Pics from Air Show

[Donaldsrockets]

Here are some pics I got from the Southwest Florida International Air Show yesterday.

Got to see "Fat Albert" take off with the awesome power of 8 solid fuel JATO rockets. You will see rocket power like you've never seen it before if you see this.

At the end of the show, I got to meet the members of the 2009 Blue Angels team and got their autographs.

Awesome group of military professionals. I have lots of respect for them and what they do.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

 

[Fred22]

Very nice pictures How come no snow
Cheers
fred

 

[troj]

Got to see "Fat Albert" take off with the awesome power of 8 solid fuel JATO rockets. You will see rocket power like you've never seen it before if you see this.

It is pretty cool, isn't it?

If you're in the right position, relative to the wind, the distinct aroma tells you they're APCP, and they look a lot like Blue Thunder propellant. I've actually had someone tell me they're made by ISP, the commercial side of AeroTech.

At the end of the show, I got to meet the members of the 2009 Blue Angels team and got their autographs.

Thunderbirds will do the same thing for you. Both their shows are very cool to watch.

-Kevin

 

[abw]

It is pretty cool, isn't it?

If you're in the right position, relative to the wind, the distinct aroma tells you they're APCP, and they look a lot like Blue Thunder propellant. I've actually had someone tell me they're made by ISP, the commercial side of AeroTech.



Thunderbirds will do the same thing for you. Both their shows are very cool to watch.

-Kevin

Sorry, I'm partial to the Navy, so I prefer the Blue Angels... They actually came to an airshow at the navy base near us a few years ago and ended up buzzing our house once or twice.

Very nice pictures!

 

[mach7]

Ya know, Air Force pilots can get a C-130 off the ground without rockets. I'm just sayin'.


T-Birds all the way. The Viper is better than a Hornet.


Oh and very nice pic's. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[Donaldsrockets]

It is pretty cool, isn't it?

If you're in the right position, relative to the wind, the distinct aroma tells you they're APCP, and they look a lot like Blue Thunder propellant. I've actually had someone tell me they're made by ISP, the commercial side of AeroTech.



Thunderbirds will do the same thing for you. Both their shows are very cool to watch.

-Kevin

Actually given the direction of the wind, the aroma from the propellant wafted right through the crowd and it did smell like AP which I figured all along that's what it was.

Of course people that didn't know what AP propellant is said it was a terrible smell.

 

[georgegassaway]

Ya know, Air Force pilots can get a C-130 off the ground without rockets. I'm just sayin'.

I am partial to the Air Force too (was in AF JR ROTC in High School).

But you have to give credit where credit is due. I do not care if the pilot is Air Force, Chuck Yeager in his prime, Neil Armstrong in his prime, John Young in his prime (he flew Gemini thru Shuttle) or Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger (Pilot who splash-landed an Airbus 320 safely in the Hudson River).

Nobody is gonna make a C-130 take off in either as short of a distance OR as steep of a climb angle without those JATO/RATO’s going like that. So it is a neat thing the Blue Angels do that as part of their Air Show routine.

Here is a video on Youtube, at dusk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTf0n5hn5s0&feature=related

Yeah, even if the Thunderbird team could somehow make a C-130 climb like that without rocket power .....just would not be as impressive.

- George Gassaway

 

[Donaldsrockets]

For those who liked the pics, here's some more.

 

[W.S.A.]

Nice!!! Looked like a good airshow! I saw the Blue Angels when they were at KSC a while ago. Glad you had a good time and thanks for the pics.

 

[Gillard]

nice pics

i assume that the blue angels are like the British Red Arrows. I got to see the red arrows a few times and got a day in their hanger and spoke to several of the pilots - prety cool.

 

[Fred22]

I am rather partial to the Snowbirds but I am sure all the others are great as well I took these at our airshow we had in 2007
Cheers
fred

 

[Peartree]

Fred,

You do know that "snowbirds" is the term we use to describe retired folk who fly off to Florida each winter don't you?

 

[mach7]

Nobody does large formation flying like the Snowbirds! Once you see 9 tutor jets doing acrobatics in close formation you will be impressed!

I still think the Thunderbird's are the best. I do admit that I might be a tiny bit biased.

 

[Mikus]

Ya know, Air Force pilots can get a C-130 off the ground without rockets. I'm just sayin'.

C'mon now. We all know that what separates the Navy from the AF is NOT the takeoff.

It's the landing.

 

[powderburner]

I have seen both, quite a few times. The Navy guys are very good, just like the AF team. They both put on a great show.

It's just too bad that the Blue Angels are stuck flying F-18s. They could do so much better....

 

[tazzdevl1]

The Blues and Fat Albert will be here at Tyndall AFB this weekend! I can't wait to see them all. Tyndall puts on an air show every year. This year, along with the Blue Angels, my other big time attractions are the B1, Warbird flyers (F4U Corsair, P51 Mustang, P40 Warhawk) and the Heritage Flight. Man, I'm as giddy as a youngin' waitin' for the birthday presents to get here!

Oh, and to add to the debate, I like the T-birds' show. BUT, I have'ta say the Blue Angels seem to put on a better show. GO NAVY!

Cliff

 

[Fred22]

Fred,

You do know that "snowbirds" is the term we use to describe retired folk who fly off to Florida each winter don't you?

Same when they go to texas John My parents are right now in San Antonio and laughing at me once a week on the phone
Cheers
fred

 

[Fred22]

Nobody does large formation flying like the Snowbirds! Once you see 9 tutor jets doing acrobatics in close formation you will be impressed!

I still think the Thunderbird's are the best. I do admit that I might be a tiny bit biased.

I would really like to see them As a former treadhead I was always impressed/frightenned the most by A10's and Apaches.
Cheers
fred

 

[WiK]

Cool pics! I think I saw the Thunderbirds at an airshow a year or two ago, it was impressive to see what they could do with a proper combat aircraft, but IMO you can't really compare it to something like the Red Arrows flying lightweight trainers. Though my favourite aerobatic teams are the amateur groups with proper aerobatic props, *they* can do some crazy stuff.

Pic is the Red Arrows at Farnborough Airshow 2008 (though the forums resizing of it seems to have garbled it a bit).

Phil

 

[Gillard]

Cool pics! I think I saw the Thunderbirds at an airshow a year or two ago, it was impressive to see what they could do with a proper combat aircraft, but IMO you can't really compare it to something like the Red Arrows flying lightweight trainers.

Phil

The red arrows fly hawks.

The Hawk T1A is equipped to an operational standard and is capable of undertaking a number of war roles. The T1A has two under-wing pylons cleared to carry BL755 cluster bombs or Sidewinder AIM-9L air-to-air missiles, and can carry a 30mm Aden cannon in a pod underneath the fuselage centre-line. The cannon can be fired at the same time as any of the pylon-mounted weapons are selected for release or firing. Aiming facilities for the aircraft’s attack modes are provided by an integrated strike and interception system, while a Vinten video recording system is used to record the weapon sighting.
The next generation Hawk aircraft, the Hawk 128, will enter service in 2008 as a replacement for some of the current Hawk TMk1s. The Hawk 128 will introduce student pilots to the digital cockpit environment they will experience in front-line operational service and will provide a seamless transition between basic flying training, and operational conversion training onto advanced fighter aircraft such as the Typhoon F2 and the Joint Combat Aircraft.

 

[WiK]

Fair enough, for some reason I thought the Hawk was just a trainer. Shows how much I know about aircraft!

 

[Fred22]

Cool pics! I think I saw the Thunderbirds at an airshow a year or two ago, it was impressive to see what they could do with a proper combat aircraft, but IMO you can't really compare it to something like the Red Arrows flying lightweight trainers. Though my favourite aerobatic teams are the amateur groups with proper aerobatic props, *they* can do some crazy stuff.

Pic is the Red Arrows at Farnborough Airshow 2008 (though the forums resizing of it seems to have garbled it a bit).

Phil

Good job Phil

 

[mach7]

Fair enough, for some reason I thought the Hawk was just a trainer. Shows how much I know about aircraft!

Most advanced training aircraft have an "export" attack/fighter version. The investment is just too high. Also when you think about it if it has to train a pilot to fight and attack, it has to be able to fight and attack. Just not against a F-15, SU-27, or F-22.

 

[jj94]

I would really like to see them As a former treadhead I was always impressed/frightenned the most by A10's and Apaches.
Cheers
fred

A10's fly from the Willow Grove NAS on a regular basis. I've been accustomed to them ever since I was born. It's a shame that the air station is going though.

 

[Donaldsrockets]

Also, this helicopter was present as a display. Even though it did not fly, I couldn't resist taking a pic of it.

I'm not sure what it is though, maybe someone here does.

 

[jj94]

Donald, looks like a MH-53 Sea Dragon. Looked familiar. The Willow Grove NAS flew a CH-53 Super Stallion on my middle school's field last year to pick up items that were donated for the charity program my school was taking part of. So cool.

 

[abw]

Donald, looks like a MH-53 Sea Dragon. Looked familiar. The Willow Grove NAS flew a CH-53 Super Stallion on my middle school's field last year to pick up items that were donated for the charity program my school was taking part of. So cool.

I'd have to agree with Josh. However, I have a feeling that it might actually be a MH-53 Pave Low, the land-based, heavy cargo transport version of the CH-53.

Your picture of the biplane reminded me of the time my dad and I got to ride in one at an aerodrome in upstate New York. We flew over the Hudson and banked around and the view beat anything I've ever experienced on a commercial airliner.

Anyone know how old you have to be to start training for a pilot's license?

 

[jj94]

I'd have to agree with Josh. However, I have a feeling that it might actually be a MH-53 Pave Low, the land-based, heavy cargo transport version of the CH-53.

Your picture of the biplane reminded me of the time my dad and I got to ride in one at an aerodrome in upstate New York. We flew over the Hudson and banked around and the view beat anything I've ever experienced on a commercial airliner.

Anyone know how old you have to be to start training for a pilot's license?

I still think it's an MH-53 Sea Dragon. Pave Lows look a bit different than what Donald's picture shows.

 

[abw]

I still think it's an MH-53 Sea Dragon. Pave Lows look a bit different than what Donald's picture shows.

Here are links to pictures of both:

Pave Low:
https://www.minihelicopter.net/MH53JPaveLowIIIE/MH-53J Pave Low IIIE.jpg
https://www.collectiondx.com/gallery2/gallery/d/90107-1/pave_low_ready_for_take_off.jpg

Super Stallion:
https://www.minihelicopter.net/CH53SuperStallion/CH-53 Super Stallion.jpg

If you look at the profile views, the MH-53 is a bit stockier than the Pave Low. The heli in the picture looks long profile-wise.

 

[abw]

Oh, and Donald, I just noticed that the label for the second picture of the helicopter that you took says "Huge Gun." That extension from the front of the helicopter is actually a refueling probascus. It looks like this when it's in use:
https://images.google.com/imgres?im...fe=off&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS305&sa=N&um=1&ie=UTF-8