Just a bit off topic...

[ngauger]

Several weeks ago while working outside with the volunteer fire department there was a sudden and extremely loud thunder. It was loud enough that we could hear it over the noise of our equipment (chain saws and generator) Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and looked up, in time to see 3 very low flying F18s already past our location. Don't know why they were there or what they were doing. We live about 30 miles from PAX River Naval Air Station, where they often do testing of aircraft, but I don't ever recall any aircraft flying so low, or fast, over the area where I live.

We got inquiries at the fire department for the next 45 minutes about the noise, apparently the whole neighborhood heard it and was shaken up.

I saw in a documentary somewhere, that they usually fly low and fast in tribute to a fallen soldier - for the funeral services. That may have been the reason.