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  MCAS Miramar Air Show 2024
  flying demonstrations Part 2
      .

Text:

Chakrit Samithinan

Pictures:

Chakrit Samithinan & Saichol Kraiamat


 

 

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

The flying demonstrations took place on three days, i.e. from Friday, 27 to Sunday 29 September 2024. The author attended the two shows of Saturday and Sunday. The weather was perfect on all three days with moisture in the air from the disappearing morning fog which helped to create very special pictures. With one or two minor exceptions, the program was the same on all three days, i.e. a mix of military and civilian aircrafts with a heavy emphasis on aircrafts from the Marine Corps.

Task Force Demo

   

After a demonstration by the home base VC-22B Osprey, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s signature Air-Ground Task Force Demo took place. This is an explosive display of Marine Corps power. As F-18 Super Hornets and F-35B Lightning II’s screamed through the air, large King Stallion helicopters were landing in front of the airshow area bringing Marine soldiers ready for action onto the ground. The FA-18’s, the lone Growler and the F-35Bs were then returning to the scene staging a mock-attack against simulated targets on the ground supported by a large contingent of helicopters and Ospreys. Rising Fire- and Smoke columns were the result of these attacks. The helicopters types involved were AH-1Z Vipers, AH-1V Venoms, UH-1V Iroquois, and CH-53 King Stallion who were transporting a heavy artillery gun and an armored personnel carrier hanging underneath their crafts.

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

Tankers & Transport

   

To demonstrate the Marine’s flexibility to go into action in far-away places, a C-130 J Super Hercules Tanker and a KC-135 tanker were flying in support of the aircrafts and troops usually engaged in such deployments. There were so many aircrafts and helicopters in the air at the same time that it was difficult to get pictures from all the happenings. This incredible show made way for another civilian act, i.e. Vicky Benzing in a plum-colored P-51 D Mustang which was followed by a beautifully decorated Boeing 737-900 of Alaska Airlines who made several fly-bys.

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

F-22A Raptor

   

Then, it was time for more speed when a USAF F-22 Raptor from the specially created demo team based in Langely, VA with Captain Samuel “RaZZ” Larson in the cockpit showed an amazing display of high speed- and low speed manoeuvers enhanced with lots of flares which contrasted very well with the dark blue sky. A fantastic demonstration of the incredible capabilities of this super aircraft. At the end of his demo, Captain Larson teamed up with a P-51B Mustang for the heritage flight so popular with spectators in the USA.

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

Blue Angels

   

After a more subdued performance by Ed Hamill’s in his Pitts S-2C named “Folds of Honor”, the local Marines were again in action with their solo F-35B, skillfully piloted by Major Craig “Brembo” Norris, the West Coast demo pilot of this amazing aircraft based in Miramar. Always a spectacular show with fast passages and hovering in place in front of the crowd. Another performance by the Red Bull Air Force brought the program back to a civilian act before the highlight of the day was evolving, i.e. the Blue Angels with Fat Albert (C-130J Hercules) making the start of the hour long demonstration of the six blue Super Hornets of the Blue Angels which no doubt belong to the very top of formation aerobatics, not the least because they are flying closer to each other than any other aerobatic team and with a much heavier aircraft than their European counterparts.

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

(Picture courtesy Saichol Kraiamat)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

   

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)

A wonderful end to an unforgettable airshow which by the way did not charge any entrance fee from the public and distributed a free souvenir program of a quality the author had never seen before.


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last update  8. December 2024

Written 19. November 2024

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