About that YAK

Just got an answer on an email I sent out last night to a friend of mine who
has also watched the "Yak Near Miss" tape. We both agree the tape is real.
Both of us have flown this same maneuver in warbird demonstration flights
many times. We could be wrong of course, but our collective opinion is that
the tape is quite real.
Actually, my friend is more observant than I was in viewing the tape. He
noticed the Snowbirds parked on the line that you can see for just a nano
second as the Yak exits low. (hint...concentration on the YAK can easily
miss this :-)
I also believe I see the vertical stabilizer of one of the Blue Angels'
Hornets on that line as well.
This would indicate a rather large airshow on the North American continent
somewhere.
As an aside, if anyone is even remotely interested in the technical aspects
involved in low altitude vertical recoveries like this one when being flown
by demonstration pilots flying WW2 warbirds, I cover the subject extensively
for the P51 Mustang in a piece done by Gen Des Barker of the South African
Air Force for Aeroplane Monthly in the Feb 2004 issue; see "Precision
Decision" in that issue. Back copies can be obtained at the following
www.aeroplanemonthly.com.

Hope this helps a bit
Dudley Henriques