Nellis Air Force Base
November 9
I've always been fascinated by F-16s. Growing up, I remember vacationing at my grandmother's place inside a military camp -- where the US Air Force, along with US Army and US Marines, are deployed for training.Going to the Air Show in Nellis Air Force Base this year reunited me with the fabulous F-16 and introduced me to several other aircrafts. The gigantic C-5 Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the US, was the first attraction. It was hard to miss. Standing in front of it, I looked like a small fish about to be swallowed up by a monstrous shark! There were several airplanes on exhibit ranging from World War I biplanes as well as World War II bombers and fighter jets to contemporary aircraft inventory including the sleek B-1B Lancer and the newest supersonic fighter F-22 Raptor. The video can walk you through my Air Show adventure. For more info about the show, you can visit: http://aviationnation.org/.
I'd wake up to the thunderous sound of a low-flying F-16 and the violent rattling of my bedroom. Still groggy, I would witness from my window how this aircraft could zoom horizontally and then, in a split second, shoot up vertically. I could tell the pilot was having a helluva time just by watching him maneuver the flying object with great precision.
The highlight of course is the demonstration of the Thunderbirds (Nellis Air Force Base is home to these babies). The F-16 Fighter Falcons -- dressed up in red, white, and blue -- look sharp both on the ground and in the sky. It's hard to explain the exhilarating sensation one gets when these Thunderbirds fly by.
During the final presentation, the Fighter Pilots seemed to march in slow motion with smooth yet stately cadence...they were just as cool as Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in that famous flick, "Top Gun." Yeah, there's something about men in uniforms...I get a high just watching them too. For more info, check out: http://www.nellis.af.mil/ or http://thunderbirds.airforce.com/
If I remember right, the f-16s were supposed to be reasonably costed yet high performing fighters, unlike the F-15 which was air superiority but damned expensive.
ReplyDeleteHi Noel! Sorry for the slight delay in my reply. I had to consult with an expert, my buddy from the Air Force. Here's what she said: "Well all the planes are pretty expensive. The F-16 was supposed to be cost effective with a short life span of only 10 years. Of course they have outlived that time frame due to great maintenance and their better-than-expected war time results. The F-15 E-model, which is the 2 seater and has both air to ground and air-to-air superiority, is rather expensive. It's nickname is 'THE BULLY.' It literally takes over while it's in the air. But nothing is as expensive as the new F-22 Raptor. The cost of that aircraft is around $160 million dollars. Noel might be referring to that aircraft and not the F-15. The F-15 costs around $50 million and the F-16 costs around $20 million. The F-15 looks very similar to the F-22. So, I hope this answers your question let me know if ya have any other questions... I love talking about planes.
ReplyDeleteYeah, what he said. I meant the F15s were air superiority for the longest time (see the price tag?) but of course the F22s supersede all that.
ReplyDeleteBut the fightings done with RC drones nowadays, anyway, at least for short range missions.
That sounds so fun! Zac would love something like that! We are coming to Las Vegas in February!
ReplyDeleteHello to The Johnsons! The Air Show is a yearly event that usually occurs around late October/early November. You might want to plan another Las Vegas trip around that time so you can go to the Air Show. You will definitely find it fascinating! Enjoy your trip to Las Vegas!
ReplyDelete