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Whoosh! Dangerously close jet fighter barely misses a crazy dude
What does it feel like to have a fighter jet fly just a few feet above your head? Only this brave soul and his cameraman know for sure. We especially like the way the guy seems unfazed by a jet fighter zipping along in excess of 600 miles an hour, flying low enough to almost hit him.
By the way, the video's title specifies an "F18 Hornet" (known in the real world as an F/A-18 Hornet), which this aircraft is not. The Hornet has two vertical stabilizers — this jet clearly has just one. Nor is this an F-16, like the upgraded Thunderbirds we saw earlier this summer. This is more likely a Harrier Jump Jet.
YouTube, via Geekologie
By digitaltree515 at 12:33 PM ON 09/04/09
Yep, looks like a Harrier to me (speaking as a former Marine). Crazy jarheads, love us some excitement!
By Dvice Reader at 12:35 PM ON 09/04/09
So, does anyone think it's been faked? The camera reacted to the flyby more than the person did; seems like he would have moved, too. Just askin'.
By richpit at 12:37 PM ON 09/04/09
I'm no expert, but it looks faked to me.
By Cynical at 1:01 PM ON 09/04/09
It could also be a Mirage or one of its variants. Those french pilots have some balls. Go check'em out on youtube some time.
By Lavengro at 1:24 PM ON 09/04/09
Totally fake. No exhaust visible after it passes, but it is there and visible during the approach. No sign of jet wash around the guy despite the apparent desert area. I'd expect to see dust, sand, grit blowing through the shot after the flyby.
By Moses at 1:24 PM ON 09/04/09
This is a F1 Mirage doesnt even look close to a Harrier. The US Forces do not allow this kind of stuff.
By Bkfldviking at 1:29 PM ON 09/04/09
It is not an F-18.
It is a French Mirage.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&um=1&sa=1&q=f-1+Mirage+&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Either the F-1 or the Dassault Mirage 2000.
Besides, that is not an American uniform at all.
By BeenThereDoneThat at 2:10 PM ON 09/04/09
Well first off like has been said it's a mirage with it's external fuel tank still on it... And it's not going in excess of anything, that might be around 250-300mph if that.
And the fact that the camera man freaked more than the guy that has probably been in that position more than once is not surprising. What would have been better is a sonic boom at that altitude to make them both deaf instantly ;)
However the guys shadow is the key. It seems to only be connected to his left foot. Look at any point when he is walking around, his right foot doesn't make a shadow... Seconds 11 and 28 for the best shots.
By Cynical at 2:56 PM ON 09/04/09
First off winner on the Mirage call. Not sure if its a fake or not, you can see the exhaust dissipate as it comes down the runway. As for the dust they're on a runway not in the middle of a field so I'd assume it'd be more dust free then ya think. Third as far as they guy not reacting it looks like the main guy is leaning into the jet a bit to prep for the fly by but the guy with the camera is probably kneeling or squatting which would put him off his center of gravity.
I've been to plenty of air shows and I've seen my share of low passes so its very much a possibility to do something like this. On the other hand standing in the path of something like that is quite another thing, but I guess being stranded in a dessert you have to find ways to entertain yourself.
Thirdly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQMtSJLzYLs
Gotta love the A-10 =P
By Jake at 3:53 PM ON 09/04/09
I just want you to take into considerations that most of modern day aircraft have systems where you can set the altitude you want to fly at. But, people have said that it was a Mirage and i know little about those aircraft. Also, who sais it's not a kick-ass pilot?
By Bones at 6:03 PM ON 09/04/09
I bet he probably had his eyes closed.
By Bodak at 10:46 PM ON 09/04/09
BeenThereDoneThat nailed it...
Total fake on the walking guy... I could believe the camera man being there, probably lying down and freaked out of his mind, but the walk is definitely fake.
Make it full screen and stare at nothing other than his feet.
Now, similar to the star wars kid, I'd like to see who can come up with a better version!
By Ryo at 5:08 AM ON 09/06/09
Looks fake to me. The wind turbulance would at least cause this guy to move a lot more than he did.
By Kr6zY_b33 at 9:14 AM ON 09/06/09
its a av8b hornet...
By khxi at 10:19 AM ON 09/06/09
B was right it's a Mirage F-1
By ramdak at 6:06 PM ON 09/06/09
It´s a south african mirage... seen other videos of them makin very crazy flights... Also seen an f16 doin very very low alt flybys.
Not fake at all!
By captnzro at 12:38 AM ON 09/07/09
FAKE! camera shakes but guy doesnt move at all and his uniform doesnt flap in what would be intense suction/wind.....not mirage, just fake, spent plenty of time at wright patterson afb...fake...
By biscuit at 12:46 AM ON 09/07/09
the plane is there, extremely low, the camera is there, therefore shakes, the crew member is added, note how he casts NO SHADOW AT ALL, go back to the tard farm guy....mirage....lol
By RcrDean at 1:13 AM ON 09/08/09
Not a jet, but low and close flyby of a Spitfire:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7949782788019960807#
By Borg at 5:02 AM ON 09/10/09
-= For all those that are screaming it's a fake =-
1. The guy standing there does cast a shadow the whole time. (it's to the right of him & the plane's shadow follows suit.)
2. His uniform does react to the passing of the plane. Pay close attention to his sleeves. Also a Plane traveling at fast speed is going to have a pressure wave ahead of it as it displaces air. In the video you'll notice the sleeves react just a tad before the plane is over him.
Now this still could very well be a fake, but it looks real, and logically makes more sense to be real. I have friends in family in the armed forces, and a lot of crazy crap get's done out of boredom.
By adastragrl at 8:51 AM ON 09/10/09
I have to agree with it being faked... the shadow of the airplane is virtually underneath the plane (the sun overhead), but the shadow of the guy is longer (the sun is at an angle off to the left... and it is anchored to one foot (that's actually funny to watch in slow motion!) ...
By Darthbaron at 4:25 PM ON 09/10/09
Fake? Really? Some people are completely blind.
By rodsju at 7:21 PM ON 09/10/09
fake or real, its still cool
By Balckwolf at 11:22 PM ON 09/10/09
I believe its a Tornado GR-MK1 U.K. Royal Air Force
The bera is not American
By ScienceTeacher at 1:07 AM ON 09/11/09
At second six the plane is removed from the video, if you toggle back and forth from five through 7 you will see the man standing on the pavement without the jet. Great fiction! I was almost convinced.
By sagedismal at 2:35 AM ON 09/11/09
it looks to be real. based off of the shadows it looks to be around 3-4pm or so and he does have a shadow, but it won't be attached when he lifts his foot to take a step.
his sleeves look tight rolled so watch his pants just before it passes not his shirt since it is tucked.
By sagedismal at 2:41 AM ON 09/11/09
@ ScienceTeacher
look again. that's called motion blur. its a natural occurrence that happens when something is filmed and is moving at a high rate of speed. besides, the shadow is still in the shot so I don't know what you're talking about.
And you call yourself a teacher. LOL
By moviedemon at 3:17 PM ON 09/11/09
@ScienceTeacher -
The plane isn't "removed from the video", it's simply flying out of frame (the cameraman's duck-and-cover doesn't help much).
Look the the distance the plane travels between frame 4 and frame 5. All you're seeing is the plane leave the frame completely between frame 5 and 6.
By ineedyou22 at 10:09 AM ON 09/12/09
The guy's shadow looks completely fake, it doesn't follow him correctly when he walks away.
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