Now, THAT's a formation...
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Now, THAT's a formation...
Saw these on Warbird Information Exchange and thought they deserved an airing here - thank you to Duggy009 who posted them on WIX and tells me they are public domain.
Can you imagine the glorious sound?
Can you imagine the glorious sound?
Can you name them all though...?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Tricky, how about...
RB-69? Looks a bit too colourful though...
B-57, B-66
EC-121
C-97, C-124
B-47, C-119
B-36, C-131
B-52
F-86D, F-84F Thunderjet, RF-84 Thunderflash, F-102
F-94, F-89, F-80??, T-33, F-84F Thunderstreak, F-86A, F-100
The "F-80" (red jet) must be something else but I can't think what!
RB-69? Looks a bit too colourful though...
B-57, B-66
EC-121
C-97, C-124
B-47, C-119
B-36, C-131
B-52
F-86D, F-84F Thunderjet, RF-84 Thunderflash, F-102
F-94, F-89, F-80??, T-33, F-84F Thunderstreak, F-86A, F-100
The "F-80" (red jet) must be something else but I can't think what!
Think your rb-69 might be an AJ-1,and the `colourful F-80 ` is a T2V....if they are possibly from a Test establishment.....
Original Caption: "…Formation of planes: Consolidated B-26, Boeing B-47, Boeing C-97, Lockheed RC-121, Martin B-57, North American B-45, Douglas B-66, Boeing B-52, Consolidated C-131, Fairchild C-119, Douglas C-124, North American F-96, North American F-86F, Consolidated F-102, Lockheed F-94C, Northrop F-89, Lockheed T-33, Lockheed F-80, and Republic RF-84F."
Strangely that caption is incorrect too, because there is an F-86D/L in there too!
Strangely that caption is incorrect too, because there is an F-86D/L in there too!
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Ah, B-45! AJ-2 or A-26 were my first thoughts, assumed it was piston!
Quemerford, your caption doesn't mention F-100 which is what I think is leading the fighter formation?
Quemerford, your caption doesn't mention F-100 which is what I think is leading the fighter formation?
The lousy interface on the tablet means the advert on the right slides over the pic when I zoom in, but I was pretty certain that was a 124 in the lead in Pic 2. My dad flew them around much of the world for many years in the USAF. Said he had dozens of engine shutdowns in all those years. 
Amazing pictures! I wonder what the common denominator airspeed was for all these airplanes. Some flew at their maximum, others at their minimum. Or did they all fly at different speeds, and were the photo's taken at just the right time, that they all were positioned in formation? Anybody an idea?
One of the most incredible pictures on aviation I have ever seen , such a shame digital quality wasnt around to record a sight we will never see again, all those different types.
Which leads m to add to the thoughts of an earlier poster who said how on earth did they work out the positioning so that the formation could fly safely and accurately when you have fighters mixing it with lumbering giants like the B 36 -interesting just how much bigger than the B52 that monster was,
Which leads m to add to the thoughts of an earlier poster who said how on earth did they work out the positioning so that the formation could fly safely and accurately when you have fighters mixing it with lumbering giants like the B 36 -interesting just how much bigger than the B52 that monster was,
Probably why it`s got a little `fish-eye` distortion towards the B-36.....
Original Caption: "…Formation of planes: Consolidated B-26, Boeing B-47, Boeing C-97, Lockheed RC-121, Martin B-57, North American B-45, Douglas B-66, Boeing B-52, Consolidated C-131, Fairchild C-119, Douglas C-124, North American F-96, North American F-86F, Consolidated F-102, Lockheed F-94C, Northrop F-89, Lockheed T-33, Lockheed F-80, and Republic RF-84F."
Strangely that caption is incorrect too, because there is an F-86D/L in there too!
Strangely that caption is incorrect too, because there is an F-86D/L in there too!
Gnome de PPRuNe
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What's a North American F-96? 
I see F-96 was the original designation for the F-84F Thunderstreak...
I see F-96 was the original designation for the F-84F Thunderstreak...
Strange that - it is indeed an "F-96" but by the time of the formation would have been officially an F-84F for up to five years. Strange too that the RF-84F (RF-96) got its correct title.
