NAS Oceana Airshow, Virginia, USA, Sunday 18th Sep'05
F-14 Tomcat in the static park. Note no fences to keep public from touching a/c, took over 10mins to get a clear shot...!
Now, Sundays flying display was a mirror image of Saturday's show, with a few minor changes. The photos below were taken from a grandstand right of show centre, and only cover the more interesting items to me (the loud ones usually..!) and that I have different angles on from Saturday. There had been a major thunder storm overnight, so there was a lot more humidity in the air, which the Super Hornets put to great affect, so I hope you'll enjoy the photos below..! (some poorer quality due amount of cloud...!)
A different E2 Hawkeye visited on Sunday, seen here overshooting at the end of it's display
The other of the 2 parachutists transports, a USANG C-130 Hercules, puts it's gear up & stays low for departure
Canadian Skyhawks dropping into the show from their Buffalo...
...followed by the Red Devils & the US Army team from the Hercules
The Sunday morning F-86 Super Sabre solo demo had amazing light, and was still flown very low...!
More F-18E "Rhinos" went off for carrier trials, different a/c shown here
After the USAF Legacy flight, the Sabres performed again, lovely displays, shot of other half here
The Phantom & Viper taxi back together, waving to the crowds. I love that Phantom..!
Pair of F-18C Hornets getting airborne for the fleet fly past & airfield attack.
F-18F Super Hornet or "Rhino" making clouds, very high speed..
..amazing to see shock waves of condensation forming like this.
This time with a near sub sonic pass, but no sunshine...GGRRRR
and another "Rhino" pulling a high G turn this time, different effect..
..then when the G's come off, cloud changes rapidly. This crew & a/c flew the solo demo too later.
3 "Rhino's" break after the airfield attacks were completed.
Lead Rhino taxies in, wings already folded. It is a big a/c indeed, must be tight on a carrier with 40+ of these...!
2 of the 4x F-14 Tomcats launching for the fleet fly by & airfield attacks
A solo Tomcat attacking the airfield (Pyro's set off underneath)
I videoed the 4 ship break, so here they taxi back in..
..great nose on shot, wings folded, what a plane, and 30 years old...!
The solo "rhino" display was again flown by "AD-206" with much gusto..
..lots of high G manoeuvres and clouds forming.
Even a clear sonic shock wave started on the high speed pass....wow
Very nice slow approach for a touch n' go, then off to join a F-18C for the tail hook flight
The navy "Tailhook" demo was with a F-86 Sabre, pretending to be the navy version the "Sea Fury", probably due to the corsair being sick.
The sad part of the day, the very last public F-14 Tomcat demo.
The crew flew "AD-160" in retro colours this time, and stayed very low on take off
I videoed bits of the display, so less photos. Lots of wing sweeping and high speed.
The burners were in full effect too, the mighty roar & power put to great effect
After landing, they had to hold for ages, away from the crowd.
They taxied past very slowly, waving the USA colours.
Pity the airshow carried on, we should have given them centre stage. This Tomcat was flown to a museum the next day...!