philp Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 In 1975 we moved from Massachusetts to Great Falls, MT. I was 14 when I visited my first Big Sky Day (Malmstrom AFB Open House). Armed with my Kodak 126 camera I got to walk the flight line and see planes I had never seen before. Over the next 7 years, I attended every visit each year, even biking to the flightline the day before to see what was coming in and where they were parking them so I knew where to start. When I graduated High School in '78, I received an Olympus OM-1 35mm SLR and my pics got a little better. Big Sky day brought in a great collection of modern planes (warbirds came during the airshow at Great Falls International Airport) with modern (for then) Air Force, Navy, Army and Canadian aircraft being regular visits. I found my album that I have kept these pics in the other day and since I have a borrowed scanner on the desk, decided to put these online. The album is located at http://picasaweb.google.com/modelphil/BigSkyDays#. And here are a few highlights. I still have more to scan on so check back every so often. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have seeing them again.
Dreamsof51 Posted June 23, 2009 Report Posted June 23, 2009 These are great. Reminds me of my experience growing up close enough to Edwards AFB to go to the open house there. Over the years a was witness to the prototypes for the F-16, F-15, A-10 and the space shuttle. All with the exception of the space shuttle were flown in the open houses. Imagine a side by side take off between an F-4 and an F-15! They used to do stuff like that. While I did take a lot of pictures, I've no idea where most of them are now. Thanks for keeping them and posting after alll these years. The pictures also make me realize some things never change. Park a bunch of cool airplanes on a tarmac and the people will come to see them. I love this stuff Chris
Glynyrd Posted June 24, 2009 Report Posted June 24, 2009 Thanks for sharing those great pictures! Quite a few that you'll never get to see up close anymore. Glenn
philp Posted June 27, 2009 Author Report Posted June 27, 2009 Finally got a few more of the really old pics up online. Air Guard A-7: F-105B: A-10 in the original camoflage:
philp Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Posted June 28, 2009 Added some Phantoms tonight. The old camera just could get the "whole" plane so I used to take 2-3 pics and then cut them and fit them. Hey, I was 15ish. The Happy Hooligans is the name of the North Dakota Air National Guard unit and they always showed up. I really liked the weapons on this one for some reason. Especially the 20mm Vulcan pod on the belly. Every now and then, we would get another Phantom visitor. This one all the way from Texas.
ghodges Posted June 28, 2009 Report Posted June 28, 2009 Those SEA camo'd F-4s remind me of MacDill AFB in Tampa in the summer of '79....I still have a lot of my "instamatic" pics in an album somewhere. Took them through the bus window as we rode the flight line! Thanks for the memories! GIL
ewahl Posted June 29, 2009 Report Posted June 29, 2009 Just an observation looking at the two photos of the weapons on the USAF F-4: Notice that the USAF does not use Squadron Green Stuff or gap filling super glue joint fillers on the open seam where the wing meets the fuselage. What have we been doing wrong when we fill those tiny gaps on models? Do contest judges know this detail? Ed
philp Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Posted July 2, 2009 If anyone is interested, I added a few more pics starting with some Attack aircraft: Another shot of an A-7 from the Colorado ANG. Another A-10, this one in the more familiar Lizard camo. I love the shark mouth. And my favorite "attack" plane.
philp Posted July 2, 2009 Author Report Posted July 2, 2009 And another fighter. My first F-15 Eagle in the flesh. And another year... And I love it when a plane includes the FS#s on the plane itself.
Dreamsof51 Posted July 2, 2009 Report Posted July 2, 2009 You got me on this last batch. The A-10 with the shark mouth is part of the 23rd TAC, The Flying Tigers. I was a member of this squadron in the early eighties and saw a lot of these awesome birds in action. My duties also took me out to the practice range from time to time. I will never forget the first time I witnessed the firing of the 30 mm gun. They staged old flight line vehicles for targets, usaully panel trucks. The pilots would pulverize those trucks with the cannon fire. They could also drop practice bombs with either a bounce or direct hits quite routinely. They would of course prove that in the first Gulf War. The A-10 was going to be retired before that war and as a result of its success we still have them today. The pilots I spoke to really enjoyed flying it because the A-10 was made to fly down low. Talk about a rush. It was so cool to be part of such a historic unit. Thanks for the pictures Chris
Mark Aldrich Posted July 2, 2009 Report Posted July 2, 2009 Ed, You are wrong!!!! I distinctly see a black colored bead of Squadron Green putty or thick super glue holding the wing to the fuselage. My guess is that it has been painted black because green would clash with the gray overall gray effect. Mark
ghodges Posted July 2, 2009 Report Posted July 2, 2009 Although the F-4 is probably NOT one of the USAF "display" types, they used to have a few that they trailered to airshows, and bolted the wings on and off as needed. Needless to say, it was not an "aerodynamic" wing seam.... GIL
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