A cool experience...

[[JiF]Djsmg]

Late last week and over the weekend I took a few days off to go hunt with the family.

While standing out in the bush watching for animals and movement and waiting for the call that the hunt was over I happened to witness aerial manuvers for a terrain following flight for a C-130 Hercules.

I was standing at a clearing at the top of a hill overlooking a lake roughly 200'-0" or so above the surface of the lake. I could hear it coming a long way off as the winds were calm but I was suprised when the noise kept getting louder and louder. As I looked up over the hills to see what was making the noise, the huge plane appeared between the hills above the lake at almost the same elevation I was at! It was a fascinating sight to witness this huge bird trying to stay as low as possible and twisting and turning through the hills and above the lake where possible. I wish I had my camera with me.

[[JiF]ALargeWoodenBadger]

Late last week and over the weekend I took a few days off to go hunt with the family.

While standing out in the bush watching for animals and movement and waiting for the call that the hunt was over I happened to witness aerial manuvers for a terrain following flight for a C-130 Hercules.

I was standing at a clearing at the top of a hill overlooking a lake roughly 200'-0" or so above the surface of the lake. I could hear it coming a long way off as the winds were calm but I was suprised when the noise kept getting louder and louder. As I looked up over the hills to see what was making the noise, the huge plane appeared between the hills above the lake at almost the same elevation I was at! It was a fascinating sight to witness this huge bird trying to stay as low as possible and twisting and turning through the hills and above the lake where possible. I wish I had my camera with me.

I have a friend who fly's Hercules with the Canadian Air Force and from what he describes they were probably "twisting and turning through the hills" looking for the closest beer store.


Off we go into the Labatt blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;

[[JiF]Djsmg]

Well, they were heading in the right direction... I usually head in that direction myself if I happen to get lost in the woods...

Its always important to have a landmark that can lead you home

[[JiF] Staticline]

It is called "contour" flying
staying low to the ground and following the "contours" of the ground.
sucks when your the passenger....pass me the barf bag!

[[JiF]Brick]

Had a similar experience at my new house last week.
A pair of A-10 Warthogs from a local airbase made a couple of passes over the lake we are on.
WOW!
Wish I could have seen those 20mm nose gatling guns fire!

[[JiF]Blind Trooper]

On Sunday, Gunray and I went to the Las Vegas Air Show. A whole lotta planes flew around. C-17, F-16 (2x), F-18, F-15, P-51, some civilian prop planes, and of course, the F-22.

Seeing the Raptor fly...it was beautiful

[[JiF]Lt Gav]

DJ

You are right it is a cool experience.
I had something similar whilst going up & mountain in Wales. You hear the sound long before you see the plane. Mine was a Tornado doing low level flying. In fact so low I was actually above him & could see into the cockpit.
I reckon your chap was having more fun trying to cart such a big crate round!

[[JiF]zougathefist]

where I live in Swindon we are on the flight path for 2 RAF bases, we get C130s, Tornados and Harriers overflying all the time.
My three best plane experiences are watching a C130 practising low level insertion runs from a train. It swoops down from about 1500ft to about 200ft into a valley and up again, I usually see them practicing on Fridays on the way home. First time I saw it I thought it was an accident in progress, I was waiting for a hugh fireball to appear from behind the hill.....

Just North of Bristol, there is a base beside the motorway, you sometimes get Harrier jump jets that fly alongside the road about 40ft up, just matching the speed of the cars. Its surreal to have a fighter jet so close and in control.

Down in Devon & Cornwall (where I also live!?) you sometimes get Nato planes (mostly french, but also dutch and german) and RAF planes that practice interceptions over the coast.
you'll be there lying on a beach and all of a sudden two jets will scream overhead toward france, about 4/5mins later they will come back in pursuit of another two jets. Its incredible to watch!
I have some pics somewhere but they are mostly dark blurs on a blue sky

[[JiF]corn]

Yesterday i had 7 jap zeros fly overhead.
My work is right next to the old Ellington Air Force Base, now called Ellington Field.
A lot of the WW2 era planes fly in there and the last Air Show was 3 weeks ago.
The Air Force still uses the facility as a practice/training facility.

I've seen many WW2 era planes fly over.
B17,B26,B25,T38

[[JiF]Lt Gav]

I've seen many WW2 era planes fly over.
B17,B26,B25,T38

I've stood in a field wearing only a towel & a smile whilst a Spitfire gave a display right over head!!!

[[JiF]zougathefist]

I've stood in a field wearing only a towel & a smile whilst a Spitfire gave a display right over head!!!

Jeez Gav, keep it out of the gutter....

[[JiF]Sgt. hUTCHIE]

Well now,

I am fortunate that I spent about 10 hours or so total (4 trips) as a passenger in the Hercules C130 in the early 80's while they were doing roller landing practice - something similar to what you saw Zouga.

I used to be in the air cadets and at RAF Lineham camp signing up for Hercules flights was a good way of getting a few extra hours of kip ( and some extra packed lunches from the aircrew - they didn't seem to want theirs!!).

I also saw A10's doing range practice with their cannon on a beach against targets that looked like large deck chairs. Of course you saw the bullets hit and then a second or so latter a brisk deep rattle from the cannon.

hUTCHIE

[[JiF]55GaLLoNdrUm]

I live in Louisville, KY, home of the Kentucky Derby. A week before the race, the city opens up festivities with Thunder over Louisville, the world's largest firework and air show. For those of you into stuff like this, which apparantly there are quite a few, you should make the trip down one year. It is definately worth it to see it at least once.
One of my favorite years was the public premier of the stealth bomber. To be standing there on the river seeing this thing come rolling toward you without making a sound was awesome. And I mean awesome in the literal meaning of the word, not the way in which it gets thrown around these days...
Anyway, pm me if you want some more info on Thunder or any other festivities of Derby week...