gkainz
Final Approach
from an internet email ...
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Subject: FW: B52 by the USS Ranger
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 23:19:45 +0000
Bill,
Thought you might appredciate this. Might change my attitude about BUFF
drivers a little bit. This picture is real because I witnessed this flyby personally.
This picture was taken in the spring of 1990 as we started are deployment to
the Persian Gulf.
I was up in the "tower" with the air boss as the Viking squadron rep for the
launch/recovery and these Buff drivers (2 of them) called that they were at 8 miles for a flyby.
They had been 'orange air' for a big war - at - sea exercise we were doing
When they called 5 miles the boss said "we don't see you" and we heard
back "look low". Out on the w ater we saw this smoke trail first, (the
planes merged with the color of the water) at about a 1-2 miles we could
break them out and the two buffs came by at 20-30 feet off the water
splitting the ship at about 350kts. Then they pulled up and did a big plan
form 180 and said "do you want to see that again" - The air boss said "hell
yea" so they went back out an did it again.
It was the only time in my 20 year career that I have seen any services jets
purposely flying below flight deck level.
One of my reserve buddies showed me this picture this weekend and I got all excited about it. It was always one of those moments at sea that I had talked about.
All the best,
Chris
CAPT (sel) Chris Buhlmann USN
NAVAIRSYSCOM 0766
Operations Officer
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Subject: FW: B52 by the USS Ranger
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 23:19:45 +0000
Bill,
Thought you might appredciate this. Might change my attitude about BUFF
drivers a little bit. This picture is real because I witnessed this flyby personally.
This picture was taken in the spring of 1990 as we started are deployment to
the Persian Gulf.
I was up in the "tower" with the air boss as the Viking squadron rep for the
launch/recovery and these Buff drivers (2 of them) called that they were at 8 miles for a flyby.
They had been 'orange air' for a big war - at - sea exercise we were doing
When they called 5 miles the boss said "we don't see you" and we heard
back "look low". Out on the w ater we saw this smoke trail first, (the
planes merged with the color of the water) at about a 1-2 miles we could
break them out and the two buffs came by at 20-30 feet off the water
splitting the ship at about 350kts. Then they pulled up and did a big plan
form 180 and said "do you want to see that again" - The air boss said "hell
yea" so they went back out an did it again.
It was the only time in my 20 year career that I have seen any services jets
purposely flying below flight deck level.
One of my reserve buddies showed me this picture this weekend and I got all excited about it. It was always one of those moments at sea that I had talked about.
All the best,
Chris
CAPT (sel) Chris Buhlmann USN
NAVAIRSYSCOM 0766
Operations Officer
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