Airforce bases

[JAS_OH1]

I'll never forget hanging onto the fence when the top fuelers went by about 30' away and I could feel my skeleton rattling. I thought my ears imploded that first day. Took another week to hear properly...

I grew up about 5 miles from a dragstrip certain days you could hear the v8s roaring. Ruapuna raceway.

Russ

In reality, I grew up about 15 miles from an Air Force Base (my dad was a pilot). Occasionally they would have "family days" where we were allowed to come to the airstrip and watch jets and other planes take off and land, do stunts, etc. Not like the Navy pilots shows (Blue Angels--they were 30 minutes from our house and we went to see those, too) as those were just amazing, but it was still pretty cool. One of my sister's husbands was in the Navy and once on a family day we were all invited to go on his aircraft carrier (they took us 50 miles out in the Gulf) and watch planes take off and land from that. Way cool! And it was really loud that close.

I also remember sonic booms in the 1970s when training missions nearby broke the sound barrier. They weren't supposed to do that close to residential areas, but...the windows would buckle and it jolted us right out of our chairs. Our windows never broke, but Mrs. Lane down the road had hers broken out once and boy did she raise hell! Anyway, I also remember Saturday mornings and hearing the lull of plane engines in the not too far distance, that to this day seems like a soothing sound to me.

 

[Barriehie]

Used t

In reality, I grew up about 15 miles from an Air Force Base (my dad was a pilot). Occasionally they would have "family days" where we were allowed to come to the airstrip and watch jets and other planes take off and land, do stunts, etc. Not like the Navy pilots shows (Blue Angels--they were 30 minutes from our house and we went to see those, too) as those were just amazing, but it was still pretty cool. One of my sister's husbands was in the Navy and once on a family day we were all invited to go on his aircraft carrier (they took us 50 miles out in the Gulf) and watch planes take off and land from that. Way cool! And it was really loud that close.

I also remember sonic booms in the 1970s when training missions nearby broke the sound barrier. They weren't supposed to do that close to residential areas, but...the windows would buckle and it jolted us right out of our chairs. Our windows never broke, but Mrs. Lane down the road had hers broken out once and boy did she raise hell! Anyway, I also remember Saturday mornings and hearing the lull of plane engines in the not to far distance, that to this day seems like a soothing sound to me.

Used to live near Barksdale AFB in Louisiana and Nellis AFB in Nevada so I can relate to "jet proximity" sounds.

 

[CookieMonster]

we live under the glide slope of Charleston AF Base - home of the C-5's
they seldom took off in our direction, but frequently landed in our direction.
those are some magnificent airplanes - on slope, perhaps 200-300 feet over head, engines idled down to a whisper,
and one great big shadow!