This has been an interesting week end. As you know Mary and I are shaking down and dialing in our new little motorized go anywhere bikes.
I mentioned the B-17 at 2000 feet or so over my house Saturday. Well the next day while I was loading Mary's and my bikes to ride at Shelby Farms trails an F 80 Shooting Star passed over my house at a low 1000 feet after Church. That did it. Something was up here in Memphis in the way of an air show or something somewhere around Memphis. So instead of Shelby Farms we decided to head for the Naval air station at Millington. Since the north end of the base is now open to the public that makes for nice places to ride a bike and explore the old base. Not to mention a chance to find out where these vintage airplanes around Memphis are coming from.
Big disappointment; While on our bikes headed towards the air field I passed by 3 guys walking out of an operations type building adjacent to the airfield. Surprise, but they knew exactly about that B-17 and said it was flying no where close to Millington and that indeed it was operating out of the Olive Branch MS field this week end.
Mary and I explored an on base road winding North for quite a ways. This road turned out to be quite long. Indeed we never found the end of the road nor the north end of the base. We did, however, find a nice lake with several covered picnic tables and well manicured lawns and field all around the lake.
Time to start back when I spotted a dirt and gravel trail that led to a hill facing west. Low and behold when I topped the bluff there was very beginning or the approach of the old airfield not 100 yards away. Just as Mary and I arrived 2 F-18 Super Hornets passed right over head at about 500 feet directly parallel to the air field headed SW. When one pealed off from the other to circle back around, this indicated to me that they were setting up to come in. Giving me just enough time to grab my camera, the Attached photos show that's exactly what they did. I even got the smoking rubber off the wheel touch down. LOL
I still don't know what the B-17 or the F-80 were about but I hear that Super Hornets stop by that Millington airport occasionally. So we did go bird watching after all. LOL Note that those Hornets were in Blue Angles colors and both had the # 7 on the tail. I thought that number was different for each plane. What were both planes doing with the # 7 on them. Does anyone know the answer?
PS These bikes are turning out to be super cool. Quiet motor too. Did I mention 200 miles to the gallon? LOL
I mentioned the B-17 at 2000 feet or so over my house Saturday. Well the next day while I was loading Mary's and my bikes to ride at Shelby Farms trails an F 80 Shooting Star passed over my house at a low 1000 feet after Church. That did it. Something was up here in Memphis in the way of an air show or something somewhere around Memphis. So instead of Shelby Farms we decided to head for the Naval air station at Millington. Since the north end of the base is now open to the public that makes for nice places to ride a bike and explore the old base. Not to mention a chance to find out where these vintage airplanes around Memphis are coming from.
Big disappointment; While on our bikes headed towards the air field I passed by 3 guys walking out of an operations type building adjacent to the airfield. Surprise, but they knew exactly about that B-17 and said it was flying no where close to Millington and that indeed it was operating out of the Olive Branch MS field this week end.
Mary and I explored an on base road winding North for quite a ways. This road turned out to be quite long. Indeed we never found the end of the road nor the north end of the base. We did, however, find a nice lake with several covered picnic tables and well manicured lawns and field all around the lake.
Time to start back when I spotted a dirt and gravel trail that led to a hill facing west. Low and behold when I topped the bluff there was very beginning or the approach of the old airfield not 100 yards away. Just as Mary and I arrived 2 F-18 Super Hornets passed right over head at about 500 feet directly parallel to the air field headed SW. When one pealed off from the other to circle back around, this indicated to me that they were setting up to come in. Giving me just enough time to grab my camera, the Attached photos show that's exactly what they did. I even got the smoking rubber off the wheel touch down. LOL
I still don't know what the B-17 or the F-80 were about but I hear that Super Hornets stop by that Millington airport occasionally. So we did go bird watching after all. LOL Note that those Hornets were in Blue Angles colors and both had the # 7 on the tail. I thought that number was different for each plane. What were both planes doing with the # 7 on them. Does anyone know the answer?
PS These bikes are turning out to be super cool. Quiet motor too. Did I mention 200 miles to the gallon? LOL
