Just out of curiosity - Airplane Guys

Farnborough and Edwards AFB in California are THE places to see military aircraft flying - as well as vintage aircraft.
 
Two very interesting items on the VFT site today. And the answer to one of them is "Yes" I would have!:thumbsup: Mousekatits you know.:yikes::yikes::yikes: The one and only real "Pineapple Princess".
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Built by Republic... formerly Republic Bridge and Iron Works. Yeah, they overbuilt 'em. The "Thud" took over 2 miles of runway to take off fully loaded on a hot day. The common joke of the day was that if someone made a runway that went all the way around the world.... Republic would make an airplane that couldn't take off from it. ;)
They could take a beatin' and still get you home though.

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I think it was 1995, while taking my 14' Steury around Manhattan Island, just went under the GW Bridge and I looked up over the Jersey Palisades and there was a B-17 and a B-24 flying together. WTF! It was too cool!

The other time, early 90's), on a Lake Sacandaga Island, NY, we would watch these 2 small biplanes doing tricks. They left and I heard something way different getting louder and it was a P-51. When he got to the island, he turned on its side and waved to us. That was a trip. What an awesome sound!

It's funny, I can picture both instances like it was yesterday.
 
The community I live in is in the flight path for Luke AFB, we had to sign waivers when we bought the house, acknowledging that we were aware of that and ok with it. If I don’t hear at least a dozen of them fly directly over our house a day, then it’s a slow day. Some days they just loop around the field over and over for hours. Occasionally they fly until pretty late at night. If you’re outside talking to someone, you have to wait for them to pass, if you’re watching TV, they can drown it right out. :laugh2: I’m so used to it, it’s like living next door to a train track. It never bothered me.
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The community I live in is in the flight path for Luke AFB, we had to sign waivers when we bought the house, acknowledging that we were aware of that and ok with it. If I don’t hear at least a dozen of them fly directly over our house a day, then it’s a slow day. Some days they just loop around the field over and over for hours. Occasionally they fly until pretty late at night. If you’re outside talking to someone, you have to wait for them to pass, if you’re watching TV, they can drown it right out. :laugh2: I’m so used to it, it’s like living next door to a train track. It never bothered me.
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Ah... what I wouldn't give to once again have a couple of full on afterburners passing over my house every day. I miss it.
 
I've probably told this story before too, but hey, I'm old, I get a pass on repeating myself myself...

Went to an antique truck and tractor show at the Owls Head Transportation Museum just South of Rockport on the Maine coast.

The museum is also an airstrip and has several original and reproduction biplanes and the like. So, anyway I'm wandering around looking at the trucks and tractors when I hear the unmistakable sound of a BIG radial rumbling through the air. Initially, I thought it was the Museum's Stearman, but no, this sounds MUCH bigger.

Looked around and saw a F4U Corsair approaching. As he came over the strip he did the same as the P51 mentioned previously: Rolled it up on a wing and roared down the fenceline sideways. All the blood drained from my head, ifyaknowwhatimean. THEN he put the boots to that beautiful beast climbed out, came around again and landed. Even better, he taxied up and parked about 50 feet from me across the fence.

I needed a cigarette...

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At St Andrews we were just across the bay from RAF Leuchars. One became used to aircraft noises. When a Phantom passed over the town using reheat, lecturers would have to stop and look at the ceiling for a few moments before completing the sentence.
 
Some yrs back, D-M had an Open house week end and the CAF was there with their airplanes including the B-29 "Fifi". Late Sunday afternoon the people and airplanes start leaving. I live blocks from the base and planes from base and the local airport fly over the house every day. Well this Sunday there was a unusual airplane sound/roar or piston airplanes. I look up and its Fifi surrounded by all the other CAF planes. Flew right over the house at maybe 2k feet? Quite the event for this plane nut!
 
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