https://youtu.be/dfB67QvrTWw
late 1940 air show with blue angels and FH-1's which I think stole the show
late 1940 air show with blue angels and FH-1's which I think stole the show
https://youtu.be/dfB67QvrTWw
late 1940 air show with blue angels and FH-1's which I think stole the show
I have a fond memory of standing on the ramp in front of Base Ops at Columbus AFB late on a Friday afternoon prior to the annual base open house to be held on Saturday. The Thunderbirds were going to perform and a group of us with access to the flight line had gathered on the ramp to wait for their arrival as they always put on a brief show when flying in to perform the following day.
We were all facing the runway watching the approach end and trying to catch sight of them. The FSO had his radio tuned to their frequency and we could hear the lead aircraft calling signals as they obviously were very near, yet they were no where to be seen. We heard lead call what I think was "Burners on...NOW".
They came in a five ship formation from behind Base Ops, flying just above tower level with both afterburners lit on their F4s. The surprise (we were looking in the opposite direction), noise and concussion was substantial as the entire crowd ducked as they roared overhead. Impressive.
Thanks for posting. I love airshows.
First one was probably the Blue Angels at Weymouth, MA NAS (long since gone, I think) in the early 60's when I was 6-8.
The St. Louis Fair (4th of July) has had some great ones over the years.
But my favorite was at Pensacola NAS, a few years ago, during the Blue Angels Homecoming. We went out to Ft. Pickens State Park, across the bay from the NAS. If you are ever there for homecoming, that is the place to go.
I will plug Pensacola NAS a little more. The Naval Air museum there is awesome, and if you time it right you can watch the Blue Angel training exercises.
good lord CardsFan !!! Dad was stationed at Weymouth VP-xx, was your dad? We are about the same age, born Nov 1958 ! Great memories climbing up into the blimp hangers and throwing paper airplanes.... Dad was flight engineer and would need to do engine turns, and I'd sometimes go to work with him, he'd put me into the P2V nose seat and say don't touch this or that great memories !
Dad was not in the Navy, but I lived in Braintree so whenever the Blue Angels came, we were there. FWIW, I was born in 1955, so we are close in age.
Later on, I had an older cousin who was a Navy pilot (not Blue Angel), and sometimes we got to get closer with him.