NT5224 Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Top End dry season and Pitch Black is back in our skies again. This year (first exercise post COVID), 17 national airforces are participating. My place lies almost directly halfway between Darwin and Tindal (the main operational bases) and with our airstrip it seems to have become a bit of a landmark. Fast jets constantly thundering overhead in waves. I might not be flying this weekend 🤣. We'll be in Darwin tomorrow to watch the fabulous Red Arrows display team. I've seem them twice before once in Darwin and once in Dubai. They never disappoint. Cheers Alan 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Koreelah Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 Been in Darwin for two Op Pitch Blacks. This regular exercise is an impressive gathering of neighbours from near and far. The noise! Little fighter jets are many times louder than the big transports we travel in. Second time there, I was in pit lane at Eastern Creek, surrounded by very loud racing motorcycles, but you could hear a single Sukoi or F-16 passing miles away. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 So ... you didn't hear the Stealth aircraft, then? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 (edited) You mean Edited August 24, 2022 by planedriver 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Koreelah Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 1 hour ago, onetrack said: So ... you didn't hear the Stealth aircraft, then? Even the F-35 is a noisy bugger. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 We where in Darwin about 15 or so years back during Op pitch Black, you can hear the fatigue of the aircraft during tight turns...I thought it was Magic....Carol had another not so forgiving word. Bernie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty_d Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 On 23/08/2022 at 2:07 PM, NT5224 said: Top End dry season and Pitch Black is back in our skies again. This year (first exercise post COVID), 17 national airforces are participating. My place lies almost directly halfway between Darwin and Tindal (the main operational bases) and with our airstrip it seems to have become a bit of a landmark. Fast jets constantly thundering overhead in waves. I might not be flying this weekend 🤣. We'll be in Darwin tomorrow to watch the fabulous Red Arrows display team. I've seem them twice before once in Darwin and once in Dubai. They never disappoint. Cheers Alan You're a lucky man! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Binghi Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Back in the late seventies I were up on top of the load whilst unloading a truck in a depo in Winnellie. Jet went wocka at what felt like a few feet above me and nearly sent me off the truck. Two other jets came in from altitude turning in after the low flying one. All good fun to watch. Later on after I left Darwin I think they toned things down when they dropped a dummy bomb into a panel beaters shop...🙂 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Back in the sixties i was working on a chimney at Jurong in Singapore and the jets used to come into the nearby airport right alongside us. Sometimes one would roar past on the wrong side. I assumed they were doing instrument approaches and had the occasional go around.. Nice to look down on them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 During WW2 it was common for fighter pilots doing cross-country training at low level to cause major upset by frightening horses and making them bolt, often when harnessed to equipment. There were many complaints to the military authorities about the problem, and a common attitude amongst the pilots of the day that it was fun to frighten people on the ground with low passes, wasn't helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBob Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Onetrack, I can tell you there are still RAF pilots who think that's fun: I have an aged cousin in the UK, still rides a little, and she put in a complaint a couple of years back having been 'beaten up' by a couple of fighters. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 That can happen in King's Cross also, especially if you give them LIP. Nev 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Binghi Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 (edited) 15 hours ago, onetrack said: During WW2 it was common for fighter pilots doing cross-country training at low level to cause major upset by frightening horses and making them bolt, often when harnessed to equipment. There were many complaints to the military authorities about the problem, and a common attitude amongst the pilots of the day that it was fun to frighten people on the ground with low passes, wasn't helpful. Story’s I heard about them WW2 Darwin based P40 drivers were they used to fly around shooting at water buffalo on the plains east of Darwin. When the spitfires took over they were apparently banned from doing any hooning around so they practiced “shadow shooting”. If a water buffalo happened to be under the shadow at the time, well…😗 . Edited September 4, 2022 by Flying Binghi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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