Sitting, gleaming, ready. Yesterday while I was waylaid at the three alarm fire on Airport Way South (yesterday’s post) I was en-route to Boeing Field to attempt to get a couple shots of the Blue Angel fighter jets on the tarmac next to the Museum of Flight. When I did arrive, I found shooting was difficult, with no clear view of the jets, and the only view that was available was through an eight foot cyclone fence. The images I was able to get, I’m not particularly satisfied with, but this was one of the best. Above is jet number four, is piloted by Lieutenant Dave Tickle. And in the smaller image below is a shot of jet number one, piloted by Captain Greg McWherter and the shot unfortunately shows the shadows of the cyclone fence (click on the photo to view enlarged). Today the floating bridge was closed on Lake Washington for two lengthy Blue Angel practice sessions in preparation of the flight show on Sunday at the Seafair Hydroplane races.
The Blue Angels have been performing during the intermission of the hydro races since 1972 with the exception of 1994 and 1995, due to a dispute with the FAA. Their performance in 1996 was performed over Elliott Bay rather than over the race course on Lake Washington. They have two performances prepared, a low-level show for skies with cloud cover (like last year) and a high-level show which they will perform this year because of clear, sunny skies.
Years ago while working at Terminal 20 on Harbor Island, when the Blue Angels were in town for Seafair, sitting at my desk working, there would be a roar and a fighter jet would skim over the top of the warehouse at an elevation of about 150 feet. I could clearly see the pilot and his oxygen mask. The sheer fright of the blast of noise was enough to just about knock me out of my seat, after that first flyby I would remember they were in town and not be so startled the next time.
Not a bad shot at all Madge, considering the fence. Maybe you can get some in-flight shots Sunday!
Maybe tomorrow I’ll try to get out and see if I can get some shots while they practice… Sunday.. no I wouldn’t be caught dead in the traffic over by Lake Washington, Blue Angels or not!!
my husband has witnessed some of their practice sessions and has called me on his cell to have me ‘listen in’ to the roar. :)
Yes I can well imagine being able to clearly hear the jet engine roar through the phone, hope you held it away from your ear… lol!
I thought it was a good shot. The noise of those freaks me out, but they are something else to see.
The noise is over the top… of course it should be right, they can break the sound barrier. We had some fight jets scrambled here in Seattle about a year or so ago, and they broke the sound barrier over town (law prohibits that except in cases of national security) and it was startling. When I was a kid we heard that all the time, until the law changed… yes, their show is spectacular!
Ha! Should have painted them green and called them Green Hornets. ;)
Lol… your comment cracked me up!
LOVE Mt. Rainier pic..it’s the mountain miss the most..and when do the blue angels fly? i miss them too
I know what you mean, Rainier is always spectacular! The Blue Angels were here last week, flew over the hydro races on Lake Washington last Sunday and then flew out for North Dakota on Tuesday… sadly I was at work and couldn’t go to Boeing Field to see them off.