40th Anniversary – Virginia and North Carolina
DAY 03 – Langley AFB Air Show
Beth and I decided to take a trip to the Hampton Roads VA area (where we were married in 1985) and the Outer Banks of North Carolina (where we went on our short honeymoon). This is our 40th Anniversary, and we thought it would be fun to meet Spencer, Lauren, and Owen there to watch the big Air Show at Langley Air Force Base, which was our first assignment.
Today is the big day – Air Power Over Hampton Roads! This air show features the Air Force Thunderbirds in their F-16s, along with demonstration flights by several other planes from WWII – the F4U Corsair, P-51 Mustang – up to the F22 Raptor and F/A-18 Super Hornet. We arrived shortly after 9am and found good spots to set up our chairs and Owen’s covered wagon.
Hearing protection – check. SPF50 sunscreen – check. Lots of water and juice – check. We’re all ready for a great show!
Before almost any military function, we stop to pay honor to the flag.
In addition to the honor guard, the flag was brought in by the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team. Dropping from around 10,000 feet, the soldier landed in exactly the spot designated, despite a good breeze. Amazing!
Before the demonstration flights began, we walked around to check out some of the vintage planes.
Owen even got to meet an astronaut! The NASA Research Center is on this base.
Owen got a chance to sit in the co-pilot’s seat and pretend to fly this one!
A born natural pilot! (See next photo)
Spencer 30 years earlier. Like father, like son.
This group of young men and women are enlisting in the US Air Force. They had the honor of having the Thunderbirds team participate in the Oath of Enlistment ceremony in front of thousands of veterans and civilian spectators.
One of the first flight displays was a group of three WWII P-51 Mustangs. Here, one is taxiing out for take-off.
A second of three P-51s taxis out to take-off with the others.
Three P-51 Mustangs fly by in close formation. Love the sound of those V-12 engines roaring by!
Close-up of one of the P-51 Mustangs in flight.
No, I didn’t flip the photo. He’s doing an inverted pass.
This F4U Corsair was one of the top fighters in the Pacific theatre of WWII. Tough and fast, it’s the last thing a Japanese pilot wanted to see in his rear-view mirror. The extremely long nose must have felt like the pilot was flying from the back seat.
The F4U Corsair takes off behind one of the Thunderbirds’ F-16s.
Next up was a MiG 17F, used by North Korea. It ruled the air until the American F-86 Sabre came along. This was a combination of a superior plane (F-86) and better-trained American pilots.
With a top speed of around 620 MPH (compared to the P-51s top speed of around 440 MPH), the MiG-17F was noticeably faster passing by.
Next up was the Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet. With a top speed of over 1,200 MPH, it has been a front-line fighter for several decades.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet can actually accelerate while climbing vertically.
Nice view of the under-belly of the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Afterburners lit up as the F/A-18 Super Hornet accelerates out of a tight turn.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet makes a high-speed pass low over the crowd. (Very close to the speed of sound)
Top-of-the-line Navy fighters 50 years apart: the F4U Corsair and F/A-18 Super Hornet. Side by side for a photo pass.
This fun display was the Hot Streak II Jet-Powered Truck racing a T-33 jet airplane down the runway.
Owen and Spencer have a front-row seat to the jet-truck and airplane race. The truck is barely leading.
Owen helped Daddy with photos. I don’t know which one of them enjoyed the day more – I think it was a tie.
The F-22 Raptor is one of today’s front-line fighter planes. Super stealthy and loaded with high-tech armament.
The F-22 Raptor taking off with afterburners lit.
The F-22 Raptor coming by with a photo pass. It has the radar signature of a small bird. Almost invisible to the enemy.
Another pass, this time at high speed! Notice the condensation that forms around the plane during extreme maneuvers.
Rare view of the underside of a F-22 Raptor. (See next photo with weapon bay doors open)
F-22 Raptor with weapon bay doors open.
Another tight turn with afterburners lit. The exhaust nozzles actually swivel to help maneuver the plane quicker.
Shortly after noon, large dark clouds began filling the sky. Heavy rain could be seen to the north-west (to the left in this photo). We felt a few drops of rain and began to worry that the Thunderbirds and other air demonstrations might be cancelled. Luckily, the storm passed by just to the north of us, and it was clear again in about an hour.
Owen is having a blast watching all of the planes! Next up – the Thunderbirds!!!!
Clear skies have returned, and the crews are busy prepping the Thunderbird F-16s for the demonstration flight.
Here come the pilots. It won’t be long now!
The pilots enter their planes.
It’s Show-Time!
Up they go!
Nice photo fly-by in tight formation. The planes can be as close as 36 inches!
Two of the Thunderbirds fly by, with one inverted!
Another fly-by in an inline echelon formation. Soooooo close!
These two Thunderbirds approach each other straight-on at a combined speed of over 800 MPH, then miss each other by the smallest of margins. To photograph this, I focused on one plane and let the camera shoot 4 frames per second and hoped for the best.
In this maneuver, 4 of the planes approach at their minimum speed (just over 100 MPH) while one passes through at 600 MPH.
One more close opposing knife-edge maneuver, passing each other head-on at a combined speed of over 800 MPH.
Another nice photo pass.
Nearing the end of the demonstration, the planes approach the crowd then split into a “bomb burst.”
A few more solo passes for photos.
Passing by the control tower at Langley AFB – Air Combat Command.
Finale – the “Bomb Burst” (see next 2 photos)
Finale – Bomb Burst opening up.
Finale – Bomb Burst. AMAZING SHOW!!!!
After an amazing day, it was time to head back to the hotel. Beth and I took time to visit our old apartments and the church where we got married. See “Day 3 – Part 2” for photos.
To see diagrams of all of the Thunderbirds’ maneuvers: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/about/initiatives/airshow/Thunderbirds_Maneuvers_Package.pdf
Proceed to Day 3 – Part 2 to see our old apartments and the church where we got married.