French Airforce

[dlandau]

Tonight, 6:30 pm, Staten Island was the opening performance for the Red Arrows Aerobatic flight team. Flying with 9 airplanes that split to 5 formation and 4 solos. They were great. With 35 years total in aviation, I really get a "lift" from this.

[dlandau]

I must have had too much oxygen.

[admin]

Don: It certainly sounds as if you have the right attitude.

[jps]

Not to mention the right altitude!

Every Labor Day weekend we have an air show in Cleveland; during practices the fighters fly really close to our lab, sometimes right overhead and close enough to almost see the whites of the pilot's eyes! It is great to stand outside and watch them.

[sloop_john_b]

OH. That's what that sound was!!

[winston]

That is so cool.

One Saturday morning in August in the early 1980's (I forget the exact year) we were surprised to see a Harrier fly in and start hovering outside of our summer home on Gunn Lake near Goldbridge B.C. It was joined by a second Harrier in short order. Both were sporting very small RAF roundels. After they left I later found out that they had come out of CFB Comox and they were practising for an airshow in Abbotsford. Now that was the definition of cool because that particular aircraft has long held an element of fascination for me.

[johnallg]

That is so cool.

One Saturday morning in August in the early 1980's (I forget the exact year) we were surprised to see a Harrier fly in and start hovering outside of our summer home on Gunn Lake near Goldbridge B.C. It was joined by a second Harrier in short order. Both were sporting very small RAF roundels. After they left I later found out that they had come out of CFB Comox and they were practising for an airshow in Abbotsford. Now that was the definition of cool because that particular aircraft has long held an element of fascination for me.

How cool is that! They are fascinating aircraft.

I remember the first time I saw a Harrier at an air show - came in unannounced. He came in like he was landing, left to right, but slowed and hovered in front of the crowd area, turned towards us, then came forward to about 20 yards away, tilted the nose down, and waved. He left in reverse order. Coolest thing I'd ever seen.

[stevebasshead]

Not too sure about the "French Airforce" title, the Red Arrows are definitely British!!

I love the Red Arrows, awesome talent. A friend of mine took this stunning shot in the UK last year...

[gregga41]

Brian, next time you visit Melbourne, make sure it coincides with the Avalon Airshow! It's one hell of an event, and one i'd be happy to take you along to!
As well as a Rickenbacker enthusiast, i am strongly passionate regards aviation, particularly vintage aircraft! I know a guy here who has a fully restored genuine WW2 Spitfire in his back shed! He just goes out into his shed an stares at it! Kinda like what i do with my Ricks! haha!

[winston]

Brian, next time you visit Melbourne, make sure it coincides with the Avalon Airshow! It's one hell of an event, and one i'd be happy to take you along to!
As well as a Rickenbacker enthusiast, i am strongly passionate regards aviation, particularly vintage aircraft! I know a guy here who has a fully restored genuine WW2 Spitfire in his back shed! He just goes out into his shed an stares at it! Kinda like what i do with my Ricks! haha!

Greg I love military aircraft, In fact military aviation from 1914 -1945 is my specialty. I love Spitfires. I have a number of prints by very good artists of Spits in flight. The Vickers Supermarine factory was not too far from where I used to live in England btw. I have many stories that have been passed on to me that I can tell from the WW II era. Interesting that we have yet another thing in common that we can chat about. I would love to see the Spit that's near you, that fellow must have an awfully big shed.

I'll see you in 2010.

[gregga41]

This may wet your appetite Brian!!

Doesnt everyone have one of these in their shed??

[ram]

Man I love military aircraft, the pilots who fly them and the crews who maintain the craft....Used to go to the Andrews AF base outside of DC for Armed Forces weekend - wow!! Harrier, SR71, F15, Hurricane, F117, jaguar, F16, F18..... almost as good as a good Rickenbacker bass!!!! The Arrows do a really good show!

[johnallg]

OOoooooo!!! SR-71!!!!! Now we're talking my sexy mistress. Even my wife knows.

http://www.airzoo.org/aircraft/sr71-blackbird/

[eatswodo]

The Red Arrows - boy, that brings back memories. I saw them in action back in the late '60s, flying Hawker Siddeley Gnats, at an airshow in Northamptonshire (Sywell Aerodrome). Here's a google'd Gnat:



There was also a flyover by some USAF fighter jets (I don't remember what type) from a nearby base, which to this day remains the loudest thing I've ever heard in my life.

[dlandau]

I was a crew chief on a C-130E based in Taiwan but all over Southeast Asia and Vietnam. I first saw the SR-71 at Kadena AFB Okinawa. Taxiing toward me it looked like a UFO and when he turned it took off and was gone in a matter of seconds. The pictures I took from the cockpit I never had developed until I got back to the states.