I'm about an hour or two away from there, I'll definitely try to make it if I can remember about it.

I usually just go to the Chicago Air & Water Show. A friend of mine works on the tug boats in Lake Michigan. So I usually get to go out on the lake while the planes fly right overhead.

It's Simply Amazing

An F-16 flew over my town. You could see bombs and missiles on the belly of the jet. There was a rumor that it came from Travis Air Force Base, California, United States. I've seen two F-15 jets train in Oregon, United States. Never seen an F-22 before in real life.

quote:

Originally posted by Wrend:
However, to humor you for the time being, I really haven't seen anything that is realistically able to compete with the F-22.

*cough*Eurofighter Typhoon*cough*

lol just joking i don't want to start a riot.

Fair enough. The Typhoon is also a first rate machine, to be sure. I just think the F-22 has the advantage in the air superiority realm of combat, more notably because of its superior stealth and cruising speed at high altitudes.

I don't want to give the wrong impression here. There are quite a few planes with advanced capabilities these days, but the Raptor would seem to have the overall advantage in air superiority because of its unique combination of several advanced capabilities.

But, like I said earlier, I don't want to turn this thread into a heated debate over which aircraft is "the best."

I'm just excited that I'm going to see my favorite aircraft perform in person. I've been following the F-22 since the days of the Advanced Tactical Fighter program.

...

It's interesting to see there are a few other people on this H.A.W.X forum that live around my area. I hope you guys can make it out to the show. It should be a good one. Major Dave "Zeke" Skalicky seems to be carrying his weight so far now that Major (now Lieutenant Colonel, or so I've heard) Paul "Max" Moga has moved on, though I would have liked to see him fly too. His last few shows were completely awesome. There's nothing like a 12.8 G J-turn on your final demo pass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgaOrCYb7b0

And, here's a YouTube teaser/spoiler for the F-22 demo show piloted by Zeke that I have to look forward to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD3-L6Ph6I

I like that they're doing the high angle of attack slow pass finished off with an acceleration into the vertical now as part of the routine.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Wrend,

I saw or heard most of the F-22's first flight. Lockheed Martin's Raptor final assembly plant is right out my back door.

You live in one of the most awesome places ever.

quote:

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:
I saw or heard most of the F-22's first flight. Lockheed Martin's Raptor final assembly plant is right out my back door.

Are you referring to the YF-22 proto or the first production F-22s?

Well, I checked the Abbotsford Airshow page and it doesn't look like we'll have the Raptor here this year. Pyrotechnics though, for sure. They don't actually drop ordinance in a civilian zone, they just have guys on the ground with explosives timed with the aircraft. It's an illusion, just like Doug Henning joining the Moonies!

http://www.abbotsfordairshow.com/flying-displays.html

Cheers,
Phoenix

I'll be there. Cool to see someone else from Rockford here

quote:

Originally posted by MrRandom004:
I was looking forward to see it last year here in Britain but rain caused many air displays to get canceled
Still there's always next year hopefully

mirimar airshow in san diego california has the longest f-22 demonstration this year and then edwards AFB and if holloman does an airshow there will be a few there as well

quote:

Originally posted by Mig-29:

quote:

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:
I saw or heard most of the F-22's first flight. Lockheed Martin's Raptor final assembly plant is right out my back door.

Are you referring to the YF-22 proto or the first production F-22s?

Even the prototype F-22s went down the final assembly line here at Lockheed Martin Marietta before heading west for test flights at Edwards AFB.

quote:

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:

quote:

Originally posted by Mig-29:

quote:

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:
I saw or heard most of the F-22's first flight. Lockheed Martin's Raptor final assembly plant is right out my back door.

Are you referring to the YF-22 proto or the first production F-22s?

Even the prototype F-22s went down the final assembly line here at Lockheed Martin Marietta before heading west for test flights at Edwards AFB.

Sweet. Did u take photos? Or you probably weren't allowed.

The closest I have ever been to the assembly line is when I was doing test drives through Lockheed back when I was a mechanic, but that was before 9-11. They installed a gate leading back to the line and the wind tunnel.

No pics either. They usually took off at about 8:30 in the morning or around 2:30 in the afternoon and I didn't have a good camera at the time.

quote:

Originally posted by WhiteKnight77:
The closest I have ever been to the assembly line is when I was doing test drives through Lockheed back when I was a mechanic, but that was before 9-11. They installed a gate leading back to the line and the wind tunnel.

No pics either. They usually took off at about 8:30 in the morning or around 2:30 in the afternoon and I didn't have a good camera at the time.

ah well, must of been still awesome to see the YF-22 and then the real F-22.

BOOORING ive alredy seen it in action over my house like every other day (yes im sure it was the raptor) i live in mirimar, california. (mirimarAFB was the first to get raptors) they have 6.