Military Aviation History On Parade
It was a time of transition in the aviation world on Nov. 22,
1953. The jet age was still in its infancy as Naval Air Station
Miramar welcomed aboard thousands of spectators to witness the Air
Power Day military air show commemorating the 50th anniversary of
powered flight.
Whether under the command of the Marine Corps or Navy, Miramar
has held an air show regularly for more than half a century. This
year, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar continues the tradition
begun decades ago with the 2005 Miramar Air Show, featuring dozens
of thundering aircraft and intricate aerial demonstrations from
aircraft past and present.
Upon reaching the air station flight line, hundreds of thousands
of spectators will immediately find themselves amongst more than
130 static displays of military and civilian aircraft, Marine Corps
ground vehicles and weapons systems.
Featured are military aircraft from across the armed forces,
including those from MCAS Miramar's resident warfighters, the 3rd
Marine Aircraft Wing, many of which have flown in support of the
Global War on Terror.
Sleek modern fighters, including the Navy F-18F Super Hornet and
Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-117 Nighthawk and A-10
Thunderbolt II are just a few examples of the state-of-the-art
aircraft designed to dominate the skies, conduct reconnaissance and
destroy ground targets in all weather conditions.
Nearby, immense bombers and cargo planes like the B-52
Stratofortress and C-5A Galaxy will cast their vast shadows across
the concrete tarmac. Some of these aircraft have been the backbone
of the country's heavy cargo lift or heavy bomber fleets in times
of peace and war for more than 40 years.
Representing the host air station and the aviation combat
element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force are a host of Marine
jets, propeller aircraft and helicopters, including the F/A-18
Hornet, AV-8B Harrier, KC-130J Hercules, CH-46E Sea Knight, CH-53E
Super Stallion, UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Super Cobra. These aircraft are
designed to work seamlessly together in missions ranging from
direct air support by the Hornet, Harrier, Huey and Cobra to cargo
and troop transport by the Hercules, Sea Knight and Super
Stallion.
These Marine aircraft will show off their abilities as they fill
the sky with the beat of rotors and roar of jet engines during the
MAGTF demonstration, in which Marines give the spectators an up
close and personal demonstration of a well coordinated Marine
assault. The MAGTF, numbering anywhere from a few hundred Marines
to 200,000, is a self-sustained combined-arms force organized for a
specific mission, be it full fledged combat or humanitarian
relief.
Also on display are other military aircraft dating back to
before the original Miramar Air Show over a half century ago.
Though now dated, many of these aircraft have storied histories and
were the Cadillacs of the skies during past eras when our nation
was at war.
In the skies above the air station, dozens of aircraft from
military demonstration teams and civilian performers will dazzle
the crowd with daring loops, low passes, tight formation flying and
sheer power.
Highlighting these performances is the US Navy Flight
Demonstration Squadron - the Blue Angels. Comprised of Navy and
Marine pilots, the Blue Angels perform for more than 15 million
spectators annually. Currently showcasing the Navy and Marine
Corps' F/A-18 Hornet, the Blue Angels have continued to perform for
more than 55 years in nine different airframes.
Saturday's airborne performances do not end as the sun begins to
set. Pyrotechnics and aircraft light up the sky using fireworks,
rockets and the "Great Wall of Fire" as the day's show comes to an
end.
Early air shows featured the Blue Angles but had significantly
fewer static and aerial displays, drawing an average of fewer than
300,000 spectators annually. As the number of displays and
technology increased, so has the number of visitors to the Miramar
flight line. Recent years have logged nearly 700,000 visitors to
MCAS Miramar during this busy fall weekend.