Salute to the Air Force

[firstcatch]

Something really cool happened last weekend fishing out of Barnegat Inlet. Drifinting along, Fluke fishing, when I looked up and saw a huge military transport flying what seemed to be extremely low and heading right at us. I was giving him the thumbs up sign as he got closer. Right before he got to me he dipped his right wing like he was going to make a sharp turn then did the same with his left wing. It took me a few seconds to realize, he had just waved to us. It gave me goosebumps. Thanks for your service guys.

 

[redneck joe]

cool

 

[dingbat]

Several years back, we where Drum fishing at "The Point" in Buxton around midnight. We where standing waist deep in the surf talking when a strange noise, barely audible above the slap of the surf started. The noise grow louder then dissipated several times over the course of the next 5-10 minutes. It's common for military aircraft to routinely fly the area but we saw nothing.

Then all of a sudden we where lite up by a helicopter hoovering almost directly overhead. Talk about sneaking up on someone. You could barely hear the chopper over the sound of the waves around us. They flashed us twice then headed off down the beach.

 

[jayhanig]

I was fishing just offshore with my father and a neighbor. As I had my head buried in the cooler picking out something to drink, a F-4 Phantom belonging to the Air National Guard flew up within a couple of hundred feet of us at an altitude of no more than 100 feet. My dad laughed when I jerked up at the sudden noise. The thing about jets are that you don't hear them approaching until they're right on you. Once they blow past the noise is deafening.

I love that sort of stuff. We get a lot of USMC helicopter traffic on bikini patrol coming out of New River but seldom see any fighters. It's a pity.

 

[gm280]

I retired from an air base after 38 years of service, and we see amazing flights daily with F15's, C130's, C5's and C17's and of course all the copters as well. While I am certainly use to it, visitors are always amazed to see and hear their sounds... I hear only freedom and smile with much pride every time!

 

[Tnstratofam]

The first time I stepped onto the flight line February 1991 Dhahran Saudi Arabia I was in aw as most young airmen are at the sights and sounds of the aircraft taking off and landing. The last time I was in a C130 was in 1995 in Kuwait on my way back to Saudi to catch my ride back stateside. It never got old!

20 years sure has flown by.

I miss it most days!

 

[dwco5051]

My house sits in the woods with only about an acre or so cleared and is in the center of a Military Operating Area. I get a free airshow a couple of days a week. A-10s, C-130s and F-16s mostly. A real thrill is watching the 16s when they try to get a lock on each other.

Watched some copters refueling one day, the first I have seen that ever.

Makes my heart feel good every time that I get to stand and watch that there are still young people two generations past me doing their job to keep my aged butt safe.