Colorado Springs has a huge military community with so many bases, including several Air Force bases in the surrounding area. Peterson AFB hosts an air show each year. Yesterday was a windy and overcast day but spectators came by the thousands to watch the show and to show their own support for the armed services.
My father was in the Navy, so I grew up with the Blue Angels. My dad had always made a point of taking the family to see their performances any time they were in town. Seeing the blue and gold fighter brought back a rush of fond memories.
Miss Mitchell is a B25J bomber, named after an actual bomber that flew with the 380th Bomb Squadron. Miss Mitchell was not a person, the name came from from the type of bomber it was, a Mitchell. The bomber is fully restored and airworthy and makes appearances at airshows around the country.
I'm sure there is a technical name for this fighter, something with lots of letters and numbers... and I'm sure it was clearly written on the plaque that hung on the rails infront of the plane, but I was was too entranced with the plane itself that I neglected to pay attention. I call this 'pretty, shiney plane with propellors'.
We arrived too late for much of the aerial displays, but we were able to catch the Thunderbirds flying team. As with the Blue Angels, I watched the Tunderbirds perform frequently when I was a child and have always been in awe of their precision and beauty.
For as many times as I've seen them in my life, it wasn't until thistime that I realized the design on the bottom of the jets were that of the Native American thunderbird.
Inverted fly-by. I'm sure if you were to ask the pilots they'd deny the difficulty of this maneuver but it still gets me screaming and cheering like a child when I see them do it.
I still don't understand how they can fly with such precise formations. To top it off, these guys are flying sideways! I can't even walk a straight line, there is no way on earth that I could do something like that in a huge flying machine like that. The strong winds and thick clouds didn't even seem to affect the performance. At the end of the show I was chattering just as excitedly as my children. I am already looking forward to the next air show.
16 comments:
Great pics, just how do they do that formation? :-)
Sandra xxx
These are some neat pics and you and the Nikon are getting to be a team. Even though you didn't identify the fighter, I like#4 the best. The people in the background just set the whole picture, no legs showing at all! You just have too much fun!
You took some magnificent shots!!!
~Marie
we live VERY close to an AFB but I have no appreciation for air shows, to spend a whole day looking up seems very silly, but I do apprciate the Blue angels, and the Thunderbirds! Very talented
~ Julie~ http://journals.aol.com/joolsinwa/randommusingsofmymind
I had the privelege of watching the Thunderbirds fly over our townhome in Palmer Lake (just north of Colorado Springs for those not familiar with the area). We drove down to King Soopers parking lot in Monument, closer to the Air Force Academy to watch them. They are awesome. I tried to take a pic, but it looks like black dots in the sky because I just did not have the right kind of camera for that kind of picture. My sister does, too bad she was back in Alabama when I needed it, lol!!!!! I think hers is a Nikon too!
http://journals.aol.com/Smjr43/Colorado
P.S. I REALLY enjoyed this entry, Dorn, since I have had the privilege of seeing them in person! Looks like a photo of Pike's Peak again. Such a pretty peak, isn't it?
Your photo's are amazing. thank you for sharing.
Sylvia
my dad was part of the Thunderbird team back in the 60's! Thanks for sharing these photos :-)
My Dad was military so we went to the Airshow every single year. Since I was little I have been fascinated with the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds. Awesome photo's Dorn! I wish I had a cam like yours! LOL! I posted a lot of new pics in my photo J!
Hugs!
Kell
Such amazing shots!!
I remember going to the Airshows when I was a kid. We even got out of school to go. I remember my favorite being the 'Blue Angels'
Thanks for sharing.
Kate
AWESOME photos! I saw the Blue Angels, many times, in my central coast California home town air show. They are awesome!
I loved looking at your pictures. As a child, I went to many air shows that featured the Blue Angels. My father was an Air Force man, so we didn't miss many of these. Also, I lived in Denver for ten years before I moved back to California, so your Colorado pics brought back some great memories, too ! Thanks for sharing ! Tina
http://journals.aol.com/onemoretina/Ridealongwithme
Dorn:
Do you remember your first Airshow at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia? We had jets flying over our house very low every day on their landing pattern, so we went to see them up close. The T-33 (The Blue Plane) is the plane the Blue Angels were flying in those days. I still think of those days when the family was under one roof and we all were much younger.
Dear Ole Dad
I love your journal! And your photographs are fantastic.! The only difference between being an amature and a professional photographer is the pay. You, though, differently do professional work! Ann
Me again... My guy believes the one photo you were not sure of the name is a T-6 (Texan). He's a total airplane buff! You got some great shots!
Hi, Dorn! These pictures are abosultely the best of flying airplanes I've seen in a long time. You have a great camera and touch. I love the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds. When the Blue Angels fly over Lake Washington in August at the Seafair races here in Seattle it's the most awesome thing. Can you believe it they actually stopped them for a year or two because of a handful of complaints...then the overwhelming surge of requests for them brought them back..yes the noise can be a bit loud but it is worth it... Thanks so much for these pictures...
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