CB1100 posing with F-4 Phantom

[ClassicVW_imp]

Yeah W/R, the Phantom did last a long time in service with other countries.
That same buddy of mine ran the bombing/strafing range in southern NJ for a few years. It's little known outside of the military. I saw units fly there from Maine, Ohio, Virginia etc to bomb and the pilots get graded on accuracy. It's laid out like a Soviet era air base. "Runways" are made with bulldozers, and scattered around are captured Soviet tanks, Anti-aircraft weapons and other goodies that are used as targets. Practice bombs are used so there's not any destruction of the targets. A couple of times I was allowed to hang out there and take photos. Two things stand out to me even to this day- The A-10s firing their cannon from right over my head into the target pits, and the crazy as all get-out USMC Phantom pilots making their final 'ordnance check' pass at the wooden control tower at high speed and about 50 feet from me. They shook the tower and I was standing on the outside walkway and I had to hook my arm over the outside railing to keep from being shaken or blown off.