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Of course, having made the dash up and back to Boston on Tuesday after an early go kinda wore me out as well. I'm getting too old for this...
Anyhoo.
I'm tired and irascible, rather than belabor you with some rant about politics and how there are so many a-holes in the world, I thought a video might be nice.
Something with aircraft. World War II aircraft. Bombers actually, lots and lots of them. A couple I've seen in person, one I've never seen except in old grainy WWII footage (that would be the PB4Y, if'n you must know).
So, this footage is from Thunder Over Michigan from 2015, an event I missed though I had been urged to attend by a number of friends. (That's right Aaron, Murph, I'm looking at you.) Some day, some day. It is one of the best airshows on the planet. So I'm told.
So here ya go...
Bombers.
Wicked awesome, neh?
Excellent choice thanks! There's no sound quite like those rotary engines is there?
ReplyDeleteThat sound always gets my blood pumping.
DeleteGreat video! But now I wanna go to an air show instead of working on fence.
ReplyDeleteHang in there with the bachelor stuff.
Well the upside of working on fence is you don't have to fight the crowds. Or find parking when you get there and fight the traffic when it's time to leave.
DeleteBut yeah, watching airplanes is always more fun than just about anything else.
Just as Nylon12 said, those big engines sound like nothing else. We live close to Philly's Northeast Airport, and every once in a while the sound of big engines brings us scrambling out of the house. Last time it was Fifi. And yes of course we visited her!
ReplyDelete(Side note, the visit to the Air Force Museum was awesome! Strange to see tailhooks on the Air Force F-4s, maybe they used them to pick up mail bags, like the old time trains used to do.)
Now that you mention the tail hooks on the Air Force F-4s. We did actually use them from time to time. I watched an F-4 with hydraulic problems (no brakes would be my guess) do an arrested landing at Kadena on Okinawa. They have to rig the arresting cable (it's not there all the time) but when the jet landed, hook engaged the cable, two aircrew and one jet, ready for reuse. (Well, after changing flight suits and fixing the brakes of course.)
DeleteLove the sound of a military piston engine.
Whatchu' talkin' bout, Willis? Cables not being rigged all the time! Every fighter base I've flown into had them up. In fact, if they weren't up, that fact had to be included in the base's NOTAMs. I took 4 wires in my flying career, two approach end and two departure end. The two approach ends were both caused by hydraulic failure, and so the engagement was at least somewhat planned and the barrier crew standing by. The departure end engagements were both caused by brake failure, one at Moody and one at Kwang-ju (in an Eagle). Touched down, aerobrake (Eagle) or drag chute (Phantom) till about 100k then get on the brakes. Nothing!...Hook down. Catch the barrier and come to a stop, not a big deal. But....Not enough time to get a crew out there to rig it.
DeleteYes, the Eagle had a hook. I've even directed an engagement to keep a guy from running off the end of a wet runway.
Wow, I did not know that. I always reckoned they had to set it up (so one sergeant told me) but it makes sense. What's the point of it otherwise, I mean in an emergency you want it ready to go.
DeleteEveryday I learn something new.
(The Eagle has a hook? I had no ideer.)
Yep. Granted it wasn't a NAVY hook like the F-4, but it worked just fine the time I needed it. Much like a pistol, you don't need a hook til you need a hook and then you need it bad!
DeleteJust so happens that you might see a post about tailhooks. Real soon. Like maybe (probably) tomorrow. Rereading your old post and doing a little research gave me the idea.
DeleteNot that I'm blaming you for anything Juvat...
Get those cats to help out. Make them earn the cat food! :)
ReplyDeleteCouple of slackers those cats.
DeleteI asked them to do the laundry while I was at work the other day, did it get done? No.
And they still wanted dinner.
;)
Cats is worse than teenagers
DeleteHeh. True dat!
DeleteWhere I will be tomorrow.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.collingsfoundation.org/event/ft-collins-co/
Had funds tucked away to take a ride this year. Family priorities took precedence.
Nice!
DeleteI suspect there will be photos at your place in the near future?
Probably.
DeleteYay!
DeleteI got to fly on Nine O Nine a few years ago. Probably the coolest thing I've ever gotten to do.
DeleteUsually on the flight there's an old guy who's been there and done that under different circumstances - on my flight there was a gentleman who flew Fw 200s.
That's pretty cool.
DeleteAlso, it's not often you meet guys who were in the Luftwaffe, meeting a Condor pilot is really rare!
(These days all the WWII vets, both sides, are getting very rare.)
Was a "daily, hourly," bachelor for a time. I, retired and the wife still employed.
ReplyDeleteThat was nice.
I could actually practice my drumming without putting up with complaints about the noise.
My wife retired . . . and, anymore, we're together 24/7.
That can be grating at times but . . . actually I can not be comfortable without her.
She has seen me through many a major medical problem . . . holding my hand, swallowing her fears.
She's my strongest advocate and my best friend.
PS: I like old aircraft videos too.
Delete...cannot be comfortable without her...
DeleteI so get that.
There are days when, if there was no YouTube, I wouldn't know what to post.
DeleteStill have to watch the videos in Firefox for some reason.
ReplyDeleteUsed the hook one time with the Phantom at Ubon RTAFB when I got all shot up, but not shot down. We had all briefed on it thoroughly. Unfortunately the briefing took place in the stag bar on some Friday afternoon, right after we had all shot down our watches. The story is on the blog here: http://davesdailys.blogspot.com/2009/11/milk-run-coming-to-close.html
Great story Dave. Glad you made it out okay!
DeleteMost excellent story, Dave! Very well written. I think later in history, the barrier was positioned about 1000' down the runway to avoid accidentally catching the MA1A. Having to spike the landing in a 50' area took some mad skills, especially in a wounded bird.
DeleteI am suggesting that the readers go read the whole series tomorrow. Links will be provided and...
DeleteWhat's that? Oh, yes, it's a post about tailhooks and arresting systems. You're gonna love the title, I guarantee.
You read the whole thing? Wow, thank you. It was fun to write. I miss that labor and need to get back at it, now that we are "so-called settled" in our new home on the other coast.
DeleteSo many of my buddies, then, are gone now, Jesse, Willy, George and others. What's going on? BTW, McNamara didn't really brief the mission. Did I mention that?
It's a good story Dave.
DeleteThe PB4Y-2, the Patrol Plane Supreme!
ReplyDeleteI thought you'd like that. I know I was pretty excited when that big beauty came into view!
DeleteYou'd never know from a quick glance that is was descended from the B-24.
DeleteYeah, that big tail is weird looking. You have to look real close.
Delete