OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,854
connoisseur
|
OP
connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,854 |
I just got back from a 4 day business trip. My plan was to get caught up and back in the saddle. Unfortunately, I am being distracted - ALOT.
I'm looking out my 19th floor office window (right now) and watching the Blue Angels practicing for the air show that is scheduled in Rochester this weekend. They are probably 2-4 miles away. What a show. This has been going on for 1/2 hour and I expect there will be a repeat tomorrow.
I may not have noticed except the first fly-by was so close and so loud it scared the bejesus out of me. Fortunately, I took Ajax's advice and have started to wear Depends, so all is well. I am sending this off so I can watch the show. Man - are they ever close!!!
Last edited by Ray3; 07/15/04 04:45 PM.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,016
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,016 |
put a sign in your window that says..
T-BIRDS DO IT BETTER...
and see how much closer they get..
i grew up on air force bases, so i fully comprehend the greatness of watching one of their shows.. very amazing!
bigjohn
EXCUSE ME, ARE YOU THE SINGING BUSH??
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185 |
Yeah, I work right next to Lockheed, which is at Moffet Field in California. When they practice for airshows, they almost fly right over our parking lot. All the car alarms go off, pretty funny. Though it's cool to see the flyovers, stunt planes, vintage planes coming in too.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284
local
|
local
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284 |
My dad was a fighter pilot in the early days of jets so I grew up with a love for watching. We happened to live near a navel air base after he left the air force so I have many happy memories of both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds coming to perform. Dad always told me the Thunderbirds were better
Mark
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044
shareholder in the making
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 18,044 |
I was working in SF awhile back, on the 18th floor of a building, and I kept hearing planes go by. It was just a few months after Sept. 11 and I began thinking, "There's no way that downtown SF is in flight paths... I wonder what the hell is going on?!" It turned out that it was Fleet Week, and the Blue Angels were doing a show! We went out on the balcony/roof area of the 20th floor and watched. It was quite a heady experience.
I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,854
connoisseur
|
OP
connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,854 |
Looks like play time is over today - I just watched them land at the airport. What a show (and productivity buster! ). I ended up with 5 folks in my office watching the antics. Those guys got REAL close to the building I'm in. Fun interlude. Hopefully, they'll be back tomorrow at about the same time.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,016
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,016 |
i have similar memories.. going to all these airshows as a child and seeing the biggest and fastest jets on the planet right before my eyes.. SR-71 blackbirds, C-5 cargo carrier, B-52 stratto-fortress, F-14 tomcats, etc..
we always had a great time.. and we used to be able to climb up in them, i dont know if they still let kids do that these days??
bigjohn
EXCUSE ME, ARE YOU THE SINGING BUSH??
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
My brother and I were military plane nuts as kids. There was a Navy base nearby, so we saw all kinds of planes all the time, and we also went to a couple air shows.
The most impressive flyover I ever witnessed was when a B-2 did a wide sweeping turn over Berkeley when I was a student. Sure it might be a stealth plane, but it's damn huge, and loud!
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 70
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 70 |
The Blue Angels did the Schenectady County Air Show 2 years ago and the Thunderbirds did it last year. During practice and the show, both groups flew right over my head quite a bit, scaring the heck out of the neighborhood dogs and setting off some car alarms. I was more impressed with the Blue Angels (maybe because a Hornet is bigger than a Fighting Falcon, or maybe because the solid navy blue paint job had more impact than the the "bird" paint job).
Try to get closer!
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284
local
|
local
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284 |
It was my impression too that the deep blue paint job really contributed the drama going way back before the F/A18 and F16. Remember the Thunderbirds flying the F100 and the Blue Angels the F4. Haven't seen either one for a long time now.
Mark
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
|
shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
On that note, I wonder if The Thunderbirds will switch to the F22. With its vectored thrust capability, it should be able to fly circles around everything else out there.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185 |
I'm not a huge plane fanatic, but I can appreciate them. I was more into cars when I was a kid. However, I did have some cool experiences as a military contractor. Years ago, went to Long Beach, CA to do some work at the McDonnell Douglas facility where they were building the B17's (or whatever the newer ones are called, told you I wasn't a plane buff...) We got to walk around the manufacturing floor, in and around the aircraft and on the wings. VERY cool. The new aircraft (back then) were quite modular and you could turn it into a cargo plane, medical plane, etc very quickly. The entire inside was set up w/ rails and everything slid in and out. The entire craft could be piloted by 2 people. I was impressed.
Another interesting side note. Before my trip, I had coincidentally just read Michael Crichton's Airframe book. I can verify that much of what he wrote was pretty close to what happens on the manufacturing floor. My company was tasked to help track equipment and repair schedules on the floor. This was seen by the workers as intrusive, since many of them counted on overtime and perhaps some did not work as efficiently as they should have just so they could get more $$$. During my stay there, some of my equipment was taken, moved, hid because our work was a threat to their workstyle. Kinda sad.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284
local
|
local
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284 |
My guess is they will go to the F35 because it is the replacement for the F16, single engine, lighter and more economical, which were all factors in going to the F16 from the F4.
Mark
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703 |
In reply to:
On that note, I wonder if The Thunderbirds will switch to the F22. With its vectored thrust capability, it should be able to fly circles around everything else out there.
That would SO rock, but alas that plane is jsut way to expensive, I highly doubt they could justify having ~8 or so set aside for a flight team.
Now I've never been connected to the military but planes in general have always been a very high interest for me. I would ABSOLUTELY kill (well ) to see a SR-71 fly. I think if I could manage to see that I could die happy.
I'm pretty excited the T-birds will be in town this yr for Offutts air show. I haven't seen them for a long time, 2 yrs ago was the Blue Angels. It was pretty aumusing to hear them talk all the smack about being the best but they had a delay to start because one plane had engine trouble, then during the start of the show a 2nd plane had to land for another problem.
Coolest plane I've seen in person was the F105 Starfighter. Big long engine with little wings. Made the coolest sound I've ever heard from a jet.
I could ramble on forever with this topic
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 289
local
|
local
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 289 |
My very earliest memory was watching Apollo 11 in black and white. [2 years old]
I'll die happy when I can get a ride in one of these...
Ya Hooo!
The few dollars left over from my HT/audio purchases are already ear marked for a special savings account. 20 years and counting...
Jag
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 289
local
|
local
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 289 |
Ya, the whole Ansari contest sends shivers down my spine.
My retirement plan? Condo in florida ( canadian reference ) ? Nope, Space! How lucky we are that this is could very well be a real possibility in our life times.
For me I'll go with whoever gets me there first.
Cheers,Jag
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 47
buff
|
buff
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 47 |
There was an air show two weeks ago in the area. I was doing yard work when I heard a familiar engine sound that I couldn't quite place. P-51 Mustang/Allisons.
Ray, I think your absence coupled with the fact that there was some large nude photo shoot in Buffalo is too coincidental. Either that or the second job you took to pay for your daughters wedding is consuming your liesure time.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703 |
I love WWII aircraft too, P51 is so cool looking in the air.
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,331
axiomite
|
axiomite
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,331 |
F4U Corsair - Whistling death.
Jack
"People generally quarrel because they cannot argue." - G. K. Chesterton
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284
local
|
local
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 284 |
The starfighter was the F104 the Thunderchief was the F105. All while I was growing up my father had a little plaque on the wall of his home office, an award for flying the F104 Starfighter while it was an experimental aircraft. Flew it about 1000mph though I believe it was capable of around mach 2. My little local county airport has an F104 on static display, mounted on a pole pointed up at about 30 degrees. I guess that is because Chuck Yeager lives here. It is a suprisingly small aircraft.
Mark
|
|
|
Re: OT - Blue Angels - BIG TIME!!!!
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
connoisseur
|
connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703 |
hehe nice!
The Offutt air museam here in town has a SR-71 hanging from the CEILING as you walk in the door to pay. It it absolutely amazing to see it that way.
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics24,945
Posts442,473
Members15,617
|
Most Online2,082 Jan 22nd, 2020
|
|
0 members (),
375
guests, and
4
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|