The Ultimate Experience

[West R Lee]

I guess because my father was a carrier pilot, or as he would say, a "Naval Aviator", these videos blow me away. He is so very gentle with this lady, and this would be my dream come true, though I'll never get the chance. These guys are my heroes. This is such a thrill for me to watch.

We never miss the Angels and they do Barksdale every other year.



West

 

[adorshki]

Always remember the rivalry between Navy and Air Force pilots in Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" leading up to the "Who's better?" showdown:.
The Air Force guys struggled just to land inside the outline of a carrier on flat ground, let alone pitching up and down merrily in the swell...kinda says it all.

(Hey to be fair AF guys did have a different mission and thus different equipment and flying techniques )

 

[West R Lee]

Always remember the rivalry between Navy and Air Force pilots in Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff" leading up to the "Who's better?" showdown:.
The Air Force guys struggled just to land inside the outline of a carrier on flat ground, let alone pitching up and down merrily in the swell...kinda says it all.

(Hey to be fair AF guys did have a different mission and thus different equipment and flying techniques )

I know Air Force fighter pilots that will tell you Navy fighter pilots are unmatched. Our very own Scratch, Air Force major (turned down Lt. Coloneldom to retire), will tell you the same. All the same, I don't think I'd want and F-15/F-16 on my tail either.

West

 

[Westerly Wood]

I guess because my father was a carrier pilot, or as he would say, a "Naval Aviator", these videos blow me away. He is so very gentle with this lady, and this would be my dream come true, though I'll never get the chance. These guys are my heroes. This is such a thrill for me to watch.

We never miss the Angles and they do Barksdale every other year.



West

have you seen Top Gun: Maverick yet? It was better than the original, imho.

 

[GardMan]

She was one tough Cookie! When I was a kid, I wanted to be a jet pilot... and an astronaut. As much as I'd like to think I had the stuff, I probably would have lost my breakfast, lunch, or whatever my last meal was.

When I lived/worked in SF, we could go up on the roof of our building and watch the Angels practice and fly their "Fleet Week" show. Amazing stuff! One year they did a little impromptu flight down market street, below the roofline of the buildings. Caused quite a stir amongst the population and politics... and got the mayor a ride-along.

 

[Opsimath]

I always wanted to ride with a crop duster. Never occurred to me to ride with a fighter pilot but I'd go without a second thought!

I was hoping at the end of the video we'd get to see the pilot. Sounds like he would make a good instructor.

 

[GGJaguar]

If I ever got a chance to fly in a P-51 Mustang I'd probably weep tears of joy.

 

[Uke]

Living in Daytona we get to watch the USAF Thunderbirds hang out for two or three days flying around town doing amazing things "practicing" for the flyover at the start of the Daytona 500 race. This year it was literally hair raising for me. I'm out in the backyard pushing the lawnmower when they come sneaking up behind me and do a flyover. Didn't know they were coming up because of the lawn mower noise, and before I knew it I thought the world had come to an end. Amazing flyers.

 

[fronobulax]

If I ever got a chance to fly in a P-51 Mustang I'd probably weep tears of joy.

CAF Gunfighter Rides

www.p51gunfighter.com

Should we start stocking up on tissues or are you not travelling?

There are several other groups flying Mustangs so if this is really a Bucket List item you could probably start planning now.

These guys are local enough that we see them in the sky sometimes but they don't have a P-51.

https://www.capitalwingwarbirdrides.org/about-us

 

[adorshki]

I know Air Force fighter pilots that will tell you Navy fighter pilots are unmatched. Our very own Scratch, Air Force major (turned down Lt. Coloneldom to retire), will tell you the same. All the same, I don't think I'd want and F-15/F-16 on my tail either.

West

Or even an Air National Guard Phantom. Was flying through Portland once and while taxiing heard a loud roar. While I was wondering what it was we came around and saw 2 Phantoms about as close as "across the street" looking like they were ready to launch. Flames out the tail about half as long again as the plane. Whoah!

If y'ever seen a military jet up close and personal at or near (I assume) full take-off power it's something you don't forget.

 

[GGJaguar]

CAF Gunfighter Rides

www.p51gunfighter.com

Avgas is expensive.

 

[GardMan]

We are on the flight path for anything doing a flyover at the U of U football stadium... so it's become pretty routine. Just a couple weeks ago, I was out for my morning walk, heard the approaching roar, and looked to see a mid-air refueling tanker and two F-XXs (? I don't know my fighter jets) fly directly over my head at (what I would guess was) <1000 ft above the ground. When they had gone and the noise subsided, the guy doing yard work across the street asked if we were at war... Turns out they were doing a flyover in every state to celebrate 100 years of air-to-air refueling.

One of my favorites: some years ago, there was a small airshow up in Heber (about 45 min drive), with a B-17 doing tourist flights. Their 45 min ride (for $450) flew down over SLC, with a sweeping banked turn right over my house! Every time I heard it coming, I'd run out too watch and take photos...

 

[gjmalcyon]

I was enjoying a beer-powered nap (either Labatt's Blue or Molson Export) one early '90's June afternoon in our rented cabin on Lac Heney in Quebec and started dreaming I was at an airshow.

I woke up and heard the unmistakable sound of afterburners and dashed out of the cabin in time to catch the tail end of a short impromptu airshow a Canadian Air Force CF-18 put on for my buddy and his 6-year old son. They were standing on the end of the dock, started jumping up and down and waving as the plane flew down the lake at low altitude, and the pilot obliged with converting some JP-4 into noise, smoke, and aerobatic maneuvers.

 

[Opsimath]

I grew up near an Air Force jet training base and sonic booms were almost daily.

 

[gjmalcyon]

One of my favorites: some years ago, there was a small airshow up in Heber (about 45 min drive), with a B-17 doing tourist flights. Their 45 min ride (for $450) flew down over SLC, with a sweeping banked turn right over my house! Every time I heard it coming, I'd run out too watch and take photos...

My father's oldest brother was a B-24 Liberator gunner on Maggie, assigned to the 67th Squadron of the 44th Bomb Group, Shipdham, England. They were the first bomb group assigned to Liberators, and were in the fight by November, 1942. He was shot down over the North Sea in March, 1943 after his 10th mission, over Wilhelmshaven, Germany. He bailed out along with the entire crew of his plane,. Only two survived in that cold water. He didn't.

He was the tail gunner on his final mission, and I had the chance to take a ride in Witchcraft, the Collings Foundation's B-24 in September, 2018 at Naval Air Station Wildwood.



I spent some time in the tail gunner's position, and I marvel at the courage these kids had - going on missions without fighter escort over heavily defended targets.



Bonus video: Collings Foundation B-17 "909" taxiing for takeoff. Turn up your speakers:

 

[adorshki]

I know Air Force fighter pilots that will tell you Navy fighter pilots are unmatched. Our very own Scratch, Air Force major (turned down Lt. Coloneldom to retire), will tell you the same. All the same, I don't think I'd want and F-15/F-16 on my tail either.

West

Speakin' of Kenny, how's he doing? Sounds like he's OK?

 

[Prince of Darkness]

I grew up in a village which was on the flight path to the Northumberland firing ranges. Used to see all sorts, though mostly RAF. Buccaneers, Harriers, F4 Phantoms, Jaguars, Tornados, F111s, F15s, A10s. Would occasionally have a Vulcan or Shackleton fly over and sometimes an AWACS. Sure there were quite a few others, but the memory fades Some of them were really low!
Looking forward to a local airshow on 21st July, which should include aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster) and also a display from the Red Arrows.

 

[FNG]

Awesome youtube channel...start them young! Only six years old.

 

[West R Lee]

Speakin' of Kenny, how's he doing? Sounds like he's OK?

He's good Al, all things considered. He's got some health issues, and can no longer play guitar due to some hand issues, but all in all he's doing very well. I'll tell him you asked about him.

West

 

[adorshki]

He's good Al, all things considered. He's got some health issues, and can no longer play guitar due to some hand issues, but all in all he's doing very well. I'll tell him you asked about him.

West

Do I recall correctly he was out there on the cutting edge, Forward Air Controller in Viet Nam? Talk about walking a tightrope. Let him know there're still folks out there who "remember", even when it's not Memorial Day.