I grew up near the edge of the Eglin AFB reservation. There was a bombing range almost within sight. I could go up to the highest spot in our pasture and watch the Phantoms, F-100s, F-104s, F-105s, A-10s, diving, strafing, bombing etc.
They would disappear from sight around 2/3rds down their dive then would pull up again and I would hear the results and sometimes actually feel the bombs.
I had an early Nikon 7X35mm binocular. It was made in Occupied Japan and had of all things slightly soft coated lenses. I had to be careful cleaning them but boy they were good, sharp binos.
They had another type test which I never understood but they did it for years. They would have an F-104 Fly right by our house which was way in the country, and there would always be an F-100 just behind it both really low, maybe 200 feet. They would basically make a long circle and come by again. Repeat this several times then do it again the next day.
This kept up for several years and like I said, I had no idea what they were doing. Anyway Eglin was a fun place to be around.
I know Eglin well. Spent time there as a Ranger student and later as an instructor training students. We used to traverse some of those ranges going in and out of the swamps along the Yellow River. Bomb casings everywhere sticking out of the sand. Loved watching the AC-130s out of Hurlburt doing their thing on the ranges at night.