Saturday evening, in the Canberra suburbs. A crash of thunder, but there is no rain, and the noise is ongoing and rising in crescendo. "It's a pig doing a dump and burn," he says, and we all rush outside to see a long orange streak ascending against the dark of night.
It's the Australian High Court centenary celebrations. An F1-11 pilot lets out fuel that is lit by the exhaust of his thrusters; a manned firework rides a tail of flame.
Sigue Sigue Sputnik plays in my head. Shoot it up. Rock.
Low flying bombers spook Canberrans (The Age, 12 October 2003)
Canberra official condemns air force fly past on eve of Bali anniversary (Agence France-Press, 13 October 2003)