Blog No 33 Military Aircraft over Washington DC
While growing up during the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s my brothers and I often saw B-52 bombers flying over the Ozark skies. The plane had a distinctive appearance but we usually identified the airplane before we saw it because of its unique sound. I have some familiarity with commercial passenger jets, but I know little about our military aircraft. It should not come as a surprise to anyone that our military has an extensive array of aircraft used for varied purposes. I used Jane’s US Military Aircraft Recognition Guide (2007) to identify the planes in my photos, and Gemini AI was most helpful but made the mistake of identifying two fighter jets flying close together as a single double-fuselage plane.
The F-16 fighter jet has a single tail, whereas the F-22 Raptor is a modern fighter jet with V-shaped twin tails. The B-2 Stealth Bomber has a distinctive bat-like configuration. The KC-135 Stratotanker used for refueling has an unmistakable long pipe-like structure protruding at an angle from the fuselage. The C-17 Globemaster III has 4 engines with a bulky fuselage that tapers towards the tail. The plane is used for delivery of troops, heavy equipment and supplies. The B-1 Lancer bomber has variable-sweep wings which allows it to fly at different speeds and altitudes.
From the rooftop of our apartment I took photos of aircraft flying over the Mall during the Fourth of July 250th anniversary celebration. Since our distance from the Mall is almost two miles, my images are not as sharp as desirable. The noise of the aircraft flying over the skies caught the ire of American Crows (abundant in the city) and they took to the air with loud calls of protest during the show.
All photos by author
KC-135 Stratotanker (far left) and F-22 Raptors
Crows take to the air in protest
F-16 Falcon
C-17 Globemaster III
B-1 Lancer bomber
Air Force One with escorts
KC-135 Stratotanker
B 2 Bomber
Air Force One
F-16 Falcon
