McChord Air Expo July 19th – 20th 2008 part 3

The air show is about to begin so we are going to head to our seats and watch. Enjoy!

This is a HC-130 Hercules and is used to extend the range of combat and search and rescue helicopters by providing air refueling.

UH-1 Huey/UH-1 Iroquois or “Huey” famous for it’s Vietnam War use. The “u” stands for utility, in contrast to attack of cargo helicopters. The last were produced in 1976 with more than 16,000 made in total.

Let the air show begin!

Wings of Blue.
The U.S. Air Force Academy began parachuting in 1964 when Cadet First Class Jay Kelley and Cadet Third Class Pete Johnston paired and won a novice team accuracy event – the Academy’s first gold medal in collegiate competition. The Air Force Academy is the only jump program in the U.S. authorized to allow students to perform unassisted free fall delays on their first jump without any prior experience!

Wings of Blue flag drop.

This is called the USAF “Heritage Flight”
and involves the P-51 Mustang and the F/A-18F Super Hornet.

Isabel showing off her earplugs.

This is called the U.S. Navy’s Tailhook “Legacy Flight”
and honors the people and aircraft who defeated our nation in the Navy.
The program was established in 1999 and involves todays state-of-the-art fighters flying in close formation with World War II, Korean and Vietnam Navy and Marine Corps fighters.

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds honoring 6 men before they start their flight show.

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds “diamond” formation.
Leader: Lt. Col. Greg Thomas
Left Wing: Maj. Christopher Austin
Right Wing: Maj. Kirby M. Ensser
Slot: Maj. Scott Poteet

McChord Air Expo July 19th – 20th 2008 part 2

We actually got to the base just after the gates opened to the public at 8 am. The event was free and drew a crowd for both days of 377,616 people! The next Air Expo is tentatively set for 2010. Enjoy!

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbird planes.

This is a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

This is MH-60R Seahawk.

This is the MH-130P Combat Shadow and does low-level refueling missions and resupplies of special operations forces by airdrop or airland.

This is a E-3 Sentry and provides all-weather surveillance, command, control, and communications to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and NATO air defense forces.

Isabel enjoying a plain pretzel before looking at more aircraft.

This is the C-5 Galaxy and is used to carry oversized cargo and
is the largest military aircraft in the world.
I thought the C-17 was big…this thing is HUGE!!!

Inside the C-5 Galaxy.
Can you see Gino and Isabel?

This is the RC-135 Rivet Joint and is used to support theater and national-level consumers with near real-time on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities.

McChord Air Expo July 19th – 20th 2008 part 1

This weekend we headed south to McChord Air Force for the McChord Air Expo. The aerial acts that we got to watch were a C-17A airdrop and tactical demonstrations, U.S. Air Force Academy Parachute Team, Jacquie Warda, Air Force Reserve Jet Car and race, F-15C demonstrations, USAF Heritage Flight, Bud and Ross Granley Dueling YAKS, F/A -18 Super Hornet demonstration, U.S. Navy Tailhook Legacy Flight, Tim Weber, a reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by “Tora, Tora, Tora” and the U. S. Air Force Thunderbirds. On the ground we got to see up close several different aircraft and a few of them we even got to walk inside – how cool is that! Enjoy!

This is called a C-17A Globemaster III and is a cargo aircraft.
We see these flying over our house all the time. The C-17A is very impressive for it’s size.

Inside the C-17A Globemaster III. The line that has formed is to climb a ladder to see the cockpit.

This is a F-22 Raptor.

The “nose” of the F-22 Raptor.

I have no idea what this aircraft is called but it was heavily guarded by an armed guard!

This is a Douglas B-18 Bolo and was used during World War II.

Front view of the Douglas B-18 Bolo. It’s top speed is 215 mph and can carry 6500 lbs. of bombs and has three .30-caliber guns and was flown by McChord’s 17th Bomb group. This aircraft is on display from the U.S. Air Force Museum.

This is a CV-22 Osprey and is a joint service, multi-mission, military tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff/landing and short takeoff/landing.

This is the North America B-25 Mitchell used by Allied air force in World War II and was in service for over four decades.