I heard a rumor....

[JasonG]

I was told this 20+ years ago.

Someone took a fighter jet over Lake Winni at super sonic speeds. They went about as low as they could get to the surface of the lake. The result was a high wave of water behind the jet + many broken windows in the homes around the lake from the sonic booms.

Any truth?

[Kamper]

I doubt this is true but the result you described has been seen, in the movies . There is a low pressure area behind any fast moving vehicle which theoretically could pull up surface water in a similar manner of a storm surge.

At supersonic speeds the pilot would have a transit time of just seconds even over the longest length of the lake. Since military aircraft always file a flight plan it is unlikely they would get away with this.

My 2 cents

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

I saw something similar over the Sacco River in 87'. I ate a bunch of mushrooms about an hour before. The only difference was my sighting wasn't a fighter jet but a high speed blimp. Looking back now, it could have been my fat friend Billy on a rope swing, but why spoil the memory?

[dickiej]

I was up at lower Richardson lake in Andover, ME years ago fishing when I heard a "whooshing" noise but couldn't figure out what it was. Suddenly, two F-16's came over the ridge to the south, flipped upside down, and flew about 50' over the surface of the lake about 800 mph, rolled upright, and disappeared over the next ridge to the north. My kids thought it was the cooles thing they had EVER seen!!

[HomeWood]

Our old neighbors in Moultonboro had family in the military and they did quite a low fly-by over the water for us one summer. It was about 20-25 years ago. They were in F-4 Phantoms, I believe. I doubt this is what you're referring to but I thought it was pretty awesome. We walked down to their house later to meet the pilots.

[tis]

I would say about 20 years ago a military jet flew very low over the lake and crashed in Wolfeboro on a dirt road just before Borden's Flats on Rte. 28. That could be what you were referring to but I don't remember the waves you talked about. I don't remember any broken windows either, but I wouldn't doubt it. We jumped up out of bed wondering what in the world was going on! It was very scary!

[Senter Cove Guy]

My parents rented a place at Lanes End in Melvin Village from the late 1940's thru 1965. One summer I remember Evelyn Hatfield running down to the beach saying "that's my brother" as a fighter jet made two low level passes. It was noisy but it was pretty cool.

[Woodsy]

Popping the sound barrier over the Continental US without permission is beyond forbidden... a pilot would lose his wings for doing a stunt like that.

There are few designated MOA (Military Operating Area) such as Edwards AFB where supersonic flight is allowed under the direction of Military flight controllers. Most supersonic flying/training is done over the ocean.

I have personally seen an F-18 do a .99 Mach pass down the runway at Hanscom AFB during a practice for an airshow... you could see the supersonic shockwave forming as the plane pierced the bubble. Pretty cool to watch!

Woodsy

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Popping the sound barrier over the Continental US without permission is beyond forbidden... a pilot would lose his wings for doing a stunt like that.

There are few designated MOA (Military Operating Area) such as Edwards AFB where supersonic flight is allowed under the direction of Military flight controllers. Most supersonic flying/training is done over the ocean.

I have personally seen an F-18 do a .99 Mach pass down the runway at Hanscom AFB during a practice for an airshow... you could see the supersonic shockwave forming as the plane pierced the bubble. Pretty cool to watch!

Woodsy

I remember this event. It was awesome! So was the F-117 fly by at a Pease show. As a member of the avionics build team at BAE in Nashua, I have witness a number of fly overs by the Navy and AF as an appreciation for our work on the planes. One fly over I will never forget was the F22, the plane came in so gently as if it was hovering over the building than with a loud whoosh! It took off out of sight and within minutes we heard a distance boom! Not sure if it hits Mach One but the fighter jet is certainly capable!

[BroadHopper]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiAKvm-Mxo8

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Popping the sound barrier over the Continental US without permission is beyond forbidden... a pilot would lose his wings for doing a stunt like that.
Woodsy

It may be forbidden but a few years back at my ski house in Franconia we had just that. We have numerous fly overs around Cannon mt by military aircraft. I'm in my house when I hear what sounded like a thunder BANG on a clear day. I thought maybe a tree fell on the house or...I don't know but it startled the hell out of us. I go outside and see nothing except for 2 fighters flying away.

[DBreskin]

Originally Posted by dickiej

I was up at lower Richardson lake in Andover, ME years ago fishing when I heard a "whooshing" noise but couldn't figure out what it was. Suddenly, two F-16's came over the ridge to the south, flipped upside down, and flew about 50' over the surface of the lake about 800 mph, rolled upright, and disappeared over the next ridge to the north.

If you heard the noise before you saw the planes, they must have been going much slower than 800 mph.

[Kamper]

Most of the White Mountains are restricted to military aircraft. These areas are normally used for low-level practice and go-fast traffic uses areas off the coast. It's possible somebody got permission to do a little mixed use up there.

[JasonG]

Got some good comments here, thanks!

[WeirsGuard]

Woodsy is right. Any pilot that exceeded the sound barrier over the CONUS would almost certainly lose his / her wings. Depending on conditions, a fast mover kicking in afterburner can generate a noise similar to a sonic boom. As for flying low over the lake, back in my AF flying days I believe that over water (ie: a lake) you can take the jet down as low as you dare. I've seen FB-111's from our base screaming up Lake Champlain at wave top height in formation. Very impressive and perfectly legal. I fondly remember one crisp, clear Fall afternoon doing approaches to Manchester Airport in our KC-135 and then going VFR homebound over the Big Lake and the White Mountains. We even got Boston Center to allow us a couple of orbits around Mt. Washington at 2,000' above ground level. Beautiful!

[Bear Guy]

In "Bear Island Reflections," a tale like this is recounted (and I stress tale). As the story goes, during the early Vietnam War era, John Merselis was fishing off Five Mile when two jets came across the lake. One circled and returned so low it was "leaving a wake," causing John to jump overboard for safety.

[exlakesregioner]

I recall A-10 Warthogs doing low level flying around Newfound Lake years ago!!

[TheProfessor]

Originally Posted by HomeWood

Our old neighbors in Moultonboro had family in the military and they did quite a low fly-by over the water for us one summer. It was about 20-25 years ago. They were in F-4 Phantoms, I believe.

In the 1950's and early 1960's Air Force jets every Summer would fly over the lake. Summer training or Air Force Reserve - getting flight time. Coming from Griffiss or Platsburgh and probably going to Pease.

Northern part of lake. I would see them dip down close to water then pull up.
All was quite entertaining.

But alas, someone complained. And all stopped.

[tis]

The one that crashed came from Pease. The two collided, one made it back to Pease and the other crashed.