tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post4833766798891788483..comments2024-03-28T03:06:18.182-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: A snippet of aviation historyPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-83506674950000361692016-03-10T08:22:17.367-06:002016-03-10T08:22:17.367-06:00Thunder and Lightnings by Jan Mark, about a boy an...Thunder and Lightnings by Jan Mark, about a boy and his love of the Lightnings at RAF Coltishall, was a seminal book of my childhood. That and the UK low flying system which routinely treated us to high speed low level RAF and USAF jets flying along the Ouse valley and over my house were some of the things which inspired me to join the RAF.<br />DifferAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-17479921408602155082016-03-10T04:02:19.817-06:002016-03-10T04:02:19.817-06:00The best bit was as a Young Kid growing up in the ...The best bit was as a Young Kid growing up in the Area being priviliaged to watch RAF Lightnings from RAF Wattisham barrel role down the runway over the top of the USAF Phantoms at Woodbridge/Bentwaters. Both bases used to have regular "Alert" competitions, but because of the quicker start up, roll out and climb rate of the Lightnings they normaly would win. Health and Safety would have a fit today as those lightnings came down the flight line at 100 feet.<br />As I lived on a fairly long straight Road in the area we also had the USAF practice straffing runs down the road. The excitement of watching a Phantom come so low that as 10 or 15 of us kids waved at the pilot he Saluted us back and you could clearly see the pilot in the plane as he banked across the road was something to behold.<br />Good times, even if the Phantoms were only there incase the Soviets decided to wipe East Anglia out of existance ! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com