The Five Coolest Military Aviation Videos From Around Social Media This Week
You sure have to pick through the garage sale that is social media to find the gems, but they are out there, and this week was especially fruitful.
It's Friday and amazingly we don't have any breaking news to deal with, which is a rarity these days. So let's step away from the policy, tactics, technology, and strategy for a second to enjoy the best that mother internet has to offer in terms of viral military aviation clips this week.
1.) It's 'May the 4th be with you day' and this clip looks like it was ripped right from The Last Jedi—or maybe it's the other way around? Regardless, the video shows a quartet of Turkish T129 attack helicopters pouring 20mm cannon fire onto a single target at dusk. The tracers look like lasers and it's pretty safe to say they obliterated whatever they were aiming at with their creeping volley of shells.
After I retweeted this on my twitter account I was pointed to another video that includes in-cockpit footage of two T129s pummeling the same target, which is pretty cool as well:
2.) This one comes from Military.com reporter Oriana Pawlyk who traveled with Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on a C-37 VIP chariot to the Florida Panhandle to check out a bunch of Air Force happenings down there. This apparently included the test firing of a GAU-8 Avenger cannon. Not much to see here, but the sound is amazing. Turn up the volume to get fully BRRRRRRRRRRTTTTed!
Your welcome for making your day.
3.) Next, we have a video showing a pair of F/A-18F Rhinos in formation at sunset as they accelerate away from the camera-ship in full burner and then break downward together right into the setting sun. You may have to get the tissues because this one is so beautiful it will bring a tear to your eye. Also, there's some good audio, including hearing the burners of the Super Hornets' GE-F414 turbofans even inside the point-of-view aircraft and the outbursts of a very excited spectator. I am not sure what aircraft the video was taken from, maybe it was an E-2 Hawkeye?
4.) This video takes us inside the cockpit of a Super Etendard Modernise (SEM) while landing aboard France's nuclear carrier the Charles de Gaulle. The old SEMs were not known for their power or high-tech features and were true 'stick and rudder' naval tactical jets. As you can see, the amount of throttle, stick, and trim inputs required to get one safely on the deck is almost comical. Then again, when you think about the skill required to make it happen, it sure seems a lot more serious.
The SEMs were finally retired two years ago from French service, you can read all about their sundown and legacy here, but a handful of them were just sold to Argentina so that they could reconstitute their Etendard operations.
5.) Finally, we have a quieter video, one that shows what it's like landing an F-16 in very low visibility conditions. If you are a regular reader or follow me on twitter you know about my fascination with the Viper, its bubble canopy, and its incredible visibility. So any F-16 cockpit video is usually worthwhile watching. But what's also worth pondering is how General Dynamics installed so much functionality and ergonomics into the F-16's cockpit design. When looking at the compact and uncluttered cockpit you have to wonder how the aircraft is able to be flown like a normal airplane as well as a weapon. Just look at a Boeing 737's flight deck or that of a business jet for comparison.
Even with the bad visibility, the pilot was able to grease the landing, which is notoriously tough to do in the Viper.
So there you have it, my top five military aviation videos of the week pulled from around the low-rent garage sale that is social media.
Have a great weekend gang!
Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com
