Noisy but fun. Every day was an airshow.
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.