Houston Airshow

[AWP]

I know we have a few airshow guys here, but I bring this up only because the last surviving Doolittle Raider will be there.

Wings Over Houston Airshow | Legends & Heroes Autograph Tent

Oh, a pretty solid site for warbird and airshow news:

Warbirds News

 

[Red Flag 1]

[Q

 

[Gunz]

I used to go to the MacDill one every year. Had my truck outside the gate at 0400. But I could watch the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds do their practice runs from where I worked, so I always got a preview a few days in advance.

 

[Devildoc]

That is a very impressive list of Who's Who.

I love airshows...get to Cherry Point and SJAFB as often as we can.

 

[BuckysBadger24]

Sounds awesome! Here I went and visited Houston too early this year, damn the luck. The last Doolittle raider? What an unbelievable honor it would be to meet a man of his caliber.

I'm a recent fan of air shows. For some reason I haven't gotten up to Oshkosh, WI to see theirs, and I only hear great things, but I saw my first air/water show on the Milwaukee lakefront a couple of years ago. The highlights were the V-22 Osprey demonstration, which was a badass looking machine, a mid-air refueling demonstration, and the amazing tricks that the Leapfrogs pulled out for their demonstration. What was even funnier to me was the reaction of the people in the cordoned off area that they made their landing in. They went so crazy that you'd have thought Brad Pitt just landed, and I swear some of the SEALs were signing autographs before they hit the sand, but it was cool to see men of their caliber get that type of love and recognition.

However, hands down the coolest part of the show was the F-22. It had been quiet for about 10 minutes, and all of a sudden it came screaming over the skyline into the port and caused everyone to duck. He flew for about another 10 minutes doing his maneuvers when he was joined by a P-38 Lightning. I just stood in awe as they flew in circles and on each others wing, and thought holy shit, this is so freakin' cool!!! over and over again. Ever since that show, I was hooked.

I was seriously bummed when the city had to cancel this year, due to funding issues. Thankfully they've already announced next year's show, and have already booked the Blue Angels, a group I've been dying to witness in person. I got to witness the Thunderbird's last year and they were awesome, but for some reason I have the Blue Angels on the brain. Needless to say, that weekend is already booked for me.

 

[Gunz]

Sounds awesome! Here I went and visited Houston too early this year, damn the luck. The last Doolittle raider? What an unbelievable honor it would be to meet a man of his caliber.

I'm a recent fan of air shows. For some reason I haven't gotten up to Oshkosh, WI to see theirs, and I only hear great things, but I saw my first air/water show on the Milwaukee lakefront a couple of years ago. The highlights were the V-22 Osprey demonstration, which was a badass looking machine, a mid-air refueling demonstration, and the amazing tricks that the Leapfrogs pulled out for their demonstration. What was even funnier to me was the reaction of the people in the cordoned off area that they made their landing in. They went so crazy that you'd have thought Brad Pitt just landed, and I swear some of the SEALs were signing autographs before they hit the sand, but it was cool to see men of their caliber get that type of love and recognition.

However, hands down the coolest part of the show was the F-22. It had been quiet for about 10 minutes, and all of a sudden it came screaming over the skyline into the port and caused everyone to duck. He flew for about another 10 minutes doing his maneuvers when he was joined by a P-38 Lightning. I just stood in awe as they flew in circles and on each others wing, and thought holy shit, this is so freakin' cool!!! over and over again. Ever since that show, I was hooked.

I was seriously bummed when the city had to cancel this year, due to funding issues. Thankfully they've already announced next year's show, and have already booked the Blue Angels, a group I've been dying to witness in person. I got to witness the Thunderbird's last year and they were awesome, but for some reason I have the Blue Angels on the brain. Needless to say, that weekend is already booked for me.

The Blue Angels are more impressive only because the twin engines on their FA/18s create a much louder roar than the Thunderbird's F-16s. Otherwise, equally skilled, equally entertaining. But something about those throaty GE F404 engines that crawls right up through your shoes.

 

[BuckysBadger24]

The Blue Angels are more impressive only because the twin engines on their FA/18s create a much louder roar than the Thunderbird's F-16s. Otherwise, equally skilled, equally entertaining. But something about those throaty GE F404 engines that crawls right up through your shoes.

I tell ya there just hasn't been anything as flat out enjoyable on a summer weekend for me as those air shows. I still get goosebumps hearing those engines roar. If they're better simply because they're louder, screw it, good enough for me.

I'm sure there are much bigger and better shows than Milwaukee, hell FF just posted one, but it does it for me and what I really love is the fact that while it's a 2 day show, for us that live in the city, it's a week long demonstration. They practice constantly throughout the week. The only reason I even learned about the first show I attended was a result of being completely stopped downtown on I-94 during rush hour. All of a sudden I see 4 jets (I think they were F-16s but I'm certainly no aircraft expert to judge by sight) in formation hauling ass low over the port. They'd shoot down the lakefront South and come screaming back close to the skyscrapers heading North, always staying in tight formation and hugging the beach and the port.

I still laugh my ass off at my naivete.

I immediately turned on talk radio to see why they were (in my dumbass super civi opinion) flying combat air patrols and wondering what happened at the port that necessitated it. The Coast Guard was a part of the show too, so they simultaneously had their Hawks flying around. Well, like I said in my last post, it's a water show as well. So there was a damn Coast Guard cutter, and USMC hovercraft (LCAC I think? I don't know if there are other variants and I only found out it was USMC after the fact) in the distance to add to my confusion .

It was only when I got home and got on the Google that I found out what was really going on LOL. I like to think I wasn't the only confused soul that was on the interstate that day, but needless to say I'm glad I was the only one in the truck then.

Does anyone have an opinion on what they'd call the bucket list, be all end all of air shows that they've witnessed? I'm certainly a blue collar guy, but I'd love to save and pony up the cash to make a weekend trip sometime to catch a truly worthwhile show.