At one time we lived in base housing at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. I think I was probably in the sixth grade.
One of my fiends at the time was another kid that lived on the other side of the base. We would occasionally spend the night at each other’s house.
His back yard was an open field that led to a creek. The creek led to a spot at the end of the flight line where we could watch planes. We stayed at his house more than we stayed at mine.
One night we decided to camp out in his back yard. We rigged a small pup tent out past the end of their official yard and well into the field. It was close to the creek but still within sight of the house. In the early morning hours we were awakened to the sound of jet engines. By then the temperature had dropped and we were feeling a bit frozen. We decided this was a fine time to get up.
We followed the creek, shrouded in a low mist, and lit only by stars to the end of the runway. We could hear the engines off in the distance and getting louder. Behind us the blue lights of the landing field created a weird glow in the low mist.
As the plane began its approach it turned on it’s landing lights. Even from a distance it seemed to light the night around us. As it approached it was obvious this was a very large jet. The ominous shape of a B-52 began to emerge against the night sky and behind the bright lights. If you ever get a chance to stand underneath a B-52, don’t hesitate. It’s an awesome feeling. You can feel it’s power by the mere shape and size.
But
to stand underneath one as it is coming in for a landing is almost
indescribable. The ground shakes from the power of the engines. The
night becomes day under the landing lights. We were so close we could
see into the landing gear. It seemed like I could reach up and touch the wheels. We could feel the air pressure change as it passed overhead and
the vibration in the air was felt through our whole bodies. Once past, the sounds of the jet engines intensified to a deafening volume.
The whole experience just caught in my throat. I can still remember standing there in the cool night air, mouth agape, neck straining to look straight up, and thinking “Holy cow! This is amazing!”
I tried to capture this moment from my youth by creating an ai image. This is the closest to the feeling.
Good Times!
