"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
10/19/2015 at 16:55 • Filed to: None
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"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
10/19/2015 at 16:55 • Filed to: None | 6
| 18 |
Just outside of Middletown, PA this morning I saw an odd looking turboprop plane flying quite low. I didn’t think too much of it, but it happened to still be flying around when I got to my final destination. I quickly got out my camera, and I’m glad that I did. (It was at this point that I wished I had more than a 200mm zoom).
That’s a Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. I’ve never seen one around here in the year I’ve lived here.
This E-2 had a very distinctive tail pattern (which you can sort of see if you enlarge the picture). I have no idea if this is a special one or not.
About three minutes later, I saw this all white Boeing C-32B.
I wasn’t expecting to see this one, either.
It appears to have a registration number of 09001.
About another three minutes later, I saw a Boeing C-32 in “Air Force 2” livery.
I have no idea if it was actually “Air Force 2” at this time.
I was able to get an interesting shot of the plane with Three Mile Island as a backdrop.
The C-32 and E-2 appeared to be doing practice take-offs and landings. It’s quite common to see C-130s doing the same. Last month a VC-25 was also doing practice take-offs and landings.
This was a good way to start my morning. It was like my own private air-show!
Jonathan Harper
> Boxer_4
10/19/2015 at 16:58 |
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I’ve seen E-2 Hawkeyes flying up the Hudson river with some regularity. Very cool sight.
Jcarr
> Boxer_4
10/19/2015 at 17:03 |
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The C-32 looks really nice in the United States of America livery.
ttyymmnn
> Boxer_4
10/19/2015 at 17:10 |
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That’s an interesting assortment of aircraft. I wonder if the VP is in town, or will be soon. It’s also possible that they are using the ANG base there for practice. I regularly hang out at Dyess AFB in Abilene, TX and see numerous planes come through, do a few touch and goes, and then head off back to base.
I grew up in Norfolk, VA, home of the world’s largest naval base. We would see E-2s regularly. And over by the beach, near Oceana NAS, we would get regular shows of F-14s and then F/A-18s. You could also hear them popping off sonic booms out over the ocean. Cool stuff.
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Boxer_4
> Jonathan Harper
10/19/2015 at 17:13 |
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Very cool indeed. We typically only see C-130s around here. The airport used to be an air force base before being turned over to the city as an airport. The National Guard still has an outpost here, however.
Ash78, voting early and often
> Boxer_4
10/19/2015 at 17:16 |
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Rendition flights to Harrisburg? NOW WE’VE GONE TOO FAR!
/s
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Boxer_4
> ttyymmnn
10/19/2015 at 17:30 |
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I’m guessing it’s for practice. MDT is a pretty quiet airport, but still has the capability to land up to C-5 Galaxies. It also is only ~100 miles north of Andrews; a perfect distance to practice while keeping the aircraft accessible should they be needed.
It would be awesome to see F-14s and F/A-18s flying from this airport.
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ttyymmnn
> Boxer_4
10/19/2015 at 17:35 |
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Plane spotting is my hobby, and I’ve gotten some good catches up at Dyess. This E-4 and P-8 are two of my better catches up there (with the ubiquitous B-1 for good measure). Down here in Austin at AUS, I snagged a T-45C a few weeks ago.
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ttyymmnn
> Jcarr
10/19/2015 at 17:38 |
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I saw that VC-32 once in Abilene when it was really AF2. Dick Cheney was in town for a fund raiser, and I happened to drive by the airport as it was taxiing to the gate. It’s a beautiful bird, no lie.
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Jcarr
> ttyymmnn
10/19/2015 at 17:41 |
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Obama was in my city earlier this year (if you watch the SOTU, you might have heard him mention our kick-ass internet here in Cedar Falls, IA) and they flew a C-32 to the local airport since the runway was a little short for the VC-25.
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ttyymmnn
> Jcarr
10/19/2015 at 17:48 |
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The VC-25 has come to Austin a couple of times, but the official observation spot is on the east side of the airport, next to the shorter runway (9000 ft). I’ve seen a 767 fly from that runway, but I think that’s the biggest thing they can operate from there. The other runway is much longer (12,248 ft, KAUS is an old SAC base), but it’s on the far side of the airport from the observation spot. So I’ve seen it, but only from a distance. I couldn’t manage very good pictures.
In other VIP a/c news, I read today in the
NYT
that Boeing will soon sign a contract with the US Gov’t to develop the next AF1. The current one was ordered back in the Reagan administration. The new one will be based on the 747-800. That will be a sight to see.
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Jcarr
> ttyymmnn
10/19/2015 at 17:50 |
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I’m excited to see that. Part of me wished for the 777-9 to be selected, but it does make sense to stick with as many engines as possible for this type of role.
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ttyymmnn
> Jcarr
10/19/2015 at 18:16 |
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It’s more than safety, it’s PR. The POTUS should fly in the biggest a/c possible for maximum visuals. I remember reading somewhere that the US adopted the C-137 because the Russians were using a jet, and having the US president arrive on a propeller plane made for bad TV.
Hot Takes Salesman
> ttyymmnn
10/19/2015 at 19:11 |
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Of those four the Bone and the Goshawk are the best looking. The T-45 is not hard on the eyes at all
whatisthatsound
> Hot Takes Salesman
10/19/2015 at 20:59 |
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It’s also a blast to fly.
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whatisthatsound
> Boxer_4
10/19/2015 at 21:02 |
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The E-2 is the Delta version. The blue vertical stab means it is a VAW-121 Bluetails out of Norfolk. They are part of CAG-11.
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Boxer_4
> whatisthatsound
10/20/2015 at 20:04 |
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Cool information! I was curious where they were from.
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Boxer_4
> ttyymmnn
10/20/2015 at 20:04 |
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Awesome pictures! What equipment are you using?
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ttyymmnn
> Boxer_4
10/20/2015 at 21:22 |
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Canon 50D, Tamron 70-200 f/2.8