Bombs Bursting

[Parrothead]

Bombs bursting, guns firing, planes diving close – no we weren’t in a war zone. We were at the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range which is to the South and West of where we are in Gila Bend, AZ. The Range is used by all of the Armed Forces as well as foreign services. Once a month they invite local groups to view pilots practicing. Our campground owner is one of the groups that can take up to 10 people. There were 6 of us and we joined about 20 other people, some who were staying at the Family Camp on the Range. We spent about 3 hours at the range watching F16’s and A10’s dropping bombs and firing their Gatlin guns. They are rated on how close they come to the targets. A loudspeaker let us hear the pilots and ground people talking. We were pretty close and it was one of the most fantastic mornings we have ever spent. We did have to get up at 6:30 am to do this so you know it was something we really wanted to do. We see the planes and hear a lot of the bomb practices from our campground. This coming week the British paratroopers will be there practicing and we will be able to see them from where our rig is parked.
Plane

Plane 2

Bulls eye

Ed & Bomb

Ammunition

[6.7 CTD]

That brings back memories of my service days as a field artillery forward observer (13F), it was my job to call for and direct artillery and air support. Those A-10's and F-16's were always the most fun to watch.........kinda puts a chill up your spine if you ever heard them fire their weapons.........totally awesome firepower..........thanks for the refresher.

[skypilot]

Agree - something you definitely want to see if you are able -- and from the 'friendly side'...

[Dave e Victoria]

We live in AZ and used to regularly fly to Rocky Point. One Saturday, the range was open and we opted to fly the corridor down Highway 85 between Black Gap and the AJO airport. The procedure is to get pre approval from the range. Then after establishing radio contact, they clear you in. The transient has to stay over the road and no more than 500 feet above the ground. The military is supposed to be at 1000 feet or above. The day we flew we went right through passing A-10's and F-16's. It was very exciting especially in my little RV-4 which looks like a fighter; we were doing right at 200 mph. It was obvious that at least one a-10 pilot was caught by surprise at our presence on the range. He was a little low and yanked and banked hard as we came into his view. We were close enough to clearly see the pilot's helmets in the cockpits we passed..

Also, just as a point of interest, when bombs (practice) are dropped on targets west of highway 85, the bomb release points are actually east of the highway. in other words, they are free falling as they go over the road.