Great Day at the Air Show - Another Good Day

[Cyrus]

What a great way to start your day. I had the alarm clock set to 10:00 A.M today. It went off and woke me up to WTOP, an all news channel. The guy is saying something bla bla bla bla last day of the air show at Andrews today bla bla bla.

So I woke up and went, YESSSSSS! Called my friends to see if they wanted to go, they were all sleeping, so I left w/o them. You snooze you loose.

And my cell phone decided to stop working, so I FINALLY bought a real cell phone, that new Razor. It has a camera, so I tested it out and took some pics at the air show today. http://www.se7enty6ix.com/images/Home%20Page/moto-razor.png

I was hard core red neck at the air show. I had two hot dogs ($4.00 each), a miller lite ($4.00), an ice cream bar ($4.00), a big pretzel ($4.00), a large coke ($4.00). All said and done, it cost me $22 bucks in junk food today, and it was well worth it.

The pictures did not look so good on the phone, but they seem to look half descent when I emailed them and got them to their full size.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/409c6bdfc6.jpg

(more pics in a sec, sorry i have to email them one by one and then put them on imageshack.)

*I have a few pics specially for you fred*

 

[Cyrus]

Right before I left to the air show, I got a call from one of my moms friends. She has two little boys and a daughter. I told her to take them to the air show, but her daughter had a soccer game at 1:30. I should have taken them with me, but they live very far out of the way from my house. They are almost 30mins in the opposite direction from my house, and I am 30 mins from Andrews. Attending air shows at least once is mandatory for every boy. I don't think their mom is the air show type, I'll take them to another one this summer, there only 5 and 8. They will enjoy it.

Ok, here we go. Enjoy!

First, GUNS! (These came out bad, the camera is very sensitive to movements so pictures close up came out blurred. Being indoors didn’t help either)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/21cb0dec82.jpg

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/0d67b6aa43.jpg
(Not my hand pointing, it was a kid next to me)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/b45146d1ea.jpg
(Touch it and well shoot you!)
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/2d8b1eb215.jpg
(That big ass black gun in the foreground, is one IMPRESSIVE gun)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/1fc5325c80.jpg
(Bazooka anyone?)

 

[Rach3]

Hurray for death and destruction! Woo!

 

[Cyrus]

These are old war birds (and a few civilian aircraft)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/cf56fa54ae.jpg
T-34 Mentor's. They did a nice little performance in formation. Note that there were about 2 more to the right that did not get in the picture.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/89ae46f208.jpg
An AVENGER!:!) :!)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/b2bfa4f736.jpg
(I'll find the name of this later, Note the A-10 Tankbuster peaking in the back right)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/4447be0fa8.jpg
(A B-25! What a beaut! :!) :!) A true honor to see this bird!)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/bfd6541091.jpg
(An imitation of a Jap. 'Kate.' There are no working Kate's in existence, this was a converted AT-6 Texan or (Harvard for you brit snobs, happy Fred? ) for the movie Torra-Torra-Torra).

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/97196651e0.jpg
(Don’t have a clue on this one, some sort of trainer looks like another Texan)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/599f46ee6e.jpg
(A B-24! Another Honor to be at the airshow! :!) )
Incidentally, I know a guy who flew in this airplane. He was a ball-turret gunner. There is a small pod on the bottom of the airplane that has a gimbals and allows the gunner to shoot at those German b******'s. BUT, in order to get out of the turret, it must be perfectly aligned so the hatch can be opened. If the airplane happened to get shot and loose hydraulics, the turret could not be operated. If the turret was not aligned it meant he would be suck inside of it. But no hydraulics = no landing gear. The pilot would have to land the airplane on it's belly, which means would be killed inside that turret. VERY dangerous job to have! Three cheers for him!)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/45c3d80209.jpg
(A B-17! Another Honor! :!) :!) )

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/044d6f05fe.jpg
(Speaks for itself!)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/f644dcd630.jpg
(A SPITFIRE! :!) )

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/6e4813c224.jpg
(This is a RARE airplane to see. My mentor used to work on the engines on this airplane in panama during the war. I must send this picture to him, he will enjoy it)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/5045600db7.jpg
(A P-40 warhawk! :!) )

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/f3c5a134f0.jpg
(A MUSTANG! :!) :!) ) They had another mustang that was doing heritage passes with an F-4, F-15, and F-16! My camera could not get a good picture though

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/1c120c3fef.jpg
(Don't know, but damn it was cool!)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/acad82000a.jpg
(A Dc-3! :!) Look at that aluminum glint in the sun!) You can see a T-38 Talon off to the left.

 

[Cyrus]

Helicopters!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/81764cc6b3.jpg
(You can see the tail of a coast-guard C-130. Between the two is another coast guard helicopter, a Blackhawk)
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/26cc5b72ab.jpg
This one's for you Fred, CHINOOOKKK! :!) :!) (that white airplane in the background is a Boeing 737 that has be outfitted with a series of radar stations to train radio navigators! Note that it has OLD turbojet engines, not Fan jet despite the modern winglets)

Ok, this last one is NOT a helicopter, but it is something you do not see everyday! A death trap, oops I mean an Osprey!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/cccf89576e.jpg
(You can see part of a Blackhawk helicopter peaking to the right)
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/fa1369a9e3.jpg

 

[Cyrus]

Cockpits!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/9e400bbe24.jpg
(Random Kid in the number 1 seat! This is the cockpit of the military version of the DC-10, a mid-air refuler. The crew chief told me they can fly 11,000 miles before refueling. Talk about hauling ass! This airplane is HUGE. I mean words do not do it justice. When you look out the window, you are 4-5 stories above the ground. It is ridiculous.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/cd6edd16bd.jpg
A beech king air. This airplane is SMALL inside. It seems like an expensive way to carry 3-5 people INCLUDING the pilot/co-pilot. I don't see how it is a practical airplane?

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/997ec26143.jpg
A Cessna Citation jet. This one is used by the Department of Homeland security for border patrol.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/c7813f9a3e.jpg
I don't remember the name of the airplane, I'll find it later. I love this picture.

 

[Cyrus]

Assorted

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/c6c8dd7978.jpg
Look at that Fred! An Ov-10 bronco!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/93196dd01e.jpg
If one tail is good, 4 must be better! Look at the modern curved blade props and the radome. (You can see a green Sea-king helicopter in the back-right. That is one BIG helicopter.)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/3fa6078a18.jpg
Ah yes, the F-22 Raptor! (That black tail to the right is a U-2 spy plane.)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/e756f62bad.jpg
Don't cross the roped off area, or they will shoot you! No seriously, they had armed guards with M-16's ready to shoot you if you tried to run past the ropes. (That twin black tail behind the Raptor is an F-117 night hawk. The first Stealth airplane used in Gulf War I. The big ass airplane to the left is a C-5 Galaxy, more pictures below)

 

[dav2008]

Hurray for death and destruction! Woo!

hurray for hugging trees



Nice pictures. (Except for the blurry ones )

 

[Cyrus]

Heavies!

These airplanes are F****ing HUGE! I tried to take pictures that would give you a sense of scale for these beasts!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/2b16db0bfd.jpg
This is a Dc-10. There was a picture of the cockpit earlier. This airplane is so big, that I could walk under ANY portion of it without having to duck, and I am 6'4" The wheels are so big that they come up 1 foot past my waist ~4.5 feet.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/2603529563.jpg
Ok, this was to give you a sense of size. You have to stand next to this airplane to fully appreciate this picture. The tail is MASSIVE! I could stand inside that engine up there and put my hands straight up and still be about 2-3 feet short of touching the top.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/b0026885ce.jpg
Inside the Dc-10. This picture came out bad but, you could try to jump as high as you can and still not touch the ceiling! (I got to go down into the tail boom where they refuel the other airplanes, but could not get a good shot. Basically, it is a big square window with a seat, some knobs and a joystick. They can deliver 1,000lbs of fuel per minute! They can fuel 12 fighter jets, or a few heavies. One heavy takes as much fuel as 4 fighter jets! They also have the ability to get refueled themselves. He said they fly this particular DC-10 up to 10 missions a day! They also have 600 KC-135 tankes around the world! (KC-135 is a different tanker, it has 4 engines and looks like an old boeing 707)
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/2b6d217981.jpg
This is a C-5 galaxy, it is the largest airplane in the Air Force's fleet. Look at the guy standing behind the engine. This picture does the size of the airplane no justice! The inside is so big you could ride a bike in there (a cop on a mountain bike was)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/43b2567596.jpg
The tail of this beast!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/31c2d0fc54.jpg
You have to stretch your neck to look up that high!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/7bdd8cc4d6.jpg
A C-17's tail. Another BIG airplane!

 

[Moonbear]

Nice pictures! And, hey, next time, take your mom's friend's daughter too, not just her sons! You never know, she might really enjoy it too, and if her mom isn't into that sort of thing, it might be the only opportunity she has to be introduced to such things. When I was a kid, I'd have been thrilled to go to an air show (I'd still be thrilled to go as a grown-up ).

 

[Cyrus]

Blue Angels!

Ok, I am sorry to say that their performance was GARBAGE they had HORRID timing that made all their 'close calls' look TERRIBLE!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/f51d6df831.jpg
Engine start-up!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/bf2e54b427.jpg
Taxi-ing out to the runway.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/696c7db1df.jpg
Going verticle!

Ok now get someone to stand right next to your ear drum and go (BBBBBBBBBBBBBBKKKKKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH RUMMMMMMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE )

Ok, and that's all the pics I could take before my battery konked out on me

 

[SimplySolitary_]

Impressive... I want to go!

I agree with Moonbear, take the daughter as well. I would have killed to have gone to one of those when I was younger.

And wow; you're tall.

 

[scorpa]

Nice pictures! And, hey, next time, take your mom's friend's daughter too, not just her sons! You never know, she might really enjoy it too, and if her mom isn't into that sort of thing, it might be the only opportunity she has to be introduced to such things. When I was a kid, I'd have been thrilled to go to an air show (I'd still be thrilled to go as a grown-up ).

Yeah definitely don't forget about the daughters! I would have loved to go to an airshow, still would if I ever get the chance. My mom wasn't into that sort of stuff at all, but luckily my dad was so we would alway go to all the motorcycle shows and stuff...and I LOVED it. Awesome pics by the way, I didnt realize the pics would be that good of quality with a camera phone. I never realized how massive those planes where, I really want to go to an airshow now.

 

[wolram]

Cyrus has a soul , i have been wrong all along
Cool pics sir.

 

[Pengwuino]

All fake

CYRUS CLOSED!

 

[Astronuc]

The big black gun appears to be a Barrett 50 cal, or similar design by another company.

The fighter below the Mustang looks like a P-61 Black Widow, Northrop's Twin Engine Night Fighter (http://www.acepilots.com/planes/p61_black_widow.html) . If it had twin booms/tails, then that's what it is.

Another good site is http://www.commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft/index.html

The one above the B-25 and below the Avenger looks like a Douglas DC-6 Liftmaster.

Very nice pictures, and certainly one should take one's daughter(s) and son(s)!

 

[J77]

Looks like a good day out

 

[Cyrus]

The big black gun appears to be a Barrett 50 cal, or similar design by another company.

The fighter below the Mustang looks like a P-61 Black Widow, Northrop's Twin Engine Night Fighter (http://www.acepilots.com/planes/p61_black_widow.html) . If it had twin booms/tails, then that's what it is.

Another good site is http://www.commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft/index.html

The one above the B-25 and below the Avenger looks like a Douglas DC-6 Liftmaster.

Very nice pictures, and certainly one should take one's daughter(s) and son(s)!

I thought it was Black Widow, but its not. It has no tail booms. You are correct about the gun and the DC-6

 

[Cyrus]

Ah, I found it. It's a B-26 from the Korean War.

 

[Astronuc]

Ah, I found it. It's a B-26 from the Korean War.

You mean that black widow look-alike. That doesn't look like a Martin Marauder to me. It's looks more like a pursuit aircraft.

http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com/B-26.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-26_Marauder

The Marauder is slightly bigger than a B-25.

 

[Cyrus]

No, that picture you sent me is a WW2 B-26.

This one is from the Korean war. Its a B-26 Invader, not Marauder.

http://kalaniosullivan.com/KunsanAB/3rdBW/Pics/8BSFlightlineB26AlligatorGalpreflightLocke.jpg

http://www.13thbombsquadron.org/images/loveinflight.html

Edit: Aha, it's a Douglass A-26 invader.

 

[Astronuc]

Big difference between Martin and Douglas.

http://www.warbirdalley.com/a26.htm

http://www.ww2guide.com/a26.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-26_Invader

This is the last time we let you go to an air show unescorted.

Next time take a real digital camera - and stop talking too long on the cell phone. Running out of battery energy.

 

[Pengwuino]

The guys who scare me (in a good way) are those guys who can tell you what an airplane is just by a rough shadow it casts or something outrageous like that and then tell you where it served and what it's average mission completion % was.

 

[Cyrus]

Hah, I just had another good day at work.

We were doing a flight test, and one of the big shot bosses came by to see it. I remembered that I had met him once before and he mentioned that he used to be an F-16 figther pilot, so as we were talking I brought up the airshow last weekend. We started to talking, long story made short he also flys glider planes on the weekends and invited me to come out and fly with him any sunday and gave me his card.

Awesome.

 

[Cyrus]

Took a quick pic of a cool chevy camero at the pike today, I love this new phone.

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/8c14b037d2.jpg

 

[JamesU]

Can't you quit being so happy and whine and complain like the rest of us?

 

[Cyrus]

Can't you quit being so happy and whine and complain like the rest of us?

No, I can't.

Here is a semi-whine,

I was supposed to go flying today, but he had to cancel. So he is going to take me up next weekend. I will post pics when we go flying.

Now if you will excuse me, it is a beautiful day outside and I am going to go ride my bike.

 

[Evo]

My weed eater broke and it's hot.

Stop being happy. Cool picture though. That's a damn good picture from a phone. What kind is it?

 

[wolram]

No, I can't.

Here is a semi-whine,

I was supposed to go flying today, but he had to cancel. So he is going to take me up next weekend. I will post pics when we go flying.
.

Do not bother i hate crash pics.

 

[Cyrus]

Ok, more to append to this second good day.

After I shot that car above, I drove to the hobby shop. On my way back, I passed by another red Camero with a cream stripe down the side and a covertable (although a year or two later in model).

Two cars down from him was a classic shelby mustang (the old 60's model that was built on a british roadster). I gave him the thumbs up as we passed each other going in opposite directions.

Then I come home and change into my biking jersey and shorts. I then packed my bike up and drove down to bathesda to ride along a nice bike trail that goes from there all the way to Georgetown, and if you continue it goes all the way to national airport, then mt. Vernon. (it branches off so you can go very far if you want to).

Anyways, there are two ways to leave my house. The front entrance, which takes you onto a big 3 lane road, or a back exit that takes you through a nice small windy road that is heavily wooded. It's really nice because the trees cover the sky and lower the temperature as you drive along it.

So I said what the hell, I'll take the back road today. As I pull up to the intersection, a lady is turning in and there is another car behind her. So she makes her turn. Then the guy behind her stops and waives at me to go. (He had right of way and did not have to stop for me) And then I notice that he is driving a brand new silver $300,000 Bentley. That guy had something money can't buy, class .

Then I drive down to bathesda and park. As I pull into hte parking lot, I see this really nice purple car. I say to myself, wow, what the hell is that!?

So I took pics of it! I asked the kid who owned it. He couldn't have been a year or two older than I. But he was a real nice guy, he said its a V4 race engine that puts out 490Hp. He said he wants to sell the car for around $100-150,000 (Maybe I heard him wrong, it seems a little bit too high). Man, what a car!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/825bead167.jpg

You see those lumps protruding out the hood near the windsheild, those are Racing suspension.
http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/0fb61e6d41.jpg

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/3ed90ed104.jpg

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/b1c01d79cf.jpg

Then after my chat with that chap, I hopped on my bike and rode down to DC.

Heh, what do I see. Its Rolling Thunder! Motorcycles EVERYWHERE!

Awesome!

Then after riding I turn around, and head back home. Then I see a low flying Blackhawk. (It was painted in the sage green and white. Maybe it was marine 2, but I am not sure.)

Well, he was probably flying 200-300 feet over the water and banking HARD right. (If you have ever been next to a low flying helicopter you know the distinct noise the rotor blades make as they make a hard low altitude turn. It makes a LOUD WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP)

 

[Cyrus]

Went on a bike ride today and took some pics along the way.

Airplanes taking off from National airport

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/3c47e2eaf1.jpg

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/c65501e049.jpg

The pencil

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/20aea573c4.jpg

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/94f2f3e035.jpg

Were moving on up

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/364bd7804e.jpg

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/6484d7ad0e.jpg

Some statue and a pencil

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/1709530a8f.jpg

Center of kennedy

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/d67bdbcc18.jpg

Gates of water

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/211ea8ebf7.jpg

We find you guilty Mr. Liddy!

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/dc88192711.jpg

Living under a bridge (Expensive hobo real estate, you have to fight to the death to beg in this prime location, aka Georgetown)

http://www.uploadfile.info/uploads/960fd04558.jpg

 

[Moonbear]

Then I drive down to bathesda and park. As I pull into hte parking lot, I see this really nice purple car. I say to myself, wow, what the hell is that!?

Makes me think of the bat mobile. All those filthy rich politicians and lawyers around there seem to be able to afford a lot of nice cars around there.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Whoa Cyrus, beautiful pictures. I enjoyed them, i don't get to see that here at home.

 

[FredGarvin]

Wholly crap! How did I miss this thread Cyrus?! Pretty good pics I must say.

I can tell you that seeing the B-24, 25 and 17 on the ground is nice, but we had an airshow here last year that had 6 B-17's flying overhead. In formation. It was friggin' awesome. It was also very awe inspiring in the fact that I was looking at 6 going overhead and back in WWII, there would have been hundreds. I simply can not imagine the sensory overload one must have had.

That was a good airshow by the looks of it.

Props for the MH-47E pic. You got a picture of the pinnacle of aviation.

 

[wolram]

That plane at the top is all dented and bent.