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NAS Oceana
Airshow, Virginia, USA, Saturday 17th Sep'05 |
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![](oceanashow/albatross_t.jpg)
A
Let-39 Albatross, now on the USA civil register...! Very clean but sedate
display to open the show |
![](oceanashow/nancylynn1_t.jpg)
Extra 300 of Nancy Lynn, son commentating. "Give it up for my mom" he stated
many times...! |
![](oceanashow/hawkeye1_t.jpg)
C2 Hawkeye arrived from NAS Norfolk and taxied past with wings folded |
![](oceanashow/hawkeye3_t.jpg)
A very agile display was given, showing off the tail hook & new props, now 8
blades |
![](oceanashow/hawkeye2_t.jpg)
Radar dish on top is 27feet wide, provides airborne early warning for the
carrier fleet |
![](oceanashow/hawkeye4_t.jpg)
The a/c returned to NAS Norfolk after a touch and go. Nice to see this a/c
display. |
![](oceanashow/chuteflagandplanes_t.jpg)
Red Baron sqn circled parachutists with National flags for the official
opening of the show |
![](oceanashow/chuteukflag_t.jpg)
The British Red Devils dropped in with national flags |
![](oceanashow/chuteusaflag_t.jpg)
of UK & USA as well as Canada |
![](oceanashow/fleetflyby1_t.jpg)
The National anthem was sung, then there came a US Navy fleet fly-by,
led by 4x F-14 Tomcats.. |
![](oceanashow/fleetflyby2_t.jpg)
..with 2x F-18F Super Hornets this side & 2x F-18C Hornets the other side |
![](oceanashow/rhinopair1_t.jpg)
The fleet then split into pairs and started a simulated airfield attack,
F-18Fs came first.. |
![](oceanashow/fleetattack_t.jpg)
...with pyrotechnics and a huge wall of fire
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![](oceanashow/hornetpair2_t.jpg)
Pair of F-18C Hornets run in for another attack by smoke from the previous |
![](oceanashow/hornet1_t.jpg)
One of the F-18C hornets breaks hard after an attack run
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![](oceanashow/hornetpair1_t.jpg)
The battle is over, The F-18C's run and break for their landing |
![](oceanashow/rhinopair2_t.jpg)
The pair of F-18F Super Hornets taxi past together |
![](oceanashow/tomcat4ship1_t.jpg)
Then the 4x F-14 Tomcats run in for their break. |
![](oceanashow/tomcat4ship2_t.jpg)
A very nice Diamond break, again into pairs, for their landings. |
![](oceanashow/tomcat1_t.jpg)
F-14 Tomcat "104" taxies past after the fleet demo |
![](oceanashow/tomcat2_t.jpg)
F-14 Tomcat "AD-160" is painted in a retro-colour scheme of the original
squadrons, 30years ago |
![](oceanashow/tomcat3_t.jpg)
and just because they were there to be photographed, another of the 4x F-14
Tomcats "115" taxies in. |
![](oceanashow/skytypers3_t.jpg)
The Skytypers were 5 Texans in line abreast formation, making smoke text,
6th a/c controlled the smoke by p/c. |
![](oceanashow/skytypers2_t.jpg)
They flew around for 90mins at 10,000feet before arriving back. "Welcome to
the Oceana Air SHow" |
![](oceanashow/skytypers1_t.jpg)
The sky writing could be seen from up to 30miles away apparently...! Very
different & clever. |
![](oceanashow/rhino2_t.jpg)
Another F-18E Super Hornet left in a group of 5 for carrier trails, out at
sea on the USS JFK. |
![](oceanashow/shockwave1_t.jpg)
Kent Shockley drives "Shockwave" A truck with 3 jet engines, with
afterburners...!
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![](oceanashow/shockwave2_t.jpg)
It held a record top speed of 376mph, until his son beat this in July'05.
It's very loud and hot....! |
![](oceanashow/solohornet1_t.jpg)
F-18C Hornet solo demo was provided by the colourful "AG-400" |
![](oceanashow/solohornet2_t.jpg)
Very sporty display, lots of high angles of attack, and vapour...! |
![](oceanashow/solohornet3_t.jpg)
Approaching for a carrier style "roller" or a "touch 'n go" |
![](oceanashow/solohornet4_t.jpg)
A/C taxiing past the crowd Oceana is one of the best bits for me, close
views of a/c & nice for crew to see the responses |
![](oceanashow/bulldog1_t.jpg)
The "Bulldog" is a heavily modified Pitts Special, flown by Jim Leroy.
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![](oceanashow/bulldog2_t.jpg)
The display includes amazing tumbles, and a limbo under ribbons..
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![](oceanashow/bulldog3_t.jpg)
..that are then cut on a knife edge, but opposite edges for each ribbon..!
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![](oceanashow/bulldog4_t.jpg)
He is mad, can put the a/c into a hover for "helicopter time" but does not
seem to fly straight & level anywhere...! |
![](oceanashow/buffalo1_t.jpg)
This Canadian Armed Forces Buffalo provided a lift to 12,000feet for their
parachute team |
![](oceanashow/phantom1_t.jpg)
This lovely F-4 Phantom got airborne ready for the USAF Heritage Flight
formation |
![](oceanashow/viper1_t.jpg)
The USAF East Coast F-16 Viper demo was next |
![](oceanashow/heritageflight1_t.jpg)
Then the Heritage Flight, F-4 Phantom, 2x F-86 Super Sabres, and catching
them up, the F-16 |
![](oceanashow/heritageflight2_t.jpg)
The Phantom flew so smoothly, the other guys got in very very close. |
![](oceanashow/heritageflight3_t.jpg)
What a lovely formation, unlikely to ever be seen again. |
![](oceanashow/sabres1_t.jpg)
After a split & high speed passes as solos, the 2x F-86 Super Sabres or
"bugs" gave an outstanding display |
![](oceanashow/sabres2_t.jpg)
Dale "Snort" Snodgrass led and flew amazingly smooth, fast and very low...!
Very rare to see 2 of these together. |
![](oceanashow/phantom2_t.jpg)
Immaculate paint on this Vietnam era war bird |
![](oceanashow/viper2_t.jpg)
The East Coast demo Viper follows the Phantom in |
![](oceanashow/sabres3_t.jpg)
The beautiful pair of Super Sabres still in close formation parade past |
![](oceanashow/chutecanada_t.jpg)
15 parachutists of the Canadian Skyhawks in free fall @ 120mph |
![](oceanashow/tomcatdemo1_t.jpg)
F-14 Tomcat demo, last but one, ever public demo...! |
![](oceanashow/tomcatdemo2_t.jpg)
Still agile, and 30 years old, nothing can touch the power & noise still |
![](oceanashow/tomcatdemo3_t.jpg)
High speed pass, wings fully swept, what a powerful brute... |
![](oceanashow/teamextreme1_t.jpg)
Shockwave joined the Bulldog for "Team Extreme" opposition passes at high
speed with smoke |
![](oceanashow/teamextreme2_t.jpg)
The Bulldog was obviously close to Shockwave here, it's even illuminated...! |
![](oceanashow/solorhino1_t.jpg)
Solo F-18F Super Hornet, or "Rhino" as they are known, was superb. High
speed & very aggressive. |
![](oceanashow/solorhino2_t.jpg)
With so much humidity, lots of vapour was clearly visible in high speed or
high G turns |
![](oceanashow/tailhookflight1_t.jpg)
The "Rhino" then joined an F4U Corsair & a F-18C Hornet for the Navy
Tailhook Legacy Flight |
![](oceanashow/tailhookflight2_t.jpg)
They were nice, but not as close as the USAF, but Hornets were struggling to
stay slow to keep with the corsair |
![](oceanashow/tailhookflight3_t.jpg)
Corsair taxies in, lovely condition, and sounded great |
![](oceanashow/tailhookflight4_t.jpg)
The F-18C taxies past too |
![](oceanashow/tailhookflight5_t.jpg)
followed by the solo "Rhino", they look like they enjoyed themselves...! |
![](oceanashow/fatalbert1_t.jpg)
Blue Angels' Hercules fondly known as "Fat Albert" (or Bert for short)
performs a JATO. |
![](oceanashow/fatalbert2_t.jpg)
JATO is "Jet Assisted Take Off", it's actually 4 solid fuel, mini rockets on
each side of the aircraft.. |
![](oceanashow/fatalbert3_t.jpg)
..they are lit as the a/c rotates, and burn for 30seconds, allowing a
45degree climb...! |
![](oceanashow/fatalbert4_t.jpg)
"Bert" gives a full speed fly past |
![](oceanashow/fatalbert5_t.jpg)
Fat Albert demonstrated a very short landing, smoking tyres as a result..
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![](oceanashow/fatalbert6_t.jpg)
..then reverses on the runway, and takes a salute while flashing lights &
waving to the crowd...! |
![](oceanashow/ba2_t.jpg)
Crew being strapped into the US Navy Blue Angels |
![](oceanashow/ba3_t.jpg)
1-4 getting airborne |
![](oceanashow/ba6_t.jpg)
5 & 6 in a very close tail hook formation |
![](oceanashow/ba5_t.jpg)
5 & 6 pass again, in a roll this time...! |
![](oceanashow/ba9_t.jpg)
5 & 6 fly slow and nose high, very difficult formation to fly line abreast |
![](oceanashow/ba8_t.jpg)
1-4 in echelon right, their signature fly past, so so close...! Pity still
smoke in sky from previous pass |
![](oceanashow/ba4_t.jpg)
5 & 6 opposition cockpit pass...! |
![](oceanashow/ba7_t.jpg)
1-4 perform a dirty tail hook loop |
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![](oceanashow/ba10_t.jpg)
All 6 together, very hazy and smoky, final formation |
![](oceanashow/ba11_t.jpg)
No1 "Boss" lands after a superb display |
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