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Aircraft that make your jaw drop!

There's only one...
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Hooli said:
There's only one...
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Actually got to see one take off and fly way back at an air show in San Bernardino, in the mid-80s I would think.

I think it literally just took off and left, didn't come back around for a flyby or anything. Just and nice, steep ascent and...it was gone.
 
I wonder if the US will adapt piston trainers or similar the way the Ukrainians have to shoot down drones.

Ukraine is using Yak 52's and shotguns as well as AN 28's with miniguns at the side door.
 
I am lucky enough to have seen SR71s in flight a number of times. Three times at Beale AFB (launch and recover), two or three times at Edwards, (launch and recover), and numerous flybys in various places. The first time at Beale, once it started rolling and the burners lit I got massive goosebumps.
 
I spent 4 months on Kadena AFB, Okinawa and the SR-71 taxied through our flightline 2-3 times a week. You could tell when the SR-71 was taking off where ever you were on base. In the open, or in a building the roar of the engines was easily heard. Within a few weeks we were able to determine when it was going to do so by watching what fuel was stenciled on the KC-135s that would also taxi through. The SR-71 was the only one that used JP7. We would see 2-3 KC-135s go by about 1.5hrs before the Blackbird would come through. Once we figured it out, a bunch of us would meander out early with our cameras in our tool boxes.

I got a whole lot closer to it few years later when my squadron was on a guns det. to NAS Key West. We were on the flightline loading our F-5s when we learned that our jets launch time was going to be delayed due to another aircraft declaring an emergency. We all ran to a better vantage point to watch what might transpire. Turns out an SR-71 lost a motor and Key West was their divert. We watched it land, helped pin the landing gear and help get the pilot out of the jet. The pilot waved us away as he assisted the RO(?) out of the aft cockpit. Once they were out we helped get the jet into the hangar and the doors were closed. We all stood around in amazement.

When we arrived at work the next day there was a C-141 on the line and a whole bunch of USAF people and support gear. Once they fixed the jet (closed the panels) they invited us over to take a much closer look. Once they figured out who we were (the movie just came out) we started swaping squadron patches. They let us come close(r) when they did a ground test of the replacement motor. They did a test flight, and the next day it and the maintenance people left.
 
Enchanter said:
I spent 4 months on Kadena AFB, Okinawa and the SR-71 taxied through our flightline 2-3 times a week. You could tell when the SR-71 was taking off where ever you were on base. In the open, or in a building the roar of the engines was easily heard. Within a few weeks we were able to determine when it was going to do so by watching what fuel was stenciled on the KC-135s that would also taxi through. The SR-71 was the only one that used JP7. We would see 2-3 KC-135s go by about 1.5hrs before the Blackbird would come through. Once we figured it out, a bunch of us would meander out early with our cameras in our tool boxes.

I got a whole lot closer to it few years later when my squadron was on a guns det. to NAS Key West. We were on the flightline loading our F-5s when we learned that our jets launch time was going to be delayed due to another aircraft declaring an emergency. We all ran to a better vantage point to watch what might transpire. Turns out an SR-71 lost a motor and Key West was their divert. We watched it land, helped pin the landing gear and help get the pilot out of the jet. The pilot waved us away as he assisted the RO(?) out of the aft cockpit. Once they were out we helped get the jet into the hangar and the doors were closed. We all stood around in amazement.

When we arrived at work the next day there was a C-141 on the line and a whole bunch of USAF people and support gear. Once they fixed the jet (closed the panels) they invited us over to take a much closer look. Once they figured out who we were (the movie just came out) we started swaping squadron patches. They let us come close(r) when they did a ground test of the replacement motor. They did a test flight, and the next day it and the maintenance people left.
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^^^ I must take a minute to remind you that you suck.
 
Enchanter said:
I spent 4 months on Kadena AFB, Okinawa and the SR-71 taxied through our flightline 2-3 times a week. You could tell when the SR-71 was taking off where ever you were on base. In the open, or in a building the roar of the engines was easily heard. Within a few weeks we were able to determine when it was going to do so by watching what fuel was stenciled on the KC-135s that would also taxi through. The SR-71 was the only one that used JP7. We would see 2-3 KC-135s go by about 1.5hrs before the Blackbird would come through. Once we figured it out, a bunch of us would meander out early with our cameras in our tool boxes.
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My former supervisor (who retired earlier this year) told me that he handled all of the mission data downloaded during post-flight.

And yes, the starting cart was extremely loud!
 
900ss said:
I am lucky enough to have seen SR71s in flight a number of times. Three times at Beale AFB (launch and recover), two or three times at Edwards, (launch and recover), and numerous flybys in various places. The first time at Beale, once it started rolling and the burners lit I got massive goosebumps.
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I got to see the SR71 take off from Beale one time. Driving by Beale on our way to Chico State when I was in college. A lot of noise and when it got in the air more smoke and FIRE coming out of any plane I have ever seen. And then it was just gone.
 
My US Army reserve unit was on "maneuvers" at Beale in the mid 80s and we saw a SR71 take off. It was like I think I can get in to the sky, I really think I can, I'm sure if I try hard enough I can and then it go in to the sky and voop it was gone.
 
tuxumino said:
My US Army reserve unit was on "maneuvers" at Beale in the mid 80s and we saw a SR71 take off. It was like I think I can get in to the sky, I really think I can, I'm sure if I try hard enough I can and then it go in to the sky and voop it was gone.
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Similar to a C5 Galaxy take off I witnessed from Pope Airfield a few years after they were operational.
 
I once flew Space-A on a C-5 from Japan to California. 15-20 of us boarded via the external ladder to the upper deck. A couple hours into the flight an Airman and I decided to get up and stretch our legs. The loadmaster let us go to the lower deck, and we were surprised that it was empty. I didn't think they flew them empty (@motoproponent) She quickly went back up the stairs and came back down with a Frisbee! We spent a long time tossing it around and then played Hacky-Sack.
 
I have a pix of a C-5 doing a flyby approach of The Nut Tree airport, somewhere locked in a old 'puter.
The low & slow moan, climbing out over "Hamburger Hill",
as the phones light up the PD, about "the plane crash"

"Big Mamuu, coming in for a squat." quote from my Dad,
Groaning over his house in Dixon, in the pattern.
 
Enchanter said:
I once flew Space-A on a C-5 from Japan to California. 15-20 of us boarded via the external ladder to the upper deck. A couple hours into the flight an Airman and I decided to get up and stretch our legs. The loadmaster let us go to the lower deck, and we were surprised that it was empty. I didn't think they flew them empty (@motoproponent) She quickly went back up the stairs and came back down with a Frisbee! We spent a long time tossing it around and then played Hacky-Sack.
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Flying empty did happen but only as a last resort. Always a repositioning leg to pick something up.

It was rare but not so rare that there wasnt a frisbee, baseball, or football around. There is a very small club of people that can say they've thrown a ball/frisbee (my weapon of choice was Nerf footballs) at 500 miles per hour. ;)
 
berth said:
If you ever get a chance to see the Canadian Snowbirds team, they're worth watching. 9 planes, put on a great show, change of pace from your typical BA/Thunderbirds show.
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They are going to be in Sacramento October 10 and 11th
 
The Snowbirds are frequently at the Salinas airshow for us local yokels. They remind me of the Red Arrows.
 
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