Presidewnt reagan's Missing Man Formation

In article ,
Cub Driver wrote:

For political reasons, it would have been appropriate for the RIGHT WINGman
to
be the one that departed.

Isn't it always? I think of a finger-four as the fingers of my right
hand, with the lead being the middle finger. The Missing Man is the
leader of the second element, flying to the right and behind the
leader of the flight--the ring finger of the right hand.

all the best -- Dan Ford
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The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
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It depends on whether the formation is "Hard Right" or "Hard Left". In
the latter, #3 is on the left and pulls, as it is always #3 in a 4-ship
that pulls and "flies West."

In article ,
emoove (tony) wrote:

For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Symbolism aside, wouldn't the formation fall apart without a Lead? You'd
end up with a two-ship formation and a single plane flying near each
other, but not in a proper (practiced) formation, right?

"Nathan Gilliatt" wrote in message
...
In article ,
emoove (tony) wrote:

For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The
missing
man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Symbolism aside, wouldn't the formation fall apart without a Lead? You'd
end up with a two-ship formation and a single plane flying near each
other, but not in a proper (practiced) formation, right?

Kinda wondered about this myself, Nate.
Marty

For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

If the leader were missing, would anyone know it was a Missing Man, as
opposed to two planes flying alongside a third plane at some distance?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

If the leader were missing, would anyone know it was a Missing Man, as
opposed to two planes flying alongside a third plane at some distance?

Symbols are like that.

The two element formation approaches, all four aircraft in view, and one exits.
If you know about "Missing Man Formations" you'd probably understand. If one
doesn't, perhaps it would have to be explained.

With respect to the questions about safety without the lead element leader, I
suspect nearly any three of us could fly a the first element wingman slot
safely keying on the leader of the second element.

I can accept traditon as the reason to fly it as it had been flown, but in that
it's symbolic I rather liked the idea of the lead aircraft going absent.

Others didn't.

It lead to an interesting thread, though, esp the poster who wrote of the
Reagan's sense it was a requirement of the office that such a funeral be held.
Back during his term, it had been written he always went to his office with
coat and tie, as a mark of reverence for the place.

Another thought -- even better. Didn't President Reagan fund the B1B?

Now, that would be a fly-by!

About my comment for the mid air refueling flyby for former President Clinton
-- I'm thinking now three supersonic bombers, at perhaps mach 2, would also be
fitting.

Where are my flame proof pants?

"tony" wrote in message
...

Another thought -- even better. Didn't President Reagan fund the B1B?


Yes.

If you know about "Missing Man Formations" you'd probably understand. If one
doesn't, perhaps it would have to be explained.

http://www.warbirdforum.com/missing.htm

Enjoy!

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! www.vivabush.org

If the leader were missing, would anyone know it was a Missing Man, as
opposed to two planes flying alongside a third plane at some distance?

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Perhaps the presentation is when the "missing" aircraft pulls up and
out of the flight of four? Or perhaps you've never experienced the event in
person.

tony wrote:

Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The Navy
flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by your
ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
representing the missing man.

For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

Wasn't that how they did it over Washington (or maybe it was Pt.
Mugu)? On TV I thought I saw *lead* break away during one of the
missing man flyovers for Reagan. It was such an unusual sight I
wondered if my eyes had fooled me. I'm still not sure. Did anyone else
notice that?

The only other time I can remember lead departing a missing man
formation was a Memorial Day flyover at Edwards AFB with T-38s. A few
minutes later a sonic boom rocked the base. It may have been lead
flying solo, or perhaps the formation got back together.

--

Paul Hirose
To reply by email delete INVALID from address.

emoove (tony) wrote in message ...
Former President Reagan's sunset burial had a dissonant note for me. The Navy
flew a missing man formation over the site, and as is traditional the second
element lead position (the airplane that would have been represented by your
ring finger tip as they flew in finger tip formation) left its position,
representing the missing man.

For this man, this president, tradition should have been broken. The missing
man was a Leader. The lead position should have been the vacant one.

(besides the leader) The other aircrews turn their heads 45 degrees
left or right to view the aircraft in front of them. They use it as
reference to their position in the formation. If the lead aircraft
became the missing man, then the other aircraft would have no good
reference points to keep themselves in proper formation.

Don't know if anyone else heard this but on Wednesday during the Air
Force 21 ship salute over Washington, Peter Jennings called the
formation the "Solo Man Formation". Plus the camera man focusing on
the aircraft doing the rapid climb away from the formation. IMHO, the
focus of the "Missing Man" is not on this aricraft but on the
remaining formation.