I'm desperately trying to figure out why kamikaze pilots wore helmets.

- Dave Edison
 

Source: the web

Let Me Back In!

Source: thesun.co.uk  sent to them by Nicy Grant

Wait'll You See Them Take Off!

Source: the web again

Low Approach

Apparently this shot, and the two following, are real.  The photos were taken at Simpson Bay on the tiny island of St Martin which is about 100 miles east of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.  The aircraft are landing at Juliana International Airport which has a beach at the perimeter.  Admittedly, these were regarded as "low approaches".  The beach has since been closed to the public.

Scratch Its Belly

An accident waiting to happen?

Source: A spammed email

Low-Flying Jet Burns Six in Sweden

by Smita P Nordwall

Six people on the ground were burned when a fighter jet flew too low during an exhibition at a military airport in central Sweden, an air force spokesman said.  Most of the six were burned by the jet's exhaust.  Three were in serious condition.  The Swedish-built Thunderbolt jet reportedly swept about 30 feet above the group.  Air Force spokesman Christer Ulriksson said the people were standing about 50 yards from the runway but that the proximity didn't violate airport rules.

Source: USA Today Friday 21 June 2002 from wire reports

Fly Right By

Photo by Sean Dunn

When I first found this picture, the caption said, "This is an actual fly-by during deployment of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Stennis.  The pilot was grounded for 30 days but he likes the picture and thinks it was worth it."

The next time I ran across this photo, the caption said, "This 1988 photo shows Dale Snodgrass as a Navy Captain performing a 'flyby' next to the USS America.  The F-14 flyover was shot by a crewman aboard the USS America, during a Dependent's Day cruise in 1998, during which families of the crew members are brought on the ship for a day at sea.  At the time Snodgrass was Executive Officer of the VF-33 fighter squadron (The Starfighters) out of Oceana Naval Base in Virginia deployed aboard the USS America.  Photo courtesy Dale Snodgrass."

Which is correct?

The source for the first caption now goes to a hardcore porn site, so I won't include it.  The second caption says this is a 1988 photo, but then says it was taken in 1998.  One of the dates must therefore be a typo - presumably the first one.  So I'll include the source for the second caption, assuming it is the correct one (especially since one observer above seems to be holding a child, which would lead credence to the contention that this is a "Dependent's Day Cruise").

Source: allhatnocattle.net 3 July 2007 (And please read the note below)

This message was posted via the Feedback form.
Name: wood
Email: woodmanr@mac.com
Comments: The picture of the F14 doing the fly by, the second answer is correct.  Dale "Snort" Snodgrass is my uncle.  The picture was shot as he was just starting a turn, so it has the appearance of a knife edge pass.  The man with his hands clasped behind his back is the (future) Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jay Johnson.

I would say that he stands like an admiral.  And thanks very much for the info.

It would seem to me that the spectators in the photo above were also in some danger of getting burned by exhaust.  Do you suppose the pilot was just lucky this time - or that he actually had everything under complete control?

And finally:

Name: Sean Dunn
Email: sean.dunn@verizon.net
Comments: You have a photo of an F14 piloted by Dale Snodgrass that I took in 1988 on the USS America.  Could you give me credit on your site for taking the photo?  If you need more information you can visit my website at f14flybyphoto.com.  Thank you.

With extreme pleasure.  Thanks!

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