Fat Albert USN type

[buckaroo]

For anyone who doesn't know, the USN Blue Angels use a C130 for support and that aircraft is known as Fat Albert. They also use Fat Albert to open their show most of the time and the first thing they do is take off. Has anyone seen this show? They just JATO (jet assisted take off) which not only allows the ship to get airborne quickly, but allows it to go up at a 45 degree angle and reach 1000 feet in about 15 seconds. Seeing a jet fighter do this is normal, but to see a four turbo prop cargo plane do it is something else.

 

[TexasRaceLady]

Oh, yes --- I've seen Fat Albert. It is freakin unbelievable.

On the way home from Alabama last month, the hubby and I pulled into an empty parking lot and watched the HUGE bombers make touch and go landings at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport. I guess we sat there for 30 minutes just watching those beauties.

 

[buckaroo]

My father used to live in Midwest City, OK and many planes would go over his house when landing at Tinker AFB. I remember the first time I saw a C5 going over and thought it must only be a few hundred feet in the air. Had many fun days watching the various jets coming and going there. But I don't think anything compares to the take off of a B52 and to see a whole squadron of them taking off is unbelievable. Many a days I griped and moaned about the Bufs in my days at Grand Forks AFB in the early 70's.

 

[FlFlash]

We went up to Jacksonville Florida a few years back for the Navy base's Sea and Air show it was the most awesome airshow i've ever been too freeaking amaxing stuff!
They sent the HUGE landingcraft ( BIG hovercraft type things ) in from ships offshore and deployed marines and equipment right onto the beach!
Meantime the Blue Angels where doing zzzzillion mph flybys over the ocean ON THE DECK kicking up roostertails they were so low.
The highlight was Fat Albert coming over the dunes from inland at what looked to me as 20 foot and 20 mph then hitting the JATO's and going damn near verticle as soon as they where over the water!!! Man if I was 20-30 years younger I would have Re-signed Right then, Cool Stuff!

Our Military Amazes me and yet the boys in uniform get no credit for their sacrifices

 

[SST55]

Armed Forces Day 1966 @ Forbes AFB, Kansas. Spectacular show including several JATO takeoffs.

The highlight of the day was a drop of equipment used by "Iron Horse", bull dozers etc slated to be used in clearing the jungles of VN.

Seems somebody failed to hook the chute up properly on a 'dozer. A dozer dropped from 2-3000 feet makes one hellofva thud.