United States - Nevada - Aviation Nation 2008 - Nellis AFB, North Las Vegas - 11/08/08

[BigRedDogATL]

Did anyone else notice that the top of the tail for Thunderbird #4 was dirty on Saturday?  I know that plane gets dirty flying under TBird #1, but usually the crews clean those planes so they are spit shined clean for the start of a show. This time the plane was dirty, not normal for the Thunderbirds.

Here are a couple of shots. I still have thousands of photos to process, so expect more this weekend.





I am surprized no one has posted photos of this SUV Monster Truck yet:

[Mike Murawski]

Belgium and Royal Netherland F-16's

[Kriss22]

[Mike Murawski]

Nice work Kris, I'm a big fan   I was hoping for a moon shot on Saturday but no such luck.

[gdedward99s]

Belgian F16 behind the veil of spray

[curtc]

Did anyone else notice that the top of the tail for Thunderbird #4 was dirty on Saturday?  I know that plane gets dirty flying under TBird #1, but usually the crews clean those planes so they are spit shined clean for the start of a show. This time the plane was dirty, not normal for the Thunderbirds.

Here are a couple of shots. I still have thousands of photos to process, so expect more this weekend.

wasn't dirty.. the beacon light exploded and was like that before the weekend even started

[curtc]

I'm not sure why the Strike Eagle guys didn't close their canopy when they taxied through that jet of water...

didn't see you there!.. would have said hi

as for the question.. i think he secretly wanted to get wet (since he was retiring and all)

[SEWolff]

wasn't dirty.. the beacon light exploded and was like that before the weekend even started

Here's the scoop on the tail beacon and the unkempt state of Kidd's tail:

The vertical stab is dirty because it is in direct line (for most of the show) with Charger's exhaust. Back in the F-4 days of the team, they used to paint the tail of the slot pilot's jet black, because it was constantly being cooked and made dirty by Boss' exhaust. The team decided this year to not clean the tail of Kidd's plane, as a tribute to that particular era. As for the absence of the light, the team actually has a waiver from the FAA that allows the #4 jet to fly without its beacon, because the housing cannot withstand constant exposure to the extreme heat of the other jet's exhaust. So the slot pilot has a cap in place where the beacon used to be.

 

[gdedward99s]

Sunday morning had the best light you could ever ask for   

[Sparkvark]

High Alpha Pass

[Sparkvark]

Another capture from Saturday.

[Sparkvark]

Ok, one more from Saturday.

[Galaxy5007]

the obligatory C-5 tail

Right on! 

Great shots everyone, especially the rainbow ones.  The Bone looks awesome in that one shot!

[AirshowDave]

Two more from the Saturday show.

[Mickey]

I am surprized no one has posted photos of this SUV Monster Truck yet:

Maybe because we are an aviation photography site ?

Mickey