[jingram058]

I used to say when I was stationed at Naval Air Station Key West that you never knew what you would see parked on the tarmac and who would need DD-175-1 (the "dash one") flight weather briefings when they depated...USAF B-1Bs, WW2 era B-17s and B-24 Liberators from the various restoration groups, B-52s, Korean-era F-86s and Vietnam-era F-4 Phantoms and A-4 Skyhawks (used to simulate potential enemy aircraft), modern day F/A-18 Hornets, British Nimrods, Japanese JMSDF Kawanishi Flying Boats (air/sea rescue), US Navy and NOAA P-3 Orions, USAF E-3 AWACS Sentrys and US Navy E-2 Hawkeyes, USAF Reserve WC-130Js (hurricane hunters), USAF C-5 Galaxies, KC-10 Extender aerial refuelers, what have you. Even a captured or defector Russian MiG-31. Key West was and still is a major hub for inbound/outbound military aircraft going/coming to Caribbean, Central/South America, Europe, and everywhere else and for squadron workups prior to going on deployment with aircraft carrier battlegroups (air combat maneuvering airspace for training).

This thread just goes to show that net54 is like that; you never know what you will see. A most curious (and interesting) thread indeed.