FORMATION FLYING - The world's coolest aircraft in formation, from WW II up to the latest jets!

[lancerevell]

The P-51 at 3:36 is an A model, shown by the different nose shape with carb intake on top due to the Allison engine. B model had the intake below the nose for the Packard/Merlin engine.

[johnplaninac]

Another great video. Thanks for sharing just wish we could see the smile on your face. Had to have been a blast. Great work.

[S_M_]

I wonder how Mike will fit-in a model cover....oh wait, just did!😂

[manuelcavero]

Another good one, Mike! Amazing shots and artwork. Kindest regards.

[jetsons]

The "Lawn Dart, " we had Lawn Darts as kids. Thats back when kids were kids and
Band-Aid's were cheap. What a great watch, perfect way to start the day, great photo and artwork. Oh, and thanks for the Box

[rbrtjbarber]

I read once where "fast-mover" pilots joked about Army formations as "two helicopters flying in the same direction on the same day."

[HennyvilleX]

Great selection of rare or formerly unpublished pictures with comprehensive background information. A must watch for aviation afficionados.

[Sarah-JaneR]

excellent video Mike, some stunning photographs which I really enjoyed

[raynus]

Absolutely stunning shots Mike - well done!

[craiglordable]

Always great to see formation flying. Even more fun to do it.

[JMdfcv]

Another excellent presentation! You made me check to see if we flew the same EDW F-16…nope, the bird I flew was a 92 model (92-453) back in 2006 (front seat payback with a TPS IP in the back seat). I didn’t realize the choreography involved when filming aircraft inflight. I flew a 117 during the USAF “gas pumper” recruiting commercial. 4 F-117s flying formation with a KC-10 in Edwards airspace and over the Pacific. A black Cessna Citation with quite a few mounted cameras was directing our formation positions. While flying, we thought these positions do not make sense at all, until we were shown the initial cut…oh, perspective. Flying the QF-4E in formation with P-47s & P-51s during USAF Heritage Flights, I would lock out the slats and trim a slightly nose forward (heavy) stick. Eliminate pitch/trim transients while flying & maneuvering the Phantom in a slow speed regime. Formation flying is fun, fighting rocks.

[michaelcosta]

Mike Amazing Photos, what a wonderful career you have!

[joeschenk]

Great one, I loved your F-16s at Edwards AFB photos. However at 3:39 the Mustang is an Allison powered one, probably the dive bomber version, A-36. I do agree with you that planes in formation look better with the wing of the camera plane visible. Thanks as always and Model On.

[stephenkastory]

Another great video with a lot of great information and pictures. Thank You

[glennweaver]

Superb content. Love the Edwards shots the most. What an experience those flights had to have been for you.

[brucefelger]

Used to be P-3's in formation meant they were over the same state. When the AD squadrons were moved to NAS Whidbey, suddenly they had to show what they could do. nothing quite like watching a P=3 in the short pattern for touch and goes

[SPak-rtgb]

Great shots. Liked the Concord formation

[timryan]

Great, as always. What a career you've had. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

[xgalmichelleevans]

As always, love your latest video, Mike. When I was serving in the USAF back in the 1970s, I had an opportunity for a hop over to Hawaii from my base at Fairchild AFB in Washington state. I had done a hop there previously, but this flight turned out much differently. Both times were aboard KC-135 Stratotankers, but my first trip was on a lone KC, whereas I found out in this case, we were to be part of a formation flight. From Fairchild, we headed south to March AFB in California. Once refueled and stocked up, we took off to head west over the Pacific. Soon after, two more KCs from March joined up, then finally, a squadron of six F-4 Phantoms completed our formation. We were in the trailing KC, which afforded me several opportunities to go up to the cockpit and grab shots of all the aircraft flying in front of us. Each KC had 2 F-4s assigned to them, including ours. All across the Pacific to Hawaii, we kept the F-4s topped off with gas. They would line up on the starboard side, then slide down behind us to gulp the av gas, then they moved off to take up formation again on our port side.

What an amazing flight that was, and very happy I had my venerable Nikon F with me to capture the action. Unfortunately, the photos have been affected by age, but I was eventually able to get them scanned and put onto my web site. If anyone's interested, here is the link to check out our flight that day:

[neilhaas]

That's amazing wonderful. Love jets 🛫🛬✈️✈️🛩️🛩️❤️👍🤗😁😀😇😎🤓🤠