Every other year or so, the base opens its gates to the public and puts on an airshow as a gesture of community appreciation. They didn't have one last year, and the year before we weren't in town for it.
This year, since we decided to make the quick trip from the house to the Pride Hangar to check it out before I had to work at 15:00.
Gates opened at 09:00 (Which at that point I was still quite contentedly snuggled in bed with Nate and quite happy with not getting up) Leave is a wonderful, wonderful thing.
We finally got out of bed around 09:30 and spent some time together before Sami woke up around 10:30. We got dressed and lathered up in sunscreen and started off.
Since a majority of the base was barricaded from the public, and parking was a nightmare, the base kindly provided shuttles from Military Family Housing to the Pride Hangar.
I have noo idea what is up with her posing.
It was a quick ride up to the Hangar. Which Sami absolutely loved and felt very grown up riding the bus.
I myself had a min breakdown when my oh so loving husband, said "Can you imagine her riding this all by herself in a couple months?"
WTF? Why is my baby growing up?? I didn't order this. :( Where is the adorable little baby that cooed at me???
Where is this:
Sigh.....I miss baby scents. I miss a baby that doesn't talk back .
Excuse my minor meltdown..
The bus dropped us off and we went through the Security line. Which I must give Ellsworth AFB huge props for providing excellent security and a quick and efficient security line. We were carded to get on the bus, they instructed us on a list of prohibited items and quickly inspected my bag without making it feel intrusive.
Then we walked out onto the flight line.
It was packed. They were estimating attendance at around 30,000 people and I think they easily got that.
Sami wasn't quite big on the aircraft. As she was on a hunt for a balloon. (We never did find them)
But we saw the Golden Knights descend as we were arriving and Sami thought that was pretty cool.
We even saw a B-2 on static display as well as doing aerials.
I suck at photography and Nate and I were a bit too busy enjoying being together and with Sami to worry too much. But here are some photos I did get!
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Thunderbird Display
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon Flight Deck
Ordinance
C-17 Globemaster III
KC-135 Stratotanker
Ordinance
(This is what I live by)
Inside KC-135
F-16 Fighting Falcon
B-2 Spirit in flight
B-2 Spirit
(There was one on static display, that I wish I'd gotten photos of)
MQ-1 Reaper Drone?
(We will be standing up a Reaper Ground control squadron here in 2012)
C-5 Galaxy Vertical and Horizontal Stab
Ohh! Well, here is me and S in front of the B2
I have no earthly idea what this was. But it made pretty booms
BOOM!
Sami refused to share her pretzel
B-1 B Lancer (In the sky obviously)
This is what is based here as we are a combat command
Its loud. Very loud.
Side view of B-24 Liberator
(Not to be confused with the Liberator sex furniture.
Although I'm sure both would rock your world)
Nose view of B-24 Liberator
I don't remember what team this was
This was directly overhead when I tried to take these
Cargo area C-5 Galaxy
Super steep that was!
Inside the C-5 Galaxy
sooo Big!
Nose of the C-5 Galaxy
F-15 Eagle
C-130 Hercules
(Coast Guard)
C-130 Hercules
B-1B Lancer
(See the little hatches? Those are for the ejection seats I believe)
Sami rocking the shades
Playing around with the camera during our picnic in the grass!
Sami finally graces us with her presence for a photo!
No More!!!
I kid!
Yeah I don't know what this is
About this time, we needed to start heading home. I had to work soon and we decided to get some more exercise in by walking from the Pride Hangar to the house. Which I'm guess is about a mile or mile and a half.
Sami wanted to ride the bus home and pointed out the white bus as the one we needed to take. Since I'm such a horrible person and wanted exercise for my kid, I told her we had to look for the Blue bus.
We then saw I kid you not, 5 blue buses on the way home. About half way to the commissary, I told her I was mistaken and we were to look for the orange bus. I lied. Horribly.
Pointing out a Blue bus...
Uh OH! Someone lost a shoe.
We cut through the field behind out house. This was Sami trying to find our house
Stop taking photos and catch up!
Ohh look! I found our house!
It was an awesome weekend. I had a blast spending time with my husband and daughter. We all got a bit of sun despite the sunblock. But it was definitely worth it.
Bit of trivia for you!
Ever wonder what the letters mean?
It basically tells us what the aircraft is used for.
Like the B-1B Lancer
Is a Bombing aircraft.
The C-130 Hercules
is a Cargo aircraft
F-16
Fighter jet!
Cool huh?
| Also task | Meaning |
| A | Attack |
| C | Cargo |
| D | Direction |
| E | special electronic equippment |
| F | Fighter |
| H | Search & Rescue |
| K | Tanker |
| L | low temperature operation |
| M | Multitask |
| O | Observation |
| P | Patrol |
| Q | Drone |
| R | Reconnaissance |
| S | Anti submarine |
| T | Training |
| U | Multiple |
| X | Research |
Also, I'm not 100% sure of the accuracy of the names given. Or if the above classification works across everything perfectly.
Okay so this post just made me so ready for our air show. Too bad it's not til the end of July. :\
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