A couple of F-14s playing in the clouds

[AKDejaVu]

I just spent the last 4 days driving my Grandfather down to Palm Springs for the winter.  On the way down, we were taking highway 95 to Las Vegas.  We ran across an intersection that said "Las Vegas via Fallon straight ahead" and "Las Vegas via <insert Nevada town here> right".  It was an easy decision.

We stopped and ate breakfast in Fallon and as we were pulling out of the restaurant, we missed the turnoff for highway 95.  We ended up on highway 50 heading east... right by Fallon's naval air station.  A couple of F-14s were taking off as we drove by.  No big deal.

We realized the mistake about 50 miles later.  We turned around and headed back through the wilderness.  A couple of black smoke plumes puffed up from the desert floor and I looked up to see two circling F-14s.  They were at about 5000 feet in pretty close formation... one behind the other.

Unfortunately, I had to keep my eye somewhat on the incredibly straight and boring road... but when I turned back... I saw one of the F-14s fly around a tiny pillar cloud... out of sight of the other aircraft.  He then proceeded to punch through the bottom of the cloud deck (at about 10k) still out of sight of the other F-14.  It was funny to watch the still low F-14 do a flat turn then come to the realization that the eyes were not going to help him find the other craft.  He turned a couple of times then headed up and through the clouds.  It was hilarious.

It was almost worth going 100 miles out of the way.  Too bad they were only Navy planes

AKDejaVu

[StSanta]

Cool experience dejavu  .

We got an airbase here where I live, with F-16's stattioned. I gather they practise over water, as Denmark is densely populated.

It's easy to know when they're training though; I'll see them just after take off in formation flying out towards the sea, sometimes a nbit N of where I live. Then you'll hear the incredible sound difference as they punch/deactivate the afterburners. Very cool.

The closest I've been to F-16's though was when the Thunderbirds paid us a visit. That was a religious moment for me.

<sigh> A lost youth - I'll never fly those kites  .



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StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"

[Maverick]

Hehehe,

Major air show here this weekend in Tucson.

Davis Monthan Air Force base will have a 2 day show including the Tbirds and several other flying demonstrations teams / acts. They have A10 training here so there is usually a demo of that bird as well.

I went to the Copperstate flyin with the EAA last month but the flying part was a real sleeper. The best act there was the guy with a RC plane (extra 300), sheesh.

Mav

[funked]

I used to live right by NAS Miramar.  It was not uncommon for F-18's to do a nice roll as they went over our neighborhood on their way out to the ocean.  

[StSanta]

Bleh.

You brats are SPOILED  .

"Noise - that's not noise! It's a jet engine - MUSIC!"

 .



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StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"

[funked]

We call that the "sound of freedom".  

[PC]

Damn that US 50, I spent a week on it one day. You had more fun than I did  

PC

[Igloo]

I saw a F16 do an afterburning takeoff at an airshow a few years ago.  My god, I did not expect it to be so loud.  I didn't know whether to plug my ears or hold my chest to stop it from shaking  

[AKDejaVu]

Heheheh.. I used to be in the Air Force.. that runway stuff is old hat to me.

By the way.. a full AB takeoff from an F16 is cool.. but from an F15 its simply awesome.  Of course.. the SR-71 that took off at sunset from our base put them all to shame.

Some of the coolest things I've seen:

-Two Harriers come in nose to nose and stop pointing each other.. then turn and taxi 40 feet off the ground to the TA pad.

-A B-51 doing about 400 knots at 200 feet over our base.  I could actually see the door actuators in the open weapons bay.  It was during an exercise and an inspector told us we were dead because we didn't jump into the pile of 5 sandbags off to the left.  We pointed to our "exempt" armbands then explained what a 1000 lb bomb would do to those sandbags.

- An F4 taking reconnaissance photos at a crash site.  Once again.. about 350 knots and 200 feet off the ground.

- An F-111 flying between two light towers at about 125 feet... doing about 250 knots in a wings-full-forward hard bank.  Still don't know if that was on purpose or blind luck.

- A B-1 banking too hard on a touch and go and nearly planting the left wing tip in the dirt before the instructor took over.

- B-1s taking off with full AB at night.  4 afterburners is enough to move anyone  

- An A-10 do a flat turn.  Simply amazing.

I find that the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels shows are cool, but too scripted.  I truly enjoyed the few times I got to see aircraft doing something I wasn't expecting.  Spending enough time around military bases and exercises made these things possible.  I'll always be envious of those that are privileged enough to be piloting those craft.

I hate you eagl  

AKDejaVu

shoulda used spell check the first time around

[This message has been edited by AKDejaVu (edited 11-05-2000).]

[qts]

Some years ago, I went for an interview in Farnborough. It was the day before the airshow and I got to see lots of planes practice.

Another airshow I attended - 15 years or more ago had a Vulcan. It *really* surprised me how quiet they are - until the engine is pointing in your direction <g>. And it was incredibly manoeuverable, turning almost on a wingtip.

Pity they've decommissioned them all.

[Replicant]

Some of my high-lights...

1  Two Panavia Tornado's GR1s dogfighting over where I live - one was German Marineflager or Luftwaffe and the other was RAF.  They were based where I work.  It lasted for about 20 minutes and it was so impressive.

2  SR71 Blackbird taking off from RAF Mildenhall in 1985 at an airshow.  There was some excess fuel in one engine and it ignited and created a blast of flame twice the length of the plane!!  Impressive!

3  F111 breaking the sound barrier over RAF Mildenhall.  It was about 1984.  It was very wet and damp and steam was coming out of the intakes, and then what sounded like artillery cannon firing - they broke the sound barrier!  It's illegal over Britain so who knows what trouble they got into!

4  Well, my first and only flying lesson.  I was flying near to where I work at RAF Cottesmore at about 2500ft.  I then hear from ATC that the Red Arrows are to pass over the airfield... and yes they did, 1500ft below us to the left!  Hmm.. I was so impressed and really made my first flight extra special!    

Regards

'Nexx'

[This message has been edited by Replicant (edited 11-05-2000).]

[Fishu]

I've seen Mig-21 and F-18's flying over myself...
Both times I was visiting at my grandparents house (farm like area) and I was standing on the yard, when suddenly from behind the forrest (about 70 meters from me, hard to see incoming planes if they fly low) very fast and felt like earthquake was coming as it surprised so completely.. there were 2 Mig-21s coming over.
That same thing happend almost exactly sameway couple years later - this time with 3 Hornets.
afterwards i have seen F-18 in an airshow (where was also P-51 'old crow' and Vampire jet fighter)

[Rickenbacker]

I once saw two JA-37 Viggen (Thunderbolt) dogfight over my house as I was heading out to my car to go to work. Needless to say I was late that day.

Watched an AN-2 start up last week at our soaring club, a 1,000 HP radial sure makes a racket when starting. Takes a while to get all 9 cylinders running too, and creates an instant smokescreen  .



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        Rickenbacker (Ricken)

                -ISAF-
the Independent Swedish Air Force