Reminds me of the last real "stunt" pulled by the Thunderbirds. Not allowed
any more of course :-)
On Okinawa during the old F100 team days, Fish Salmon was flying the solo
slot. Fish was a real hot rock! The team wasn't constrained by FAA rules on
Oki as it was back in the states.
It was at the Kadena airshow with the team on tour. Fish took off behind the
diamond and disappeared out over the ocean. The diamond came back in and
executed the first formation maneuver. All the attention was on the
formation and practically everybody on the base including the base
commander's pet dog had completely forgotten about Fish.
Fish had sneaked out and positioned the F100 to hack 180 behind the crowd
inbound over the mile marker passing through mach 1 just as the aircraft
overflew the crowd. He completely blind sided them all. I mean no one knew
he was there until the shock wave hit them.
The diamond cleared and in came Fish balls to the walls. It was TERRIFIC!!!!
He hit the crowd supersonic just above their heads. The boom shook the beer
cans right out of their hands.
About 10,000 people hit the deck at once! It was marvelous!!!
This Thunderbird "moment" is brought up from time to time by the old guys
after a drink or two, and I can tell you it will never happen again. But
what a moment that was!!
Ah yes....the "good ole days".
:-)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Dudley Henriques


"Jay Beckman" wrote in message
...

"gpsman" wrote in message
oups.com...
Skywise wrote: brevity snip

I can only image what those on the receiving end of a strafing
run must have felt when they heard the howl of that plane
bearing down upon them.

I've never been fired upon by aircraft but I can offer a brief
description of what it's like to have a flight of 3 F-4's come over
from behind at about 300AGL and maybe 400kts...

Very, very frightening.
-----

- gpsman

This from someone behind me at an airshow one time after the Blue Angels
"Sneak Pass" and the narrator's accompanying description of low-level,
high-speed tactical attack methods:

"Well, we can't be dead...we heard him."

In the 1940s, you could probably count on hearing the attacking aircraft
on a strafing run before he fired...but today, you're dead long before
you'd ever hear the jet (provided of course, the ordinance in question
even required flight anywhere near the target...)

Duck early, duck often.

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ