the ground. We take the birds to whats called a "hush house" for our afterburner runs and for engine runs under 80% we just run on the open flightline. Unfortunately incentive rides are few and far between anymore.

Many folks have gotten a ride in our birds but it seems that doesn't happen much anymore. Being a flight controls specialist they'd allow me to fly the aircraft if I ever got an incentive ride. Majority of the folks who arent flightline maintainers of some sort just to get ride along. Being an avionic specialist has it's perks when something like that comes around. Any system on board we have the knowledge to run. Kinda fun to be locking on to ground targets with a pod at alt.

mars01 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 08, 2004, 08:52:50 PM »

Sounds like you need some incentive:D

Still like you said pretty cool!

Cobra412 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 09, 2004, 12:53:02 AM »

lol..Mars as always incentive in some agencies means politics and prettythang kissing. Both are not in my job description. If my maintenance skills doesn't cut it, screw it. Though it'd be nice to get it I'm not about to get down on my knees just to get an incentive ride.

Plus I've been in for almost 10 years and my time to get a ride is over. The new troops are who should be getting them. They are the ones your trying to give the incentive to in order to keep them in. Thats one reason why you'll see many maintainers ****** about folks who don't work the jets but yet they get incentive rides. They bust there prettythang constantly doing 12 hour shifts to get jets ready for the next day and get very little in return. Even though it is a voluntary service you still have to show your appreciation to your troops for a job well done. Giving it to some smuck sitting in a nice climate controlled office with set cake hours isn't right my mind.

In my 10 years I've seen many vets get multiple rides and not once did they ever say give it to this person instead. To me thats just being greedy and not showing the troops that what they do matters. Ya gotta take care of your own or they won't take care of you.