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#4468001 - 03/29/19 01:11 AM I had a good airplane spotting day today.  
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There's an airshow this weekend near where I live and I got so see some neat planes. For my first time ever, I got to see an F-35 JSF. Not only that there were two of them. By the time I saw them they circled around and then came back around with their gear down. Our front yard is a pretty good viewing area. If you're standing out front and looking towards the north, you have a fairly clear, perpendicular view of aircraft coming in for a landing at Melbourne International Airport. Its from this spot that we have watched countless shuttle and rocket launches in years past. It almost sounded like they were doing a touch and go but I think it was just the way sound was bouncing around.

Then this evening, I heard another jet and went outside and saw an F/A-18 Super Hornet do a couple of circles. Then it dropped its gear and this one banked very slow almost right over our house(F-35's were a bit further back). Had I a camera it would have been a great shot. Plus we had just had some rain so being a bit damp and cool with a mix of overcast and sunny evening sky it would have been a beautiful shot. The Hornet was actually louder from where I was at after it passed. I've seen them at airshows before but after it passed me turning into the airport there was some crazy amount of decibels bouncing off from somewhere. I almost couldn't take it.

I hope I can see some of the F-35 demonstration and maneuvering from our house this weekend as we are only a few miles away from the airport. Just thought I would share. I was really excited to see the F-35 for the first time!


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#4468013 - 03/29/19 02:44 AM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Sounds like fun.


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#4468043 - 03/29/19 02:36 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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2 good Demo's for this show Coot, you should get some cool pics of it for sure.

I'm pissed because there's not 1 show anywhere in New England this year and possible next year as well.

Just got back from Nellis and Star Wars canyon where F-35C's, Navy version and Hornets from Leemore and China Lake were a plenty.




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Attached Files DSC_3815.jpgDSC_3823.jpgEA-18G Growler from Saddles.jpg
Last edited by Top Gun; 03/29/19 02:38 PM.

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#4468044 - 03/29/19 02:47 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Top Gun no shows at Quonset Point any more ??


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#4468052 - 03/29/19 04:17 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Those are some awesome pictures, Top Gun.

#4468053 - 03/29/19 04:19 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Coot, it is cool to be in or near the pattern and see that kind of activity.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4468073 - 03/29/19 05:59 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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It really is OG. Have you seen any unique and interesting activity while you've been up in the air, especially military?

I heard mostly and barely caught a glimpse of the F-35 again today. I've seen a lot of neat aircraft from our neck of the woods over the years. Chinooks, Blackhawks, Ch-53s, EA6B Prowlers, F-18s, A-10s, F-15s, T-38s, F-16s, C-130s, S-3 Vikings, OV-10 Broncos, an E-3 Century once, E-2 Hawkeyes, C-17s P-3 Orions, E-8 JSTARS and more I can't remember. The JSTARS are stationed I think at or at least they used to have a hanger within the Melbourne International Airport. I still see them and I'm pretty sure they are what I hear almost every morning spooling up at around 6 a.m. Maybe its just the airport coming alive but like clockwork at around 6 in the morning you can hear something loud spooling up. I once saw an F-14 over my grandparents house in Satellite Beach. There's also some sort of training outfit out at the airport that periodically fly some foreign jets that I've seen a few times. I don't know exactly what but they look like your classic, cold war era fighters from seemingly an Eastern Block country.

Those are beautiful shots Top Gun. I would love to see aircraft like that against a desert setting. That Navy F-35 is quite a monster of a thing. I look forward to seeing them do carrier ops. However, that Super Hornet is still such a beautiful airplane. I think to this day though one of my all time favorite jets is the Eagle. To me it just looks right in every way and its such a beautiful thing.

Last edited by Coot; 03/29/19 06:04 PM.

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#4468074 - 03/29/19 06:11 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Last time I was in MLB for the Airshow I was taking care of my mom, so I had limited time away. I just found out when the F-22 was flying and drove out towards the end of NASA Blvd and parked in the most advantageous north facing SHADED parking spot I could find. Great view, no hassles and was home in 15 min after the demo. I was maybe 1/4 mile max farther away than the best seats on field.


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#4468080 - 03/29/19 07:18 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: rwatson]  
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Originally Posted by rwatson
Top Gun no shows at Quonset Point any more ??


They'll be deployed this summer, fingers crossed that a weekend opens up in 2020 and one of the local bases can grab it.

#4468081 - 03/29/19 07:25 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Originally Posted by Coot

Those are beautiful shots Top Gun. I would love to see aircraft like that against a desert setting. That Navy F-35 is quite a monster of a thing. I look forward to seeing them do carrier ops. However, that Super Hornet is still such a beautiful airplane. I think to this day though one of my all time favorite jets is the Eagle. To me it just looks right in every way and its such a beautiful thing.


Thanks Coot, our MA unit flies the F-15, they're old C/D models and there is talk they could be getting the new F-15X. The MA unit is an alert unit which launched during 9/11.

Here's a LA ANG jet that departed Nellis for Red Flag.
[Linked Image]







Attached Files JZF15.jpg
Last edited by Top Gun; 03/29/19 07:25 PM.

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#4468083 - 03/29/19 07:54 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Coot, I’ve had some interesting times. I got to fly an inside intercept angle on the B-17 Aluminum Overcast and tried to fly formation with it, but couldn’t because it was significantly faster then me. But it was fun to fly a swooping descent getting close to my do not exceed speed. Did a couple close fly-bys of blimps. Flown into Sun n Fun four times with the Conga line of airplanes. The takeoff out of there was as close as I would ever expect to doing a fighter group scramble. Have taxied behind several different kinds of jet fighters. At an airshow was controlled taxied on the taxiway while a WW2 re-enactment group landed on the grass next to us between the axiway and the runway. Wife took a couple pictures. I thought they cut that too close. Flying the coast by Tampa had the ATC tell me of a Coast Guard C-130 doing a close overtake me from the rear. And it was relatively close. Saw that White and Orange bird closer than I expected.

Lots of other stuff. Getting to be pretty routine.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4468115 - 03/29/19 11:26 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Originally Posted by Coot


I hope I can see some of the F-35 demonstration and maneuvering from our house this weekend as we are only a few miles away from the airport. Just thought I would share. I was really excited to see the F-35 for the first time!


You want to do everything in your power to get as close to that airport as possible, trust me. And know that the F-35 is way louder than FA/18's - I've never took earplugs to an airshow but next time I see an F-35 I'm going to.

#4468119 - 03/30/19 12:34 AM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Wow, great photos as always Dave! Looks like you had favorable lighting conditions. Your photos really show the textures of these planes very well.
I was at Quonset Point for the airshow last June and got no decent aerial photos of the F-35. Hope this plane overcomes all its issues and becomes the valued asset it's supposed to be. The F-35 ground crews sure were singing its praises as being superior to anything else out there.

This shot of one taxiing was the best I could hope for:

[Linked Image]


I just found this set of photos online showing 24 F-22 Raptors together during the Polar Force exercises at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, March 26, 2019:
https://www.nationalreview.com/phot...hant-walk-polar-force-exercises/#slide-1


"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" -- Mark 8:36
#4468122 - 03/30/19 12:57 AM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Really nice pics TG.

#4468228 - 03/30/19 08:23 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Thank you OG for sharing that. If I was taxing amongst some fighters I know my imagination would be coming up with some imaginary scenario in my head. In the days where commercial airliner pilots kept the cockpit door open during takeoff, if I had an aisle seat I would watch them the whole time and pull up on my imaginary yoke and look out the window as we took off. That B-17 intercept sounded pretty exciting as well as the Coast Guard C-130. I've seen a couple of those orange and white C-130s from our house. I enjoyed seeing your wife's photos of the "Tico Belle" C-47 from the cabin of your airplane.

Saw some more great stuff today. I was awoken by loud helicopters today. I went outside and saw two Huey's flying in formation. Really a great sound and loud. Then a few minutes later I saw two Cobra's flying in formation. At a little after 3pm we heard the big boy again. This was obviously the F-35 demo commencing. We only watched what we could see from our house but we did get a few great sightings. Unfortunately some thick overcast clouds had formed seemingly over the airport. Thankfully we are in a spot though that these visitors often bank in front of, right over and right behind our house. I did get just a slight glimpse of the F-35 doing and obviously impressive maneuver. From what we could see, it pull straight up and at some point kind of quickly spun on its tail and kind of floated and then powered out of it. I imagine we missed some pretty impressive performances though based on videos I've seen. It really is loud and like other planes it seems to have its own unique "voice". My Dad and I could hardly hear each other talking and as soon as you started a conversation, you might as well stop even when you're standing right next to each other.

It pulled kind of a fooler on us at one point as it flew fairly slow from East to West. It went behind some trees and I was expecting it to, like many other fighter demonstrations, to make a long turn around however, a few seconds later, it came from the opposite direction at what looked like full throttle. I saw it zip through our little bit of clear airspace towards the airport landing pattern and I tried to show my Dad who was right next to me looking the other way and he missed it. It must have done one of those sharp turns and then opened up.

Then to top it off I saw two airplanes in the distance in formation and then the F-35 started to fly slow. I thought and said, "Oh, looks like maybe they're going to do a Legacy Flight". Sure enough in the distance we watched the F-35 intercept to two mystery prop planes. Then as they flew by I saw that it was a P-51 Mustang and an A-1 Skyraider that it had joined up with. They flew behind the house but came around again and this time they flew right in front and over me and my Dad real close. He got some shots with his phone so if they turned out somewhat decent I'll post them for you all.

The other day I mentioned seeing the Super Hornet later in the evening after the F-35s showed up earlier in the day. Yesterday I heard some jets again and I saw two Super Hornets flying in formation and then landing. I didn't see them today so maybe they were practicing and will be on display tomorrow.

Last edited by Coot; 03/30/19 08:24 PM.

John 10:1-30
Romans 10:1-13

#4468232 - 03/30/19 10:06 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Coot, you and I enjoy some very similar things including Marty Robbins.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4468387 - 04/01/19 05:58 AM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Thanks OG. My great grandfather and grandmother introduced me to Marty Robbins at a young age and to this day, he is one of my all time heroes. I love him, his voice and music so much. My Dad and watched the F-35 again today and pretty much saw the same thing. It was clearer though so I got to get a better look at some of its maneuvers. I'm not studied up on the JSF but does it employ some thrust vectoring like the F-22? I watched him fly straight up, do almost a somersault in a short span, when inverted he kind of just floated there, then he remained inverted and powered into level flight. I also some the aircraft fall straight down slowly in sort of a slow tail spin, maybe some sort of flat stall which was really cool to see. If any of you are interested I noticed a friend of mine who's brother got some pretty good video from what I'm guessing is his work place.

They did the Heritage flight again but the Mustang was not in it, just the F-35 and the Skyraider. I don't know what the deal is with the Super Hornets as I did not see them perform unless I missed it somehow. However while eating dinner tonight long after the show had ended, I heard a jet and from where I was sitting I could see a Hornet flying by with its gear down. So they were there but I don't know if they actually did a show demonstration. I believe I helped my nephew get interested in aviation early on, he's 13 now and he told me today he sat in the yard all day watching the aircraft from my Sister's yard down the street. I think he even ate dinner out there! He told me that while at school prior to the weekend airshow that he saw a C-17 fly by and drop a lot of parachutists. He came over today to borrow a bunch of my "airplane" movies. He actually came over just for Top Gun but I'm trying to introduce him to a bunch of the other interesting movies out there. He love's WW2 history so he was immediately interested in Battle of Britain. I told him that it was very good and has some of the best footage of actual Spitfires and so forth. He also loves British stuff. biggrin I also told him it had one of my favorite actors in it, Robert Shaw, who I then told him, "You know the fisherman that gets eaten in Jaws?" I also gave him The Final Countdown and tried my best to describe to him how awesome the aerial photography was in that. Before Top Gun and just as good if not better because of all the other carrier ops that it shows. I also gave him Flight of the Intruder and the Aviator. He's also been getting interested in so I'm told in political themes. I've never seen it but apparently he really like "Designated Survivor." So I also gave him Thirteen Days as it combines both, history, political intrigue and awesome miscellaneous aircraft scenes. I told him he's got to watch all of those with his Mom though. He hasn't played in a long time but I also got him hooked on IL-2 1946 and Rise of Flight.


John 10:1-30
Romans 10:1-13

#4468407 - 04/01/19 12:43 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Top Gun,

Great shots, great to see that VX-9 has an F-35 and still sports the vampire bat finflash. Naybe they can make one F-35 all black and that could be the new Vandy-1. Seeing that the current Vandy-1 is a L-39, just breaks my heart.

v6,
boNes


"Also, I would prefer a back seater over the extra gas any day. I would have 80 pounds of flesh to eat and a pair of glasses to start a fire." --F/A-18 Hornet pilot
#4468411 - 04/01/19 01:00 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: Coot]  
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Originally Posted by Coot

The other day I mentioned seeing the Super Hornet later in the evening after the F-35s showed up earlier in the day. Yesterday I heard some jets again and I saw two Super Hornets flying in formation and then landing. I didn't see them today so maybe they were practicing and will be on display tomorrow.
+

Sounds like you had a pretty decent show even from your house Coot, the F-18's sounds like the demo team arriving. Friday's can be better than air show days as all the static and demo teams arrive, usually the static want a few rips around the field before sitting all weekend. Then the Demo's will go up and practice.

Last edited by Top Gun; 04/01/19 01:00 PM.
#4468412 - 04/01/19 01:02 PM Re: I had a good airplane spotting day today. [Re: bones]  
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Originally Posted by bones
Top Gun,

Great shots, great to see that VX-9 has an F-35 and still sports the vampire bat finflash. Naybe they can make one F-35 all black and that could be the new Vandy-1. Seeing that the current Vandy-1 is a L-39, just breaks my heart.

v6,
boNes


Thanks Bones, from what I've been told they can't paint the F-22 or F-35 because that will kill it's stealthiness and cause a bigger spot on radar. That's why all the unit markings are just the dull grey which must be some non reflective paint.

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