Veterans

The B-1's, F-4's, KC-135's, and F-16's were deafening. I lived below the landing path of McConnell AFB and they all did touch-and-goes at the worst time of the day, often late in the evenings. I was a regular caller to the AFB switchboard complaining about it. The B-1's and F-16's were horrible. One couldn't hear a damned thing.

I was an acoustical engineer at Boeing at the time and worked on the re-engine program for the KC-135 Stratotanker. The new plane addressed these complaints very well and doubled the thrust. The new one was very quiet.

Fighters and big bombers will never be quiet. The worst was when a B-52 flew into town for service at Boeing. Damned things rattled your teeth.