The writer of this e-mail is a Naval Aviator and S-3 Viking Pilot who witnessed the event.
This picture is real because I witnessed this flyby personally.
This picture was taken in the spring of 1990 as we started our 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 water 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.