Florida used to use DC-3's to spray for mosquito and other pest controls. Loved to hear those engines. Course, back in the 80's, DC-3s were being flown in from further south, landed in the Everglades, and just left there after the cargo was unloaded.
That was done with more modern twin engine aircraft as well.
When I was in college, a B17 and a B24 visited a near by airport. I could not get on the planes due to my class schedule but I was able to drive close to the end of the runway, well within 100 yards or so, and listen to those two planes rev up their engines for take off. Absolutely amazing. They took off after the engines were warmed up and buzzed the air field a few times. The sound from those two planes was unreal. Very hard to imagine what dozens, hundreds or even a thousand of those planes sounded like. Do not know how the Japanese or the Germans could think they could win the war when large numbers of bombers and fighters started flying overhead.
A couple of times of the years, a B17 has visited a nearby airport. Once I did go and get a ground tour. I should have paid to go on a flight....
On one of their visits I was on a nearby lake and saw the B17 fly over. I knew the plane was here but seeing it was amazing, and for people on the lake who did not know the plane was in the area, it must have been a cool surprise to see.
We get a fair number of military aircraft flying over the house. Lately we have been hearing/seeing Osprey's fly over. They have a very distinctive sound because of the engines and large props. One night I heard loud aircraft heading our way and ran outside. Just above the tree tops three or four Osprey's flew right over the house. I do mean right over the house.
AND LOW! As fast as I was to go outside, I only saw three of them in trail but I think there was a fourth one that I did not see. They were flying one behind the other and very close together. Very cool to hear and see.
Later,
Dan
