This past Sunday the wife and I went to a small aircraft show at the Long Beach Airport. I often go there to catch up on my reading and watch the planes come and go. I recently bought a scanner to monitor the communications between planes and tower, and it's very interesting.
Nothing, however, compares to watching our military planes take off. The C-17 is built at the Boeing plant at LGB, and I've been lucky to see several takeoffs and landings of that awesome behemoth. A year or so ago, two B-1B bombers took off, one to the west and one to the east, and it set off every car alarm within a mile.
This Monday, a sight I'd never expect to see at the airport: a B-52, one of the planes on display over the weekend, taking off. I had asked one of the crew on Sunday when they were leaving, and he said late Monday morning. Apparently I wasn't the only one he told - the parking lot was full!
The wingspan on the plane is so wide that it had to taxi up the runway and execute a 180 at the end. As the B-52 taxied by us onlookers, nearly everyone waved or gave the crew a thumbs-up. Several minutes went by as it held in takeoff position. Suddenly, all eight of those jet engines began to roar, and the plane began its takeoff roll. It was amazingly loud and surprisingly fast. Suddenly, it rotated up and away, and within about 2 minutes, was gone.
Once the plane was downrange and the noise had died down, people applauded. Some cheered. I cheered. No matter what anyone says, Americans love the military, the guardians of our freedoms. Thanks for the show, gentlemen, and thanks for your service!
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