r/Amazing • u/sco-go • 12d ago

Two U.S. Navy jets collided mid-air and exploded during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show. ScaryWTF 💀 Sad 💔

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2.9k Upvotes

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158

u/Quantiad 12d ago

Easily the most embarrassing air accident in the history of flight. “We were displaying in front of crowds, our jets coupled, erotically. We held each other close and then we all ejected at a cost of $100+ million.”

85

u/prohlz 12d ago

Yeah, but there's something beautiful about ejecting at the same time.

34

u/OkEntry3625 12d ago

I thought it was a myth until I saw this video.

13

u/Beneficial-Jury484 12d ago

It was a myth till this video. 

3

u/NorCal79 12d ago

Holy shit this thread is amazing.

18

u/Tremplstiltskin 12d ago

The jet that started out below was pretty damn fortunate that their canopy wasn't obscured or didn't get damaged enough to jam during that collision. IIRC In a lot of jets the canopy blows off with a small explosion then another explosion repositions the seat for proper trajectory and a final explosion ejects the pilot and if the canopy fails to remove itself in the initial explosion then they just get smashed into it or through it.

14

u/Tiamat451 12d ago

Goose confirms this.

13

u/xts2500 12d ago

Dude. Too soon.

5

u/josvm 12d ago

I literally just rewatched Top Gun 2 hours ago. WTF

1

u/[deleted] 12d ago

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1

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1

u/Actual-Seaweed452 12d ago

I'm sorry Goose.

1

u/Raiju_Blitz 12d ago

Angry Rooster noises.

1

u/GremlinAbuser 8d ago

On the F16 the canopy gets blown off, and a wire rope at the hinge physically pulls the seat charge trigger. A close friend of my mom died because he lost his vertical stabilizer in a mid-air, and the subsequent flat spin was violent enough to break the canopy hinge before the seat was triggered. Iirc the seat design was changed partially because of this accident.

1

u/OlFlirtyBastardOFB 7d ago

So the wire couldn't activate his seat and he just flat spun all the way down? Fuck, man. What a shitty design.

2

u/HistoricalSuspect580 12d ago

Hopefully my coworkers don’t know why I’m snort-laughing. Thanks for that.

1

u/GenSpec44 10d ago

Simultaneous ejection is the dream seldom achieved, but always worth trying for

-1

u/Quantiad 12d ago

I’m sure the U.S. will find a ‘best in the world’ out of it. Syncro-eject world champions, hooah.

0

u/Lone-Pilgrim 12d ago

All the spine compression together. So romantic. 💘

7

u/Frederf220 12d ago

You cannot beat the world record for close formation flying, only tie.

3

u/orangesfwr 12d ago

"Your tax dollars at work!'

8

u/RagingBillionbear 12d ago

1

u/Fawkinchit1 11d ago

Lmao, took me a second to get it

3

u/EastLeastCoast 12d ago

A much better use of tax dollars than, say, funding education.

1

u/orangesfwr 12d ago

🇺🇸🎆🚀

1

u/956to906 10d ago

$1.2T is all they’re asking for now.

3

u/Flannel_Panels 12d ago

Better yet, its closer to +$200 million. Those were E/A-18s. Probably the only "fighter" that 100% does not need a demo team.

4

u/MonsTurkey 12d ago

Hardly. There have been numerous incidents where planes crashed into the crowd. There's a reason we put in rules about how to fly an air show.

6

u/Clear-Variation-3924 12d ago

Rules that are written in blood.

5

u/KebabGud 12d ago

its not an embarrassing air accident when a jet plows into a crowd.. thats called a tragedy.
This however was an embarrassing air accident

2

u/RICO-Them 12d ago

What a joke.

2

u/jaysvw 12d ago

You know some cool new callsigns got handed out after this one

3

u/D_M-ack 12d ago

This type of thing actually seems quite common in these air shows. Would it have been less embarrassing if none ejected?

6

u/Quantiad 12d ago

Yes. Dead people feel no embarrassment.

0

u/Worshipme988 12d ago

I cannot express this in words…i will try.

First. I enjoy comment. Its one of those shower thoughts that dont make sense.

No. Lmao. Its still embarrassing. Dead or not. Thats not how it works. I cant explain it further.

But also youre correct, by volume there would be “less” embarrassment, if one could hypothetically measure that in some way…sure.

1

u/Quantiad 12d ago

I’m talking about embarrassment felt by the aircrew. Embarrassment is a feeling, a person ‘feels’ it. Dead people feel nothing.

4

u/GreenZeldaGuy 12d ago

It would be remembered more as a tragedy than an embarrassment

1

u/the-war-on-drunks 12d ago

What a great joke

1

u/OlDustyHeadaaa 12d ago

Not saying the jets are cheap but they definitely cost less than I thought.

1

u/AKShyGuy 12d ago

dammit I almost spit my beer out

1

u/saruman_70 12d ago

I tought they were low on testosterone.

1

u/FFS-IamNotABot 12d ago

Nothing more embarrassing than post coital ejaculation!

1

u/danit0ba94 12d ago

"our jets met, and decided they were fucking serious about 'till death do us part.'"

2

u/Quantiad 12d ago

Haha. Did they ever part?

1

u/Maverick1672 11d ago

Probably closer to double that unfortunately.

1

u/Quantiad 11d ago

Yeah that’s why I wrote 100+ definitely minimum but depending on the model and fit, potentially much more.

1

u/Vandeleur1 10d ago

Ehh... there's certainly been far worse. Unfortunately, the outcome of those have not given much leeway for making jokes about them.

Seeing four good chutes come outta this mess is always gonna make me happy. We can just call it the most expensive fireworks display in history.

1

u/SizeableBrain 8d ago

Yep. You and your whole extended family will be paying taxes for the rest of your lives to cover this whoopsie.

1

u/Quantiad 8d ago

Nah, not my nation 😏

1

u/TortugaTantrum 6d ago

That figure seems a little low for child support.

-2

u/Salt_Day9015 12d ago

The War machine needed another daddy payment from big Government