OT-Super Low flying F-14

[MineSweeper]

I am sure the pilot caught some flak about this flyover[;)]
Photo taken from CVN Stennis....

[Yamato hugger]

Thats Maverick and Goose [:D]

[USSAmerica]

On one of my deployments on board USS America, we had an F-14 and an F-18 do supersonic fly-byes.  When they are that close, and that low, it's incredibly impressive to "feel" the sonic boom.  [X(][&o]

[mikemike]

ORIGINAL: USS America

On one of my deployments on board USS America, we had an F-14 and an F-18 do supersonic fly-byes. When they are that close, and that low, it's incredibly impressive to "feel" the sonic boom. [X(][&o]

I remember visiting a local airshow in the early sixties. A pair of F-102s (from Ramstein?) made low high-speed passes along the runway, then lighting off their afterburners for a near-vertical climb. Every time the 'burners lit, there was a bang that you could feel physically, like a soft punch in the belly. Another program point was a Lufthansa Boeing 720 that during its low pass touched alternate main gears to the runway (hopping from one foot to the other, you might say). There is a story that a Lufthansa 720 crashed when its crew tried to loop it and Lufthansa stopped participating in airshows afterwards.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: USS America

On one of my deployments on board USS America, we had an F-14 and an F-18 do supersonic fly-byes.  When they are that close, and that low, it's incredibly impressive to "feel" the sonic boom.  [X(][&o]

Were those stunts official or punishable (i.e. I am asking whether US Navy toleraterd such things) ?


Leo "Apolo11"

[USSAmerica]

In my case, it was a scheduled "event" for the ship's crew to enjoy.  [8D]  It was official. 

[ChezDaJez]

Were those stunts official or punishable (i.e. I am asking whether US Navy toleraterd such things) ?

Officially, impromptu airshows were not tolerated unless of course the skipper wanted to do it then everything was ok. But, as always happens in the real world, someone takes a picture, posts it on the internet and pretty soon the skipper gets a "talking to."

When I was on deployment to Sicily back in 1974, the Harrier had just joined the fleet. It was quite a novelty to see them come in, hover and then land at Sigonella. The USMC skipper of the Harrier unit decided to "demonstrate" the capabilities of the Harrier to us squids. He put on a very impressive airshow. He would come screaming over the runway at about 500kts, suddenly slow to a stop, pivot while hovering and head back the other way while accelerating as fast as he could. He flew it forwards, backwards and sideways. Very impressive... right until the point where he decided to hover taxi to the ramp and land it. The only problem was he forgot to put the gear down! I distinctly remember the sound of his engine going to full power the moment he realized the gear wasn't down but it was too late. He shut off the engines and got out of it quick. Very little damage to the Harrier... a broken antenna and a couple of dents and scratched paint but I think there was considerable damage to his pride and possibly his career! The real funny part was when the Marine ground crew ran around trying to confiscate everyone's cameras for the "official" investigation.... yeah, right!

Chez

[msieving1]

ORIGINAL: MineSweeper

I am sure the pilot caught some flak about this flyover[;)]
Photo taken from CVN Stennis....

Someone posted a link to this picture on rec.aviation.military a little while ago, with the same thought. There were several people who came back with details, though. The exhibition was planned and fully authorized. IIRC, the guy standing there with his hands behind is back is an admiral.

[String]

It gives a good sense of scale..

[RevRick]

I got that picture a couple of years ago...
the same time I got this one...

[Ian R]

What is the actual altitude of the B1? It looks like 2-3 "man lengths" ie 4-6 metres, but looks can be deceiving.

[tsimmonds]

That pic is heavily doctored. Not saying there isn't an a/c there, but there is fishy stuff going on....

[Ian R]

Well if it is real a few fish are getting the ride of their lives, possibly the last one [8|]

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Ian R

Well if it is real a few fish are getting the ride of their lives, possibly the last one [8|]

Would they also be cooked? [:D]


Leo "Apollo11"

[rockmedic109]

ORIGINAL: USS America

On one of my deployments on board USS America, we had an F-14 and an F-18 do supersonic fly-byes.  When they are that close, and that low, it's incredibly impressive to "feel" the sonic boom.  [X(][&o]

Some terrorists took over a train in Holland, in the 70s I believe. The hostage rescue team coordinated their break-in to come right after a low, high-speed flyby of a pair of F-4s lighting their burners over the top of the train. Kinda like an early model flash-bang grenade.

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: irrelevant

That pic is heavily doctored. Not saying there isn't an a/c there, but there is fishy stuff going on....

I've also seen a version of that B-1 picture with a guy water skiing in back of the plane (obvious Photoshop job).

I think I read somewhere that the B-1 picture (undoctored) is actually a painting. That picture has been around a while, I remember seeing it in the early 90s.

Bill

[DuckofTindalos]

Looks like a computer graphics job to me...

[Howard Mitchell]

The B-1 picture is a (very dramatic) painting by Dru Blair. You can find it and others at http://www.aviationarthangar.com/b2spst.html

[Wolfie1]

ORIGINAL: RevRick

I got that picture a couple of years ago...
the same time I got this one...

That one reminds me of when I worked in an office about 2 miles from the British Aerospace factory, it was about 1988 and a test pilot was on his last day before retirement - he took a Lightning up and basically broke every rule in the book. Every window in the canteen blew from the sonic boom and I watched him come down the river Ribble so low he was leaving a wake - just like that pic[:D]

[wild_Willie2]

ORIGINAL: rockmedic109

ORIGINAL: USS America

On one of my deployments on board USS America, we had an F-14 and an F-18 do supersonic fly-byes.  When they are that close, and that low, it's incredibly impressive to "feel" the sonic boom.  [X(][&o]

Some terrorists took over a train in Holland, in the 70s I believe. The hostage rescue team coordinated their break-in to come right after a low, high-speed flyby of a pair of F-4s lighting their burners over the top of the train. Kinda like an early model flash-bang grenade.

They where F 104's,
Talk about a plane that could ONLY go fast.....