My friend Chris was out visiting this past week (he just went home yesterday). While he was here, in addition to several movies and a dozen hours or so of computer gaming, we went to the Abbotsford Airshow.

 I planned on taking a bunch of pictures, but unfortunately I hadn’t properly charged my camera. As a result, I only got a few. I’ve included a bunch of Chris’s pictures to round out the selection. Here is a nice picture of a couple of “aggressor” camouflaged F-5 Tiger jets: click on the picture to go to the gallery folder with the airshow pictures.

 

What is it about military hardware that interests me? I’m not a violent person. I certainly don’t support the use of military force unnecessarily, although I respect the men and women who stand in harms way when it becomes necessary.

 Whatever it is, I like to walk up close to something that can travel at supersonic speeds…or fire thousands of rounds per minute of depleted uranium shells into any unfortunate tank or other target that gets in the way. Or that can hover safely over rough seas to lower rescuers and pull survivors to safety.

The unique sound of a jet approaching the sound barrier as it roars in from behind the viewing line is one of those things that lives on in memory for quite some time. The Voodoo had its own unique “song”, quite different from an F18 or Harrier. But aside from all the hardware, its interesting to note that the people who fly and maintain these aircraft are, after all, real people. Young folks with a bit of swagger fresh out of intensive training, old pilots with thousands of hours of flight experience and combat experience, people with greasy hands and smashed fingers from handling heavy parts under tight schedules. All “just people”, who’ll talk if you catch them when they can. Even the one’s who’ve flown in space.

 I enjoyed the air show, rain and all. I’ll be happy to go back again next time!