Airshows.........they are not what they used to be

I'd pay to see that!

 

When is the last time they did an airshow with live fire demonstrations?

 

C-130s then, C-130s today. The Herk will live forever! (And maybe the B-52 as well?)

And notice: no camouflage on any of these airplanes!

 

One of my fondest air show memories was from 1967 or 1968 in West Germany.

Canadian CF-104 Starfighter comes screaming across the length of the assembled spectators at about 50' - 100' AGL in full burner. Must have been doing 500 knots. Still can see and hear it to this day if I close my eyes...............

2nd best was 1976 in Calgary......Canadian C-130 Hercules lumbers along at 100 knots literally right in front of the airshow crowd at about 100' AGL......then lights the JATO bottles and almost goes straight up making as much noise, smoke, and fire, as a small space shuttle.

How times have changed............

 

I had a similar experience at the Air Force's 50th anniversary at Nellis AFB (1997 if I remember right). The SR-71 did a fly over the day I was there and I was blown away by the sound and feeling in my chest when that things came blazing across the sky what seemed to be 200 ft AGL with afterburners lit. That is something I'll never forget. I'll also never forget spending the whole day with my grandfather who was simply in awe of how far technology had come since his days as an Army Air Corp mechanic in WWII. I think he may have been just as gitty as I was.

Mark

 

Heh, that 'Thud' needed a little extra runway.

I believe these Firepower Demo's are for Air Force families only, not open to the civie city. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here....
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4beBkVRot10[/ame]

 

i'd pay to see that on chicago's lake front airshow