I wonder if perhaps the designers of the C-17 started with a picture of an elephant (Dumbo, for instance), attached wings with a little uptick at the ends, raised the tail, and called it the C-17 Globemaster.  The thing is a beast, but I have to tell you–it was one of the most graceful, impressive demonstrations at the airshow.  It landed in 3,000 feet of runway.  For a plane that size, you might as well land in my non-existent driveway.  It was absolutely amazing.  I don’t know how many tons of metal floated like a hammer (on the moon) to the runway, and seemed to stop almost immediately.

Then it taxied backwards.  And did a 3-point turn inside the 200-ft width of the runway.

That pilot is my new hero, because I can barely parallel park my 15-ft Honda Accord.

Let’s just say: I’m a newly admiring fan of the C-17.

After the C-17 there were F-16s.  My D300 was set to 6fps, and I chattered away every time they flew over.  Even with the best of technology, however, one should note a basic limitation of the standard photographer–the rate at which he or she is able to rotate skull and gray matter atop a spinal column, taking into effect the extra drag of a DSLR with a telephoto lens.  You’ll note the effects in the second photo on the right.  My max rotational speed appears to be slightly less than the required (slightly less than) 1,000mph.

(For the technically astute out there, no, I’m not going to use my vast store of trigonometric identities to translate the jet’s speed to the rotational speed of my head.)

The airshow was awesome.  I don’t know how else to describe it.  There aren’t many things in this world I’m willing to trade for experiences like getting off that base–2 hours in the hot sun and unmoving lines.  But two Thunderbirds (F-16s) thundering barely a few hundred feet overhead at afterburner is enough to make me scream and melt like a teenage girl at a Hannah Montana concert.  My chest, my whole body shook with the sound and shockwave.  It was exhilarating.

I’ll have more to say about the airshow in upcoming posts.  Check out this photo for now.  The tails on those F-16s look to be about 5 feet apart, which is more like a half-inch when you consider the speed at which they’re traveling.  Those guys are insane!

(Yes, mom, I put on sunscreen.  Almost everywhere!)