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The Blue Angels did their first ever air show over Tuscaloosa, Labama this past weekend and I was not about to miss it (my wife's family is from Tuscaloosa)

I figured I would kick off the series with everyone's favorite...Fat Albert!!!!  


Oh yeah, my seats were center show, which is why you see the 'Angels crew and their center show marker cart.

That last shot is funny, the guy with the binoculars is looking the wrong way.

Very cool shots! I've noticed that Fat Albert doesnt always do a JATO takeoff anymore. Looks like here, he did more of a high performance takeoff... much like you'd see an F-15 do. Get a few feet off the ground, gear up, accelerate, pull up hard at the end of the runway. Looks fun!  :o

[quote]Very cool shots! I've noticed that Fat Albert doesnt always do a JATO takeoff anymore. Looks like here, he did more of a high performance takeoff... much like you'd see an F-15 do. Get a few feet off the ground, gear up, accelerate, pull up hard at the end of the runway. Looks fun!

Great shots but damn that gear goes up quick!

Very nice photos.

I've noticed that Fat Albert doesnt always do a JATO takeoff anymore.

Last show I went to he didn't use the Jato either.  Rumor has it they no longer manufacture the rockets and the supply is limited.

From what I read a large percentage of the remaining stock of JATO bottles in storage at NAS Pensacola was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. When the remaining supply is used up there are no plans to replace them. I never understood why the US military called it JATO as the correct term should be RATO (Rocket Assisted Take Off).

That last shot is funny, the guy with the binoculars is looking the wrong way.

 
He knows what he is doing, he's probably checking out the pretty Alabama women.  Truck, was your wife off to your left???????  :)

 I woulda tore him a new one if I saw him checking my wife out  ;D He was probably checking out the University of Alabama cheerleading squad in the tent next to ours  :o  They sure now how to raise them down there...

As for the JATO, no joy here at this show, they did the combat take off instead, as mentioned before, get that gear up, accelerate over the runway, the pull that stick back and get out of dodge!

That last shot is funny, the guy with the binoculars is looking the wrong way.

hmmm Chearleaders.

Great Fat Albert shots.