Everyone is invited to the Cocoa Beach Florida Airshow Gallery

[HAB911]

After wading through more than 4000 photos from 4 cameras, I’ve narrowed it down to a representative 90+.

https://jamesdevore.smugmug.com/60-YEAR-JOURNEY-IN-PHOTOGRAPHY/COCOA-BEACH-AIRSHOW

There were no static displays of aircraft since this was not at an airport. Cocoa Beach is situated directly between Kennedy Space Center/Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base. All the military planes flew from Patrick. It was Air Force centric, the only Navy representation was a couple of EA-18G Growlers and an F4U Corsair for a “heritage flight”. The Air Force “heritage flight” was with an A10 and P51 Mustang.

We were on the top floor of our hotel with a balcony, so some of the photos appear like we are flying along at the same height, in fact the planes were probably no more than 100’ higher. Down on the beach they would have been belly shots!

We were celebrating our anniversary, having been married on this very beach 15 years ago. At the end of the gallery is a short video by Nancy, my co-pilot of 15 years. The video is of the Thunderbirds making a heart in the sky, special for our 15th on the 15th. That’s what I told her and I’m sticking to it.

Teasers: Check out the second seat taking my photo, lol

[Grumpy Old Guy]

2. Nice job!

I love air shows. You had some nice skies that day.

[HAB911]

3. Thanks! I wish there had been a little more variety

Officially the show was 15-16, but we had seen all the two practice days prior, with the exception of B52

[AndyS]

4. You do good work! nt

[HAB911]

6. thank you sir, it was my first airshow

I did read up on what to expect

EARPLUGS very important
Jets at 1/2000 sec
props at 1/125 sec - problem you have to be very cognizant of camera shake with a 500mm at that speed!
shutter priority, auto ISO so you only have to change shutter speed and that's all

It was great fun

[Irish_Dem]

5. I couldn't figure out how you got the shots!

Last edited Tue Apr 25, 2023, 08:02 PM - Edit history (1)

I had to re-read your narrative.

The pilot in the Thunderbird taking your picturing taking his picture is hilarious.

I was once on the ground when the Thunderbirds were rehearsing the day before an air show.
They were doing very low altitude flying due to a low ceiling.

And the pilots were being hotdogs skimming the tree tops.
Just showing off.

One of the pilots came right at me and waved at me! I waved back.
I was younger and good looking then.

But it took me back to when I was an Air Force kid living in base housing right next to the flight
line and the dads would waggle their wings and wave as they took off.
The wives and kids loved it.

[HAB911]

7. I have come to love those level looking photos

from the ground it can be achieved by catching a plane in a perfect bank

[Irish_Dem]

9. Yes that is pretty cool. I like them too.

It is like they are suspended in space and just hanging there in the air, not moving.

I didn't really start appreciating USAF planes until later in life.

We lived next to AF flight lines and saw planes taking off and landing all day long.
And then every summer the base commander let the kids come on the flight line
to walk through the aircraft. Got to sit in the cockpit and the dads would show us
all the gadgets.

But it was just our dad's job and workplace so it was boring after a while.

I liked the cargo planes because they were so big.
And I thought air refuelers were amazing.

Once an airplane scared the crap out of me and my brother and made us cry.

A Flying Tiger was at one of the AF bases on display and my dad wanted to see it really bad.
He loved the Flying Tigers and we all went, Dad, Mom, and my brother and me.

I was about 4 yrs old, my brother 3 y/o.
When we got there my dad is all in awe and my brother and I start crying and get agitated.
It was such a scary looking plane and we had never seen such a creature.

Not at all like the other boring looking USAF plane we were used to.
My mother told my dad we had to leave, the Flying Tiger was scaring the children.

[AndyS]

8. You have a couple of pics of the BUF

(what the B52 pilots call it, Big Ugly F##ker) that appear you are higher than the aircraft. So I'm thinkin' how that happened. Then I looked at the aileron position and knew they really were banked that steep!

[HAB911]

11. Yes, he was banking hard

I think to give everyone the chance at a full side view

[mitch96]

10. I remember years ago riding north up I 95 and seeing the big birds practicing for the air show

I pulled over for a bit to watch.. Really neat and really neat shots, thanks!
m

[Duppers]

12. VERY impressive shots!

The T-birds have redecorated since I last caught their show.

My hubby & I are good friends with a former logistics officer and later commander of The Birds.