Edwards Air Force Base Air Show (NEW PICS page 2)

[Silverstar]

Starting the thread up today with some pre-show stuff..then later tommorow this will be filled





So today I get the newspaper...with my trusty book to tell me what's being shown, and what to expect:

Main Displays:
A-10 Warthog
B-1B Lancer
B-2 Spirit
B-52H Stratofortress
C-17A Globemaster III
F-15C/D Eagle
F-15E Strike Eagle
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
F/A-22 Raptor
F-117A Nighthawk
KC-135 Stratotanker
T-38 Talon
Global Hawk Recon Plane
U-2 Spy Plane
CV-22 Osprey
F/A-18 Hornet
CH-53 Sea Stallion
CH-46 Sea Knight

Here is the layout of all the sh*t.


Hopefully I can get there before the opening ceremony, since I have to leave base for some personal issues..and for all I know there is going to be a traffic jam like no other coming back in.

But today I went down towards ramp 1, and started to get some pics of planes getting set up.

KC-10 & C-17 Globemaster..there was also a 727 & B-1B opposite of them, just couldn't get a good pic


C-17 from March AFB...dunno why it was put where it is..


Two F-16's over on the Flight Test side turned on to be moved to the main ramp


Well, less then 24 hours to go, along with the Golden Knights, Navy Blue Angels, Chuck Yeager and his P-51, Royal Dutch Air Force...it should be a good show. There is also going to be Tora! Tora! Tora! at the end of the day, which for those who don't know, it's a re-inactment of the Pearl Harbor attack, they're even using real WWII AA guns for fireworks ect.

Let's hope the pictures come out good!

You guys think I should show the pics in VGA or thumb the full ones come tommorow?

[CrazyCavia]

The Dutch demo team will use a American F-16 not their own demo plane. (pictured below)

[patrick10]

Originally Posted by Silverstar

B-1B Lancer
B-2 Spirit
F/A-22 raptor
F-117A Nighthawk
U2 Spy Plane

nice selection of planes

[fbc]

Looking forward to the pics Silverstar - my suggestion would be to post thumbnails, then people can click on the ones they want to see.

[tranceshakeel]

nice, F22. i would wanna see those pics. 8)

[jayjaya29]

Originally Posted by fbc

Looking forward to the pics Silverstar - my suggestion would be to post thumbnails, then people can click on the ones they want to see.

yeah, same here. Can't wait to see the pics!

[SiR_dude]

You lucky SOB I've never seen the F22, let alone see it fly. Same for the U2 and the B2....I've seen the Stealth on the ground, but that's about it. And it was roped off

[Silverstar]

Originally Posted by SiR_dude

I've seen the Stealth on the ground, but that's about it. And it was roped off

The last time I saw the stealth in an air show it was in the same manner, all roped off. And from what the big layout shows, that will be roped off also along with the U2..but it looks like I might be able to touch the F-22

But there will be a F-117 that has a red, white & blue underbelly that will be doing it's last fly-by/flight, then off to the museums. Should be pretty cool.

[jensked]

cool looking forward to the pics

[Silverstar]

Alrighty guys, the wait is over.


Before anything I must say that today was the most beautiful and awesome display of air power and superiority in my entire life.

Being around the Air Force since I was concieved, this is what I have lived around and have loved to see ever since I could see planes. Please enjoy these pictures, I wish I had the words that could discribe the planes I saw today.

So first off, I came in at about 10:10am, just as the sonic boom went off and the Army Golden Knights jumped out for thier stunt.

Single jump to start

Close up

Group jump


Aerobatic plane fooling around as I was going into show




After that...I went into the Flight test/NASA display hangar to get what I wanted to see over with.

Ladies and gentlemen..the F/A 22 Raptor, 2nd one made..was suprised to not see alot of people around it

F22 Tail

F22 Engine Display

OV-22 Osprey..you know..the one that used to crash alot

Close up painting on the Osprey, Mojave Maude

A-10 Warthog, or Thunderbolt if you wanna get technical, static display

Global Hawk spy plane (R/C)

F-106

Atlus Recon Plane (R/C)

Mini Recon R/C's

NASA F-18, see her out alot

Mars Recon Satellite & Mars Rover



Now, for the performance in the air. I wish I could explain the awesome power that the F-22 gave off as it went by.

First she showed off the bombing bay..after a pyro explosion was set off while the announcers explained the display

Then the F-22 & Retired General Chuck Yeager in his P-51 flying together

I literally started shedding tears as the F-22 went full afterburner and darted straight into the sky, the pure power that the plane left off gave me goosebumps as it rumbled my entire body. It is the greatest thing I have ever seen

F-22 coming in while doing some VERY slow thrust vectoring...

Man it seemed like it was a slug


F-16 & F-22 in break off formation..was a little shaky on that one



Then after all of the showing off...all three planes came down in a close taxi...about not even 35ft (10m) or so from me..

Chuck in his P-51



F-16 Taxi..man this thing sounded good..still my favorite aircraft



And the Sprinkle on top..the F-22..and my god as it came towards everyone..you should have seen those freak camera men that had 20,000 cameras around thier neck running to get pictures..


And as it was right there...the engine sounds were absolutely astonishing...brought another tear to my eye just listening to it taxi. That is engineering perfection right there.


Unfortunately..after they all came into the area...the F-22 taxi'd away..since it is still worth millions...and not active duty yet.

But I got Yeager's P-51 & F-16 chilling as the crew made sure it was all good


Now for more pictures..

Edwards F-16

Nozzle Cover

Test Pilot School F-16

F-16...with the mark of the Devil!

NASA F-16

Another A-10, looked at the cockpit of that one

Vintage plane "Minsi III"...not sure what plane type(corsair maybe?)..she got alot of kills though!

F-117...with some people I know guarding it

P-51 Mustang

Mini P-51

F-86 Sabre

NASA B-52...was the oldest active B-52 just a bit ago when it was retired. But it is still called Dryden's "Mothership". You can see along the fuselage that she got alot of work in.

Another B-52..didn't know what the purpose for this one was

NASA 747 ferry plane..the one that piggybacks the shuttle went through it..wasn't allowe to take pics though

B1B

B-17

B-17 nose painting

U-2 spy plane

U-2 intake cover

C-17 Globemaster III

C-17 engine cover

KC-10 Tanker


Ordnance displays




Jet car that is gonna be running here on the lakebed soon!



Well guys..that's it for now...I hope you like these pictures..and can enjoy the planes and other displays of this show. I wish you all could have been there to see it in person...the show was beautiful. Note, I did not stay all day to see more aero shows.

A couple planes listed to show weren't there...so tommorow I might go back to see more.

Cheers!

[CrazyCavia]

The vintage plane would be a F6F Hellcat.

[Kip_6666]

very nice, and great descriptions with each picture

[jensked]

Awesome pics! And indeed, nice info!

[CrazyCavia]

A quick note about the B-52's. They both are used for research at Dryden.
The first one is the oldest a B-model with tailnumber 008 and the second one is an H-model with tailnumber 025.

The H-model is the replacement of the B-model.

[Thrasher]

WOW nice pics man. Do you work there?


Have you ever seen Sean D. Tucker's aerobatic show? He flies the bright red Oracle Challenger bi-plane and his stunts are just insane

[Dark_Templer_102]

You should have taken videos man!

Does the sonic boom damage your ears in any way?

Why didn't they paint the A-10? It looks like some prop or something.

GREAT pictures!

[Silverstar]

A quick note about the B-52's. They both are used for research at Dryden.
The first one is the oldest a B-model with tailnumber 008 and the second one is an H-model with tailnumber 025.

The H-model is the replacement of the B-model.

Ahh yes yes..I knew about the mothership...went out on the ramp a couple times earlier this year looking at it..just didn't know about the white B52H, are you a plane buff like me?

WOW nice pics man. Do you work there?

Have you ever seen Sean D. Tucker's aerobatic show? He flies the bright red Oracle Challenger bi-plane and his stunts are just insane

No, but I do live on base And I can't recall that I have ever seen Sean Tucker's air shows, Julie Clark was today's aerobatic..she was pretty awesome

You should have taken videos man!

Does the sonic boom damage your ears in any way?

Why didn't they paint the A-10? It looks like some prop or something.

Yea I was thinking of trying to take vids, but the digital camera was the only thing I had, and even on my 256mb mem card, I can only get like 10min and along with that...I know it woulda been hard to go from pic-vid-pic again as the planes passed by, but man it woulda given you some examples of power

Sonic booms do damage if it is done under a certain altitude, but I hear them every day. They have certain zones in the R-2508 Range that they are designated to do them. It hasn't seem to affected my hearing YET...but I knew the couple I heard today sure gave me a jump

And for that A-10..it is either a static model..or an A-10 that was turned into a static display for these shows...but I did get another pic of one that was on the ramp.

**EDIT**
Just caught the B1 on a flyby

Stupid lightpole!


Actually..I just need a new camera

[CrazyCavia]

Me, plane buff just because I visit a few airshows a year
What camera do you use and we're you on base during that flypast? If so that crowdline must of been real far away.

B1 flypast at RIAT 2004

[Thrasher]

I know a bit about planes myself but just from looking at the pic of the B-52 #008 it looks like it is used to launch the x-43 experimental plane. It says "X-43' on the wing mount to the right of the engines so I figure that is what it is for.

I always like watching those b-52's take off becasue the rear of the plane lifts off first and then the front, unless I am thinking of another plane

[Silverstar]

Me, plane buff just because I visit a few airshows a year
What camera do you use and we're you on base during that flypast? If so that crowdline must of been real far away

When the B1 went by I was already back at my house...so I was about 2-3 miles from where all the fly-bys were going on. It's a Sony DSC-P92...it's not the best..but there is a Canon PowerShot S1 I am scoping out at the Base Exchange

I know a bit about planes myself but just from looking at the pic of the B-52 #008 it looks like it is used to launch the x-43 experimental plane. It says "X-43' on the wing mount to the right of the engines so I figure that is what it is for

Yea, I think I'll go back tommorow and get a shot of the belly with all the mission markings..

I always like watching those b-52's take off becasue the rear of the plane lifts off first and then the front, unless I am thinking of another plane

It is a bit akward..it seems to just float off...