Moving a Big Cat - A Tomcat, that is

moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
edited May 21, 2008 in Other Cool Shots
Back in October 2006, the final Navy F-14 flight arrived at Republic Airport on Long Island to be retired. After spending the 18 months on display at the American Airpower Museum at the airport, it was ready to be moved to the Northrop-Grumman plant in Bethpage for permanent display.

Monday night (actually early Tuesday morning) the Tomcat began her final journey. Monday afternoon they lifted the Tomcat over the fence at the museum into the parking lot. Tuesday morning, around 2 am, they began the move, towing it on an 8-mile route to Bethpage, arriving at the plant a little after 4 am.

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Turn signals for a Tomcat!
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And the big move...
Cutting down the last of fence.
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Crossing Long Island Rail Road
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This is my friend Fred (also a SmugMugger) - he's the guy who always talks me into these crazy ideas - taking one of the 3,400 shots he took during the day and night :huh
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The Moose is Loose!
http://www.moose135photography.com

Comments

  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited May 6, 2008
    That is an awesome series of an incredible once-in-a-lifetime event! clap.gif

    I wish I could have been there, but I'm on the other end of the country! :D
    Lee
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  • evorywareevoryware Registered Users Posts: 1,330 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    My favorite fighter. I thought they dropped it over the fence onto a runway so it could fly to Bethpage. mwink.gif
    I go to Briarcliffe College right beside Grumman will definitely check it out.

    Kind of off topic, but you have pics of an F-18 landing at Laguardia? I go over there a lot to let the planes fly over my head.
    Canon 40D : Canon 400D : Canon Elan 7NE : Canon 580EX : 2 x Canon 430EX : Canon 24-70 f2.8L : Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM : Canon 28-135mm f/3.5 IS : 18-55mm f/3.5 : 4GB Sandisk Extreme III : 2GB Sandisk Extreme III : 2 x 1GB Sandisk Ultra II : Sekonik L358

    dak.smugmug.com
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    WHOOOOOOOOOAAAAA!!! bowdown.gifbowbowdown.gifthumbthumb.gifthumb Really great shotsclap.gifclap.gifclap .......all we have left here are KC135s.......not much to photo after having had the B-1 [never got a good pic of it...I could not hold a steady cam if the dang thing were running or flyin] .....now all gone......:cry:cry
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  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Some amazing shots! You documented that unusual moving event very well!!! thumb.gif
  • moose135moose135 Registered Users Posts: 1,420 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Thanks! It was a long night, but one I wouldn't have missed for anything. And Art, there's nothing wrong with KC-135s, I'm an old tanker pilot!
    evoryware wrote:
    Kind of off topic, but you have pics of an F-18 landing at Laguardia? I go over there a lot to let the planes fly over my head.
    I shot these (and a few others) last summer - I think they did a fly over at one of the stadiums. I was at the Worlds Fair Marina lot. These are actually from the same squadron that the final Tomcat was out of.
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    The Moose is Loose!
    http://www.moose135photography.com
  • VycorVycor Registered Users Posts: 386 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Ohh don't tell me they moved this the other day son of a... nobody bothered to tell me, i live down the road in lindenhurst from this
    Adam Daley
    www.adamdaley.com
    www.fdphotos.net
  • DaddyODaddyO Registered Users Posts: 4,466 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Why was I thinking big furry cat when I opened this thread? headscratch.gif:D

    I've really enjoyed being able to see your images here.
    Nice work. thumb.gifthumbthumb.gif
    Michael
  • evorywareevoryware Registered Users Posts: 1,330 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    moose135 wrote:
    Thanks! It was a long night, but one I wouldn't have missed for anything. And Art, there's nothing wrong with KC-135s, I'm an old tanker pilot!


    I shot these (and a few others) last summer - I think they did a fly over at one of the stadiums. I was at the Worlds Fair Marina lot. These are actually from the same squadron that the final Tomcat was out of.

    Ahh yeah they had F-18 flyover's at a couple Yankee games I was at. One was the Cleveland vs Yankees game in the playoffs and the other was I believe Military Day at Yankee Stadium.
    Well I wouldn't be surprised if I ran into you at one of these airports. Happy spotting to you!
    thumb.gif
    Canon 40D : Canon 400D : Canon Elan 7NE : Canon 580EX : 2 x Canon 430EX : Canon 24-70 f2.8L : Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM : Canon 28-135mm f/3.5 IS : 18-55mm f/3.5 : 4GB Sandisk Extreme III : 2GB Sandisk Extreme III : 2 x 1GB Sandisk Ultra II : Sekonik L358

    dak.smugmug.com
  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    WOW....my hubby will have to take a peek at these thumb.gif
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
  • summerzsummerz Registered Users Posts: 494 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2008
    Pretty darn neat, thanks!thumb.gif
  • toberstobers Registered Users Posts: 180 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2008
    Wow! I really want one of those in my garden. Thanks for letting is in on this.
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2008
    moose135 wrote:
    Back in October 2006, the final Navy F-14 flight arrived at Republic Airport on Long Island to be retired. After spending the 18 months on display at the American Airpower Museum at the airport, it was ready to be moved to the Northrop-Grumman plant in Bethpage for permanent display.

    Monday night (actually early Tuesday morning) the Tomcat began her final journey. Monday afternoon they lifted the Tomcat over the fence at the museum into the parking lot. Tuesday morning, around 2 am, they began the move, towing it on an 8-mile route to Bethpage, arriving at the plant a little after 4 am.

    Turn signals for a Tomcat!
    And the big move...
    Cutting down the last of fence.
    Crossing Long Island Rail Road
    This is my friend Fred (also a SmugMugger) - he's the guy who always talks me into these crazy ideas - taking one of the 3,400 shots he took during the day and night eek7.gif

    Okay who else opened this thread thinking they were about to see a very FAT CAT rolleyes1.gif hands up ... awwww come on I couldn't possibly be the only person that didn't have a clue rolleyes1.gif

    This is quite an extraudinary series of images Moose135 clap.gif
    It's taken quite a crew to move the Plane, glad you got to shoot the scene as it was happening.

    Man you got yourself some excellent shots, and a piece of history all in one day ....... Well Done thumb.gif .... Skippy :D
    .
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
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