AF flies high at Monster Jam
Air Force monster truck driver Damon Bradshaw (left) chats with Christopher Jackson Jr. and his father during a 2009 Monster Jam pre-competition event Jan. 11 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Later in the afternoon, 16 monster trucks, including Mr. Bradshaw driving Afterburner, competed head-to-head in a timed event and a freestyle event. Mr. Bradshaw took second with fast lap times and freestyle performances that had the crowd of approximately 45,000 up and cheering. Afterburner's 540 cubic-inch Merlin supercharged racing V-8 engine churns out 1,425 horsepower. Mr. Bradshaw, in his 3rd season, demonstrated that he had mastered the application of power by launching the 10,000-lb vehicle more than 40 feet in the air, thrilling the crowd. Afterburner is equipped with 66" tall, 750-lb wheels and tires and has four-wheel steering. Combine that with massive amounts of power and Mr. Bradshaw can make the truck spin on a dime by turning all four wheels and spinning out. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)