What I Saw.....and didn't have a camera

So having some history in photojournalism and lots of contacts still at the local daily's, I know to always carry a camera with me.

Well yesterday, I was at a golf tournament with clients and obviously wasn't about to bring it on the course with me. Anyways, the course was on the Canadian Side of the Niagara River almost in line with the Niagara Falls Airport that is only about 10-15 miles away. It's not uncommon to see the C130's from the 914th Airlift Wing doing touch and go's , almost on a daily basis, or even the odd F-16 or F-18.

However yesterday over the skies was a whole different story . As we a on the 15th hole I looked up and see this massive unmarked completely white 4-engine aircraft doing some rather low level maneuvers. Now, being we are in Niagara Falls, and there are a tone of 40-50 plus story hotels this grabbed the attention of many people on the course. After watching it circle a few times it was clear that it was military of some sort, but I didn't have any idea what it was.

It did out a half dozen fly overs which included a lot of hard banking and throttling up mid air so it was quite the site (at about 2000-3000ft). Then the skies went silent for about 10 minutes and I figured it was just doing t'n'g's from the airport. I got a good enough eye on it to google it later to figure out what it was. then as we are getting ready to tee off on the 118th which is right along the edge of the Niagara River Gorge, you can start hearing some engine play in the background, except this time it was louder, faster, and more of it. All of the sudden, this white beast is back, winged by to F-16's and trailed by a C-130. And here I am, without a camera, watching all this excellent air power fly right by me.

Anyways, as I said, I would google it later and try to figure out the plane. Well to my amazement, I just saw the E-6B Mercury "Looking Glass" do low level flybys. With only one of these on the go right now, you van imagine how much more I was pissed off when I realized I was unable to grab a picture of it.

Not having counted them but is this the proverbial one picture is worth a thousand words?? I can only imagine what this looked like!!! LOL

No cell phone camera?

MurthaLawfirm wrote in post #11057543
No cell phone camera?

nope, phones go off except for at the turn. I don't like paying $300 a person for golf and having people worry about work. Especially when the first prize at the tourney is a 32 in LCD TV with X-box (for each golfer) in the winning foursome. Which by the way we came in at -10 and -11 won it, we were a little pissed because the guys that won it were the foursome in front of us and we know they didn't shoot 11 under, but they are big players in the area and don't want to make enemies.

Ouch on the score! Only sometimes will -10 win a scramble. It's usually 12 or 13 that wins.

And thanks for the info. I'll google it to see what you missed.

dave

snyderman wrote in post #11057643
Ouch on the score! Only sometimes will -10 win a scramble. It's usually 12 or 13 that wins.

And thanks for the info. I'll google it to see what you missed.

dave

nice day, but 35kmh gusts made for some tough ball control

heres a link to the e-6b
http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/Boeing_E-6_Mercury

Sorry you missed the shots, but at least you did get the airshow!

At times like that, you just have to look up and say, "CLICK!"

i got to see the b2 bomer in action in the desert in california at the weapons research base. it flew over us abunch. the whole time f-18's were looking for it trying to intercept but they couldn't find it. Then BOOM, target destroyed. I wish i had a camera but all that was taken at the gate upon entry!

Probably the Navy's E6 TACAMO Command and control plane. It is a KC-135 variant. This mission (I think) took over the Air Forces' "Looking-Glass" program.

actually, as per our friends at wiki, it looks like its the other way around, that looking glass took over for tacamo

"The original E-6A was a communications relay aircraft that entered service with the US Navy in July 1989, replacing the EC-130Q. It conveyed instructions from the National Command Authority to fleet ballistic missile submarines, a mission known as TACAMO ("Take Charge and Move Out"). The E-6B model deployed in October 1998 kept this role, but added further command post capabilities and control of land-based missiles and nuclear-armed bombers. The E-6B replaced Air Force EC-135C's in the "Looking Glass" role, providing command and control of U.S. nuclear forces should ground-based control become inoperable."

Look up the history of the "looking-glass missions based out of Offut AFB Ne. -- If you get the correct
info -- you will find that the looking glass missions flew constantly for 30-some years --where they (SAC) had a bird (135) in the air at all times.
I do not assume to know or preach the history of the Navy's E6 program -- But I have seen them doing "touch-and-goes at the Springfield Mo Airport. And through my research (NOT WIKIPEDIA) I know some are based at Tinker AFB Ok
PS I am a AF veteran who flew as a crew member on the RC-135M's.

my bad, mis read wikipedia. if you go back it does say

"The E-6B replaced Air Force EC-135C's in the "Looking Glass"

which means the ec-135c's were for the "looking glass"

Back in October, In El Paso, I saw the Super Guppy over at the NASA building. Of course, no camera. I was practically sick over it. I went back a week later with a camera, and of course it was gone. I didn't know it was still airworthy at the time!

I guess it looked something like this: