I was reading this post over at Kate's and it brought back a memory from when I was a teen.
From the age of 6 until 25 we lived in the Eden Valley in Cumbria. Due to it being a valley, it was a perfect place for the fighter jets to practice their manoeuvre's (British spelling!!) Also there was an army camp close by with a practice range on it for the tanks, and the troops could also practice whatever they practice.
So we grew up seeing these jets flying past a ridiculous speeds. Unless you were new to the area, you just carried on; someone new you may see them duck as they flew past....LOL One day when I was a teen and living at home, I was either pegging out the washing or bringing it in, and a jet flew by. I never heard it until it was basically on top of me. It scared me so bad I was screaming my head off. I was terrified, shaking and crying. I must have been away in my own head day dreaming. I still remember it to this day, as to how scared I was.
Then another memory which was funny as it made me smile. We were at my mother-in-law's funeral, which of course was not funny. At that point we had lived in Canada probably 15 years. So during the funeral the vicar was speaking then all of a sudden we had fighter jets flying over. The noise was deafening and the poor vicar had to stop speaking for a few seconds. Again none of the congregation thought anything of it as they were so used to it.
I will say though it's when there is a sonic boom from one of these jets that can indeed frighten even those people who are used to the jets flying by.
Thanks Kate for the idea of this post.
4 comments:
I remember hearing the odd sonic boom when I was a kid but haven't heard them in years. Of course we don't have fighter jets flying overhead at present (who knows, perhaps it's coming)
The jet fighter planes did low level training in North Wales. The slope out of the valley was deceptive, with tall trees near the top, and a pilot had to accelerate vertically, very rapidly, a loud boom, the chimney cowling on the cottage spinning, and a large patch of blackened grass in the field!
Here's my early memory of aircraft (not necessarily fighter jets): As a 5-year-old my parents sometimes talked about WWII, which was long over, but I recall my Dad mentioned "the Japs" . Whenever I was out playing, if a plane happened to come overhead, I would run into the woods as I was sure it was piloted by "the Japs" and would gun me down! I don't know that my parents ever knew how impressionable I was. I had also decided that if "the Japs" came into our house I would say I was a "Jap" and I would be spared! Laughing....little tow-head blond, a Jap?!!
Not too many fighter jets flying here, but since the new regime in the U.S. we have a Blackhawk helicopter flying over the house about every second day. Guess that happens when you are only 9 miles or so from the border.
God bless.
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