For you Thunderbird Fans....

[FF2BKE]

I was bored the other day and yahooed! the USAF Thunderbirds. Some cool pix, enjoy! :cool:

http://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/libraryimages.htm

[DaSharkie]

Maybe it is because I am partial to the Blue Angels for so many reasons, I must submit for your viewing pleasure (in the interest of being fair) the Blue Angels.........

http://www.navy.com/blueangels

http://www.navy.com/jsp/explore/comunity/blueangels/index.jsp?cid=28&pid=2

[Dave1983]

I have a loaded, paid for, '88 Thunderbird with just under 61K miles on it:cool:

[E229Lt]

As a kid I didn't like Thunderbird, Tango was more my taste.

[mcaldwell]

C'mon Boys, there is only one 9-aircraft demonstration team in North America. These are the boys to watch. :p :)

SnowBirds (http://www.snowbirds.dnd.ca/index_e.asp)

The Snowbirds are celebrating their 35th Anniversary this year and to date have flown for over 116 million spectators across North America.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Good job, Marty! I was on that site earlier today but got distracted doing the kiddie thing and didn't get a chance to post the link LOL. Had time to check out a few of the pics first though! :D :D :D

[DaSharkie]

I have seen the Snowbirds. Just doesn't cut the mustard for me. Sorry bud. :p

[CaptainGonzo]

Originally posted by DaSharkie
I have seen the Snowbirds. Just doesn't cut the mustard for me. Sorry bud. :p

The Snowbirds fly the CT-114 "Tutor", a twin seat single engined subsonic aircraft designed for flight training. There are 22 of the CT114's in the CAF inventory.

The Thunderbirds fly the F-16 Falcon, a single engine supersonic aircraft. The Blue Angels fly the FA-18 Hornet, a twin engine, supersonic.

Being an airplane nut and student pilot, I have seen all three aerobatic teams perform. You think it takes "cojones" to enter a burning building? Try flying wingtip to wingtip or head to head at 600+ MPH!

[FF2BKE]

I've seen the Thunderbirds two or three times but would like to see the Blue Angels one of these days. :cool:

[DaSharkie]

FF2BKE,

Click the link to the Blue Angels site and you can get their schedule. Well worth the trip, just to see the Blues. When I was stationed in Pensacola, FL in the Corps, I used to watch them do their practice runs a few times a month and NEVER tired of it.

Cap, talk about weird, you ever see "Fat Albert" do its takeoff with the JATO packs? Just to watch a C-130 go almost vertical is insane.

Cap,

You ought to take a trip to Pensacola. They have a top notch museum - the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Planes, helicopters, jets, fighters, bombers, PBYs, from all eras from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. You'd love it. Never seen more beautiful beaches in my life either.

http://naval.aviation.museum/intro.html

If you time your trip right, you can watch the Blues do thier practice shows (exact same show they do at an air show, but much smaller crowd) and it is for free. You being a Captain, and a firefighter - I know how cheap you can be. :D

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

Shake it up.:cool:

[spearsm]

Aw man yes! T-Birds are a sight to behold. Haven't seen the Blues in person, but know that they are unbelievably tight! Being an Airforce Brat and spent the majority of my life either on or near Bases, I have seen the "birds" quite a few times. Even when the F-16 lost it's Turkey feathers on take-off during a show here in Columbus. That will make your hair stand up on end.
You can't force me away from an airshow. It never gets old. Never.

[skyraider]

Originally posted by spearsm
You can't force me away from an airshow. It never gets old. Never.
DITTO! I just love airshows. Naturally, the acrobatics of a fighter group in tight formation is spectacular, but I enjoy all the aircraft and delicate skills of their pilots/crew.

BUT...my heart remains true to the B-17 Flying Fortress. Our WWII generation are, without a doubt, "The Greatest Generation." Support our troops! Lest we forget.


http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes/b-17_flying_fortress.pl

[CaptainGonzo]

Here'sa link for all of you aircraft fanatics. The Collings Foundation, based in Stow, Massachusetts has quite a collection of warbirds, including the only B-24 Liberator still flying and an F-4 Phantom!

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm

Enjoy!

[SAFD46Truck]

I have seen both the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels perform, both teams are spectacular. I had the opportunity to go up in an F-16 once, it was unbelievable. The wing commander took me up and let me fly a bit, then he took over and pounded on me until I G-LOC'ed at 7.9G's. :p I have the utmost respect for Fighter Pilots...they are every bit as tough as Jakes...maybe even a little crazier! ;)

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/565000-565999/565749_28_full.jpg
Me and the Boss.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/565000-565999/565749_29_full.jpg
Ok, and this little lever will eject me right!?!?

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Cool! :D

[spearsm]

hey 46, were you grunting? Tell me....did you Black out or Red out?

[CaptainGonzo]

A flight of four F-15 Strike Eagles flew over "our faire city" a few times today while waiting to do the flyby for the home opener at Fenway Park.

The sight and sound was spectacular!

[skyraider]

Originally posted by CaptainGonzo
Here'sa link for all of you aircraft fanatics. DADGUMMIT, CaptainGonzo!!! I wish I would have known about this last year...I missed them. I'll have to wait patiently. Thanks for passing the link along...it's bookmarked! Andrews' show is coming soon, though. :)

[SAFD46Truck]

Originally posted by spearsm
hey 46, were you grunting? Tell me....did you Black out or Red out?

Blacked out. Actually my vision got gray at first and tunneled down to a pinpoint, then the good Colonel lit the burners and pulled harder....that was all she wrote.:D I was doing the valsava manuever and grunting/straining like a m'f'er, but I just couldn't make it through 8G's. Curiously enough I didn't puke until after we went wings level and headed for home. :p Good thing I had a small breakfast. I have a recording and video of the flight, the audio is some funny stuff.:D

[spearsm]

Boss, if you made if close to 8 and not a flyer, I tip my hat to you!:D :D

Well, the pilot was nice...at least he didn't tell you to look out one way and then bank the other...(BAM!):D :D

[arhaney]

SAFD46Truck, Man.........I'm green with envy! :cool: :cool:

[SAFD46Truck]

The Colonel is a great guy, he asked me how hard I wanted to go. I told him to let me have it because I'd probly never get the chance again. It is amazing the shape these guys are in, after a 1 hour flight I was absolutely whipped, and I am in pretty good shape. (or so I thought) The aircraft was actually amazingly easy to fly, you just look where you want to go and the plane does it. Barrel rolls were pretty easy, loops hurt.;) Those speed jeans get TIGHT!

edit- I apologize for the hijack folks (go T-Birds!:p )

[CaptainGonzo]

Originally posted by SAFD46Truck
The Colonel is a great guy, he asked me how hard I wanted to go. I told him to let me have it because I'd probly never get the chance again. It is amazing the shape these guys are in, after a 1 hour flight I was absolutely whipped, and I am in pretty good shape. (or so I thought) The aircraft was actually amazingly easy to fly, you just look where you want to go and the plane does it. Barrel rolls were pretty easy, loops hurt.;) Those speed jeans get TIGHT!

edit- I apologize for the hijack folks (go T-Birds!:p )

Rich...not a problem... I would give the left one for a chance to do what you did!

[Lewiston2Capt]

Originally posted by CaptainGonzo


Rich...not a problem... I would give the left one for a chance to do what you did!

I think I would give 'em both for a chance to do that! Having grown up around the Niagara Air Force base I have gotten to see both the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angles. Unfortunately I have also watched the Blue Angles crash at the Air show. My FD ended up responding to provide assistance.

[FF2BKE]

The last airshow around here, I also got to see the F-15 Demonstration Show. It was a one plane show but it was awesome to see what it could do. After landing, the pilot turned the Eagle to face the crowd and tapped the brake to make it bow. That was cool!! I also got to see my favorite, the F-14, on that trip. I'd still like to see a C-5 Galaxy in person. That has to impress me the most.

:cool:

[CJMinick390]

We have a Air National Guard base close by that flies the A-10 Warthog and the C-130. I know it's not as exciting as watching F-15's, F-16's, and FA-18's, but they are fun to watch, nevertheless. The scuttlebutt is that they are getting prepared to go back across the water for a deployment, so they've been flying around a lot lately.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

I just went to see the SNOWBIRDS, over the waters of beautiful Oak Bay, on a spectacular summer day and all I can say is .....

WOW!!! WHAT AN AWESOME SHOW!!! :eek: :eek: :D :D

OK I said something else, but it would just get bleeped out so I'm being conservative! :D :p

I watched through my binoculars a lot and I'm just about speechless it was so cool!

There will probably be pics of it in tomorrow's paper, but here's a file pic for now.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

And this view is even better :D :D :D :D :D :D

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Did I mention it was right on Willows Beach? :D :D

SWEEET!!!

Lot's of eye candy (for both sexes) too! hehehe :p :cool:

Oh and a police helicopter did a little fancy flying for us, trying to get the boats that were within the 1/2 mile "safety box" to move back so the Snowbirds could actually perform. :rolleyes: Part show, part for real.

All in all, a great day!!! And I would definitely go see the Snowbirds perform again! :D

[F52Westside]

Sky Raider you might like this website - Yankee Air Museum (http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/)

My father in law does some volunteering and made the guns for the 17 (Wood and PVC).

And when I graduated many many moons ago, my grad party was at a park that was just south of the airport where the Blue Angels were performing at an air show. It made it a great party (I told some people they were there for my party :D :D :p :eek: .

[38ffems]

I have to miss to miss an airshow near me to go to a wedding. Unfortunatley I promised my girlfriend I would go before realizing it was the same day as an airshow I had been waiting all year to see. I see F-16's all the time at school but the thunderbirds are gonna be there. I have seen them before and they are amazing. Oh well there will be other air shows. I am hoping to be a pilot in the coast guard when I get out of school.

[t13one12]

Both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds at one air show in a few days. Sounds like I might be making a trip to Atlantic City. Last week before I go back to school to. Have to ask the guys at the firehouse if they want to go!

[38ffems]

The show im missing is in the same town as the school i go to. Burlington Vermont, and i go to University of Vermont.

[ChiefDog]

The show im missing is in the same town as the school i go to. Burlington Vermont, and i go to University of Vermont.

Just to add a little...

The Air Show is going to be over Lake Champlain waterfront and is in conjunction with the 60th Anniversary of the Vermont Air National Guard, Green Mountain Boys. There is suppose to be an open house at the base the next day.

The Green Mountain Boys were some of, if not the first fighter aircraft on station over NYC on 9/11/2001 after the attack. They also fly the F-16. :D

[Plattsfire2]

While we were at Al Jaber Air Base this last time we had U.S. F-16,s, A-10's, RAF Tornado's and Kuwaiti Air Force Jaguars. These guys would take off and practice attacking the base we were at. Keep in mind, there are no FAA rules or guidlines when you're deployed, so it was a free for all. Man, I saw those guys do some stuff over there I never thought possible. I've never seen an air show in my life that could compare to some of the stuff those pilots would pull.

By the way, British pilots are NUTS. :D

[Dave1983]

I have an '88 T-Bird. Its loaded, and only has 63K on it.



:o :o :o



Oh...not THAT T-Bird...