Pitch Black

[NT5224]

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 

[Old Koreelah]

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.

[onetrack]

So ... you didn't hear the Stealth aircraft, then? 

[planedriver]

You mean 

Edited August 24, 2022 by planedriver

[Old Koreelah]

1 hour ago, onetrack said:

So ... you didn't hear the Stealth aircraft, then? 

Even the F-35 is a noisy bugger.

[Bernie]

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. 

[Marty_d]

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!

[Flying Binghi]

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...🙂

 

 

 

 

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[Yenn]

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.

[onetrack]

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.

[IBob]

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.

[facthunter]

That can happen in King's Cross also, especially if you give them LIP. Nev

[Flying Binghi]

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…😗

 

 

 

 

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Edited September 4, 2022 by Flying Binghi