What did these idiots expect???..... [Archive]

Thumper

07-08-2014, 05:51 PM

Ha! I used to love heading out to the end of the runway and have 'em take off right over my head (in the military). I was living with the locals in a small village about 10 klicks from the airstrip and F-4's would be taking off about every 2 minutes. They'd take off right over my head fully loaded ('Nam missions) with after-burners kicked in and would practically singe the hair off my head as they went over! We (Intel) had our U-2's based there also but they'd never clear the perimeter of the airbase. As soon as the nose wheel lifted off the ground, actually a belly wheel as they had in-line landing gear arranged like a bicycle, they'd go full nose up and climb straight up like a rocket never leaving the perimeter until they were out of sight. VERY impressive machines. My buddy and I would be along the airstrip and make bets on where the "pogos" would land once they dropped from the wings on take-off. Whomever got the closest won the bet and the other would have to buy the beer afterwards. Landing was the most fun. A fellow pilot would be in a chase vehicle and chase the plane down the runway as it landed to read off altitude to the pilot as it touched down. We used pick-up trucks, but they later went to SS Chevells, SS El Caminos, GTO's ... that sort of thing because you had to chase the plane to get right on it's ass to talk the pilot down as he landed at around 100-120 mph. Dang I miss being young and fearless. :(

I spent about 6 months just outside a B-52 base down south and I'm tellin' ya', those BUFF's (Big Ugly Fat Fuckers) looked massive when they skinned the top of your head carryin' 70,000 lbs. of ordinance! In fact, I was at the end of the runway in Utapao as the very last B-52 took off when we pulled out of S.E. Asia. I wish I'd taken a pic as it would be an historic photo nowadays. :(