Destin FL Planes

[Pegsparks]

Took a little vacation to Destin Florida last week and took some pics of the air action down there.

V-22 Osprey taking off from Destin Airport. Tilt rotor aircraft.

V-22 fly-by.

F-16 blowing by the balcony. Funny how you never hear them until they are right on top of you.

The best part is the WWII planes that fly around in the evenings doing shows over the harbor and for the resorts.

This guy was having a little fun on the water, hauling ass too.

 

[FJRBandit]

Those are some really cool pics Sparks. Too many great ones to pic a fav, but that picture of the Osprey taking off is just bad azz!

 

[FJR Flyer]

Took a little vacation to Destin Florida last week and took some pics of the air action down there.

F-165 blowing by the balcony. Funny how you never hear them until they are right on top of you.

Fixed it for ya. Sorry, I can't help myself.

 

[Pegsparks]

Took a little vacation to Destin Florida last week and took some pics of the air action down there.

F-165 blowing by the balcony. Funny how you never hear them until they are right on top of you.

Fixed it for ya. Sorry, I can't help myself.

Apologies accepted. I just get'em mixed up all the time. Those senior moments get more frequent every day.

 

[jhedges]

I was in Destin last week as well on vacation, and saw most of these planes while on the beach.

 

[Pegsparks]

I was in Destin last week as well on vacation, and saw most of these planes while on the beach.

We were down from B'ham Monday thru Sunday at the Sundestin Resort across from the Big Kahuna water park. Our place is beachfront on the 16th floor. I get some killer pics from up there. Some of the planes actually fly lower than where we are. Going around to the Hwy 98 side gives me a good view of the Destin airport. I lived down there 25 years ago and used to see some cool planes coming in and out of Eglin Air Force base.

I hope ya'll had a good time. The weather to me was great but I like it to be a little overcast.

 

[jhedges]

We stayed at the Coral Reef Resort just on the east side of Henderson State Park. We spent our honeymoon there some 19 years ago. We love going to Destin, as they have some of the best beaches in the world. However, I would hate to live there in the summer as it gets crowded, at least last week it was. I did discover a better route to get back to Montgomery, as St. Rd 331 drove me nuts.

 

[Crash Cash]

Crikey, I'm coming up to Pensacola this weekend myself, to see the NAS museum and hopefully catch the airshow this weekend on the 14th. Having to change my rear tire today to do it...

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Crikey, I'm coming up to Pensacola this weekend myself, to see the NAS museum and hopefully catch the airshow this weekend on the 14th. Having to change my rear tire today to do it...

Thanks for the heads up on the air show. Didnt know it was happening. I will be enroute to Destin, so may detour and try to catch some of it! I will be loaded down with beach crap, but happily, I put two new PR2s on the bike last week.

 

[wfooshee]

Pensacola Beach airshow is always a great event. Be there EARLY!!!!!!!!! Traffic backs up for miles. Be prepared for heat, and a crowded beach. EVERYBODY takes an EZ-UP for shade, so it's almost impossible to be on the beach and actually see the air. Take a cooler and LOTS of water. While the planes are flying the water's closed, so don't expect to take a dip to cool off for a while once it starts.

Pics from previous event, 2009.

Being summer, it's hot, and being humid, there's usually nice vapor in the hard turns and fast passes.

Of course, the best place to watch is from one of the beachfront high-rises, which can put you higher than the show!!!

I haven't decide if I'm going. These are from 2009, the last time I went to the summer show.

Also, if you're coming from east of Pensacola, use the bridge at Navarre and finish the trip on the island road, and avoid the tie-ups at the Pensacola Beach bridge which will be packed solid. (You don't want to go all the way to P'cola on I-10 and then try to get to the beach! Cut down to US98 somewhere, like SR12 to SR20 to US231 to US98 through Panama City, or US 331 towards Destin, or SR87 right into Navarre.)

SouthernCruizer, unless you're getting into P'cola by 9:00 or 10:00 at the very latest, you're not going to get onto the beach. This isn't something you can catch on the way by. They don't fly till after lunch, but if you aren't on the beach by then you aren't going to be. But if you DID make it, leave the beach going east and take the Navarre bridge back to US98 and proceed to Destin. If you do the air show, you won't be in Destin before late afternoon/early evening.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Thanks for the info. Guess I'll just bypass the show to get to the house in Destin

OH well, maybe next year!

 

[wfooshee]

Oh, and while headed to Destin, don't take US98 through P'cola. Traffic for the air show will clog the highway and the bay bridge will be clogged as well, not just the beach bridge. Stay on I-10 to SR87 and cut down to 98 to finish the trip.

 

[Crash Cash]

Pensacola Beach airshow is always a great event. Be there EARLY!!!!!!!!! Traffic backs up for miles. Be prepared for heat, and a crowded beach. EVERYBODY takes an EZ-UP for shade, so it's almost impossible to be on the beach and actually see the air. Take a cooler and LOTS of water. While the planes are flying the water's closed, so don't expect to take a dip to cool off for a while once it starts.

Not only that but every single motel is full for the weekend and a couple days before, and I had to stay in a different place every day. I decided to skip the show after getting quite lost.

I did get to see the USAF Armaments Museum and the National Naval Aviation Museum, which means I finally got to see an SR-71 in person (in titanium?) after 40 years of wanting to. That was the point of the ride as a b-day present to myself. I'm also heading to KSC midweek to take the Launch Control Center tour, and maybe another VAB tour to see Shuttle Endeavor. I do likes mah airplanes and rocket ships, I do!

I discovered I am *not* Iron Butt material and my hope of driving to Arizona to visit friends is probably out of reach. Oh well.

Speaking of US98, I saw a wreck bad enough he had to be medivaced out by helicopter. It's not a good sign when major parts of the car are on different sides of the road.

 

[wfooshee]

Both of those museums are well worth the trip, so I'm glad it wasn't a loss for you. That one at the Air Force museum is the only long-tail SR-71 ever built. It was supposed to hold extra equipment, but it sorta kinda unbalanced the plane, and newer equipment made the extra space unnecessary.

They've done a lot of work on those planes surrounding the building. Most were out there before they were restored, so a local guy like me can appreciate the work they've done. When the B-52 came in, there were no engine nacelles on the wings! They've got the only B-47 I've ever seen in person.

Speaking of outside, did you take the bus tour at the Naval Aviation museum?

I didn't go because 1. My back is pranged, spasm has me unable to stand upright, and 2. Weather looked kindy sucky for being outside all day.

 

[Crash Cash]

Both of those museums are well worth the trip, so I'm glad it wasn't a loss for you. That one at the Air Force museum is the only long-tail SR-71 ever built. It was supposed to hold extra equipment, but it sorta kinda unbalanced the plane, and newer equipment made the extra space unnecessary.

They've done a lot of work on those planes surrounding the building. Most were out there before they were restored, so a local guy like me can appreciate the work they've done. When the B-52 came in, there were no engine nacelles on the wings! They've got the only B-47 I've ever seen in person.

Speaking of outside, did you take the bus tour at the Naval Aviation museum?

No, unfortunately, I didn't do the bus, I wasn't thinking straight, I guess.

I notice the USAF museum has a lot more stuff than they show in their website pics. It was pretty much "if it's been dropped or shot from a USAF plane... it's there" and it was amazing how much they packed in the building. About the only thing they didn't have outside was a B-1B, which I saw in Georgia, and yes, that's the only B-47 I've seen too. I didn't recognize it at first. I can imagine the task of keeping things in good shape that sit in the Florida sun all day. I just read the book about the restoration of the Saturn V at KSC. Orlando Int'l Airport has a B-52 from back when it was McCoy AFB, and it's not much looked after.

They had a retired test pilot manning the desk inside, and I probably annoyed the poor bloke with all my stupid questions, but he kept up a very good cheer.

This was my first "long" trip. I'm 6'2" so you'd think the seat in the low position and bars all the way back would be the wrong way to go, but it certainly was an improvement. It also helped a lot to cut the tips off my glove thumbs to stop cramps and "the claw" - from shopping for gloves, I seem to have thumbs 1/2" longer than anyone else.

 

[wfooshee]

There are a bunch of planes outside on the ramp at the Naval Aviation museum, and the bus ride is the only way to see them because they're inside the fence. If you find the base on Google Earth (or Google Maps satellite view) you'll see what I mean.

One of those planes back there is the only surviving AJ Savage, which is what my dad worked on when he was in the Navy. It was the Navy's first carrier-based atomic-capable bomber.