re: Best flyover or military aircraft experience

Several decades ago I would deliver truckloads of block filler to Whiteman AFB. I would literally wait at the side of the runway and watch B2s taxi and then takeoff. Then they would wave mr across the runway. Other times I’d wait for one to land. Totally silent as they approach.

Decades later I lived south of KC and was in the direct flight path of the bombers and escorts. Would see the B2 fly directly overhead and an escort of either Eagles or in one case Super Hornets to the sides and above.

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Whiteman AFB

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I guess maybe that's the hub for B-2s, because I understand that's where this one (in Tuscaloosa) was from, and where it returned to.

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Totally silent as they approach

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Spot-on about the silent approach, and the trailing sound was very unique — you can make it out on the video.

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Would see the B2 fly directly overhead

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Also, you know how the moon looks huge and then you take a picture only to find that it appears tiny? That's the way this one was, IMO. Smaller on the video, but that thing looked like an absolute unit in person.

Best flyover.... a called Tomcat at M1+ at 20 miles when I was on the roof. I was on the Coral Sea, CV-43 in 1989. America, CV-66 was just over the horizon. We'd been playing games off of Lebanon for about 6 weeks... one of ours buzzed them, one of theirs buzzed us.

And, once you've seen an air show at sea... it's no holds barred. No sound barrier wall, live ordnance. And I loved working on the Hornet, but I'm glad I shared the roof with the A6, A7, EA6-B, E2, S3, SH3, F14, and F/A18. Not like the young folks now who know nothing but the Hornet and now the F35.

Hell, once during a CQ det, we even had a couple of F4 Phantoms come aboard. I was a A7 plane captain in VA-174 and it was my first time working on the roof. You wanna talk about rattle your bones! Get next to the CAT with one of those bastards!

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I only understood a percentage of what you said, but that sounds amazing.

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It is cool guy talk about carrier operations. Up close and personal observations of someone who has been there, done that. Don’t know all of the vernacular but I understand the gist of it.

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Best flyover or military aircraft experience

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There is a Blackbird in Mobile that is amazing, believe it is at the USS Alabama. I once saw the AC-130 Spooky in flight, I can't imagine what the Ghostrider does now. I saw the chopper before the Apache, I think it was Commanche, that intrigues me as well.

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paperwasp

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It was amazing, and looking back it is without a doubt the best job I've ever had. I'd love to work the flight deck for just one more week while I'm still able.

Your appreciation is appreciated... but it's for my brothers and sisters who didn't make the return trip. My service was my pleasure and my honor.

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an idiot screws up the ballet

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I can imagine the margin for error is razor thin. What we did in ground ops while I was active took place in units of square miles, carrier ops is square yards. Insane.

Salute.