1987 Big Planes

1987 Our lives in America
August 8, 1987   We go to a Naval airshow at Miramar. An A-4 and an F-14 are coming into land 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0066 a The Blue Angels have updated from A4s to F-18s since our previous visit 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0068 a
1987 WhileInTheUSA 0069 a Water vapour forms on top of the wing as an F-18 makes a tight turn. It may also be called ectoplasm by nutters. Ectoplasm is a term used in spiritualism to denote a substance or spiritual energy "exteriorized" by physical mediums. There is no scientific evidence that ectoplasm exists and many purported examples were exposed as hoaxes fashioned from cheesecloth, gauze or caused by other natural phenomena. Picture by Jenni. 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0071 a 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0072 a
1987 WhileInTheUSA 0073 a The SR71 (it is still operational in 1987). The rest of the SR71 Blackbird. Fightertown from the movie "Top Gun." "The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (SFTI program), TOPGUN, teaches fighter and strike tactics and techniques to selected naval aviators and naval flight officers, who return to their operating units as instructors. It began as the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, established on 3 March 1969, at the former Naval Air Station, Miramar. In 1996, the school was merged into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada."
This is the "Russian Plane" from the movie Top Gun. It is actually a twin seat F-5 trainer. During the heyday of TOPGUN at NAS Miramar, the station was nicknamed "Fightertown USA". 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0079 a 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0080 a
1987 WhileInTheUSA 0081 a 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0082 a 1987 WhileInTheUSA 0083 a This is a WWII F6F made by Grumman
The F14 carries two aviators, a pilot and a RIO Radar Intercept Officer who operates the Radar and communication systems. The F14 retired in 2 September 2006 A WWII/Korean War Navy F4-U Corsair made by Chance Vought. 12,500 were made. Our gang at the air show. With me are Bob Whitely (passed away on January 14, 2021), Jim Armour (passed away February 21, 2011) Miyako and Kaz Minato. The end of this segment