Loudest military aircraft?
Griffon Spitfire at a Goodwood revival stream take off. At takeoff power about 20 feet away. The prop was sucking water from the grass like an F16 sucks puddles off a wet taxi way. Second would be Omani Jaguar but without the benifit of being in a car... 
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Some years ago heard a loud, deep, reverberating drone of a turboprop overhead - peered out of the window expecting to see an AN-12 at perhaps 8000 on it's way out of Heathrow or something. Nope, only thing immediately visible right above was a vapour trail. Grabbed the binos and had a look - AN-22 at 30,000+. Remarkable sound, heard it again a few months later as it passed overhead at about 18000 on its way into Bournemouth - not sure I'd be exaggerating much to say the crockery started to rattle!
Someone mentioned the Space Shuttle launching - I heard the same from the beach alongside Patrick AFB - it was loud, wish I could have witnessed a Saturn V launch though.
Someone mentioned the Space Shuttle launching - I heard the same from the beach alongside Patrick AFB - it was loud, wish I could have witnessed a Saturn V launch though.
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IMHO, trivial physics and arithmetic works here, when we talk about mil. a/c and when nobody really cares about sound suppression and decibel reduction. Or, at least, sound is very low in the priority list.
Therefore, the more thrust the engines produce, the more loud they are, very roughly speaking. As each of 4 engines of Blackjack/White_Swan produces 245 kN (55,115 lbf) with afterburners engaged, with these nearly 100 tonn of thrust it is indeed quite loud:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-160
Then come issues like sound spectrum, because human ear perception varies along the range 20 Hz - 20 KHz.
And of course rockets are totally different. Space Shuttle with some 2500 ton of thrust is worth of 25 Blackjacks taking off simultaneously with afterburners engaged.
General public that used to watch launches from KSC standing on the bank of the Banana river (a spot just after the bridge along A1A entering Port Canaveral) is especially shocked while seeing how the sound wave produces the wave on the river surface that quickly runs towards you in silence and then comes something like an explosion, awesome. Though Shuttle is retired, to those who never saw the launch I really recommend to come and see at least heavy Delta IV or Atlas taking off, it is also quite impressive.
Therefore, the more thrust the engines produce, the more loud they are, very roughly speaking. As each of 4 engines of Blackjack/White_Swan produces 245 kN (55,115 lbf) with afterburners engaged, with these nearly 100 tonn of thrust it is indeed quite loud:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-160
Then come issues like sound spectrum, because human ear perception varies along the range 20 Hz - 20 KHz.
And of course rockets are totally different. Space Shuttle with some 2500 ton of thrust is worth of 25 Blackjacks taking off simultaneously with afterburners engaged.
General public that used to watch launches from KSC standing on the bank of the Banana river (a spot just after the bridge along A1A entering Port Canaveral) is especially shocked while seeing how the sound wave produces the wave on the river surface that quickly runs towards you in silence and then comes something like an explosion, awesome. Though Shuttle is retired, to those who never saw the launch I really recommend to come and see at least heavy Delta IV or Atlas taking off, it is also quite impressive.
Stichbitch,
You need to use the rear view mirror in the Corolla to avoid the Jaguar in your six o'clock (and the odd other aircraft!!)
Bill.
You need to use the rear view mirror in the Corolla to avoid the Jaguar in your six o'clock (and the odd other aircraft!!)
Bill.
I can't truly recall, even though I've been present and correct while this type has been aloft or taxying close by, but the Gloster Javelin is a worthy candidate!
From personal recollection; Four Vulcans in a scramble at numerous Finningley Battle of Britain Days among other memories there was the formation break by by four Phantoms of 43 Sqn directly overhead in full reheat at Leuchars BoB display September '72. More recently, Fairfoed IAT '95, the departure of five SU-22s of the Czech display team Rainbow!
FB
From personal recollection; Four Vulcans in a scramble at numerous Finningley Battle of Britain Days among other memories there was the formation break by by four Phantoms of 43 Sqn directly overhead in full reheat at Leuchars BoB display September '72. More recently, Fairfoed IAT '95, the departure of five SU-22s of the Czech display team Rainbow!
FB
Luftwaffe Phantom displaying at Fairford '93 is quite possibly the loudest thing I've ever heard. I'm not sure if it was down to favourable wind conditions or something, because I've heard supposedly louder aircraft since, but it genuinely sounded like it was tearing a hole in the sky 
Sadly I was born in the wrong decade and just missed the boat on Frightnings, SR-71 et al
Sadly I was born in the wrong decade and just missed the boat on Frightnings, SR-71 et al
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I remember The Who playing in a converted multistorey garage in 1967.... the ceiling was only about 8ft and the nosie was inhuman - had to leave everntualluy as my inards were threaenting to come apart
Having stood 10 feet laterally from a Lightning F56 doing reheat runs was pretty good but standing under a Vulcan doing a cross-bleed start was a great way of checking for loose fillings!
A four ship of CF-101 Voodoos doing an air display at Everett with a low cloud base...
When you lit those you were going flying, no choice.
Evertonian
It may be a symptom of ageing, but the F/A-18 Hornet at the Oz F1 GP the other day actually made one ear ache! It's not the loudest I've heard but sub 1000kph at 250ft it was loud enough! Also made the F1 cars sound a little like Scalextric.
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The Republic F-105 Thunderthud had the hardest, (meaning noisiest), lighting afterburner that I ever heard.
During their takeoffs they would, literally, knock us out of our bunks in the alert shack.
During their takeoffs they would, literally, knock us out of our bunks in the alert shack.
OLD RED DAMASK
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Second would be Omani Jaguar but without the benifit of being in a car...
You need to use the rear view mirror in the Corolla to avoid the Jaguar in your six o'clock (and the odd other aircraft!!)
