SF Fleet Week - part deux!

Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:54 pm

Well, today's vantage point was the sailing ship 'Balclutha' at Hyde Street pier. Fairly close to the action, and with the sun behind me, so no excuses today. Enjoy........

Firstly, the Red Bull Air Race demonstration.

Hill AFB F-16 'Viper West' demo, and with Steve Hinton in the F-86 for the 'Heritage Flight' demo.

The Patriots L-39 team, a nicely choreographed display, with formation tailslides by the pair today, whilst the solo performed aerobatics.

Even the local pelican population wanted to get in on the day's events!

Last edited by Mike on Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:03 am

And so to the main attraction. The C-130 did a much shorter routine today, not sure why it filled in with a much longer demo (over half an hour) yesterday, presumably there was some delay to the F-18s getting ready to display?

'Escape from Alcatraz', C-130-style!

Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:15 am

Great pics Mike.

How do the Angels compare to your experience of other teams? Trying not to be nationalistic or run outa the US... :wink:

From your pics they look like pulling a lot of 'g', run low and fly tight. Good stuff.

Patriots eh? Cool. That's be why they're using ex-Warpac kit then. :roll:

It's sure a funny old world. :lol:

Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:50 am

Raven wrote:Great pics Mike.

How do the Angels compare to your experience of other teams? Trying not to be nationalistic or run outa the US... From your pics they look like pulling a lot of 'g', run low and fly tight. Good stuff.

Patriots eh? Cool. That's be why they're using ex-Warpac kit then.

It's sure a funny old world.

It sure is, especially as they are described as 'Boeing L-39s' on their website! How bizarre is that?

That was the first time that I've seen the 'Blue Angels', and I must say that I rate them very highly. Having said that, at that level, all the major teams are bloody good, whether from Europe or North America. Each has a display tailored to the strengths of their aircraft. For example, the best European teams fly large formations, with formation changes part way through aerobatic manouvres. Very skillful, very impressive.

On the other hand, the North American teams fly very tight formations, and use the power of their aircraft for maximum rate turns and zoom climbs from the solos. Also very skillful, also very impressive.

The one comment that I would make is that the choreography tends to be tighter from the best of the European teams. There is always something going on in front of you, with no noticable gaps. I believe that this is a function of their usual display venues, when they are very often part of a much larger show, rather than the main focus of the show, so fly a shorter, but busier routine.

At some of the bigger European shows, you might have 4 or 5 of the National teams, as part of an all-day airshow. This incidentally is why the US Teams aren't requested at RIAT at Fairford any longer - their 1 1/2 - hour required slot time simply takes up too much of the programmed display.

So what I'm really trying to say is that these guys are all outstanding, each flies to the best features of their aircraft, and none is better than the others, just different. One thing that certainly gives me HUGE respect for the Red Arrows in the UK is the way that they will display in absolutely vile weather, when even the birds are walking. They even have 3 display routines, 'full', 'rolling' and 'flat', depending on the weather conditions.

Having said that, I have to say that I did prefer the Blue Angels to the Thunderbirds (who I've seen in the UK several times over the years, and again at Reno last month), although that may just be my own personal judgment being clouded by a rather unfortunate incident at RAF Lakenheath in the early 1990s.

Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:21 am

Superb shots of the singleton Angel down low over the sea!

Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:58 am

Good photography! I love the shot of the two blurred F/A-18s. The F-16 and F-86 is not bad too.

Eric

Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:03 am

I saw the Angels at fleet week back in '96. Had the best seats in town...Alcatraz. Watched them practice most of the week before.
PJ

Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:06 am

Looks like BA#5 might have a bit of salt water to be cleaned off if it!

Great shots, I wished I had the chance to make one of the Fleet Weeks when I was stationed in CA. Too bad there are no more Carrires in the Bay. My squadron sent a few planes to do some "cat shots" in the bay for the crowds (around 1995).

Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:48 am

Good show Mike, your pictures are superb!

Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:10 am

Mike,

As if your photos weren't good enough already, I think the
SF area in the background of some really adds to them.

Nice job. Thanks for posting.

Bill

Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:48 pm

Lovely pics, Mike. The mirrored hornet shot's very well judged indeed.

Rob

Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:38 pm

i most certainly enjoyed!!! much appreciated!!!! i love when the c-130 comes in low with balls to the wall!!!! the coolest pic for me though is the one of the two f-18's streaking into each other like in a blur or smudge. i'd copyright that baby for sure!!!

Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:45 pm

Really wanted to get over there for the show but my schedule didn't allow (ended up in a soggy New York instead!) - your pix more than made up for it, thanks for posting.