The
Breitling Huntington Beach Airshow last year featured the United
States Air Force Thunderbirds, the Breitling Jet Team, a variety of acrobatic
planes, an F-18 Super Hornet, and sundry other demonstrations. It is the
only beachfront airshow scheduled on the West Coast. It is also the first
airshow to take place in Huntington Beach since the 1990s.
And of course the named star of the show was the Breitling Jet Team. The Breitling Jet Team is made up of seven L-39C Albatros aircraft, Czech-made twin-seater military training jets that can also be used for passenger flights. These magnificent planes represent an excellent compromise between performance, aesthetics, reliability and operating costs.
Below
are several shots of the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds have the
privilege and responsibility to perform for people all around the world,
displaying the pride, precision and professionalism of American Airmen. In
every hour-long demonstration, the team combines years of training and
experience with an attitude of excellence to showcase what the Air Force is all
about. As the jets take to the skies and fly only a few feet from wingtip to
wingtip, the crowd gets a glimpse of the awesome skills and capabilities that
all fighter pilots must possess. The solo pilots integrate their own loud and
proud routine, exhibiting some of the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting
Falcon – the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter jet.
The
next couple of shots are of the amazing Screamin’ Sasquatch. The
Screamin’ Sasquatch was a classic 1929 Taperwing, the plane of choice for barnstorms
in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Today however, this plane has been highly
modified in many ways, the least of which is that it’s powered by two
different engines. Every control surface has been specifically engineered
for the unique aerodynamic forces encountered during high-speed flight and
portions of the aircraft’s structure have been converted from wood and fabric,
to carbon fiber. The cockpit has been moved 3 feet aft, in order to
accommodate fuel tanks for both 100LL and Jet A fuel. The cockpit is
extremely modern and incorporates the MGL Avionics Stratomaster Odyssey touch
screen system, which integrates all of the engine monitoring of both
powerplants and the aircraft’s avionics systems – essentially combining a
couple of dozen gauges into one screen. The amazing thing is listening to
this plane climb when the jet engine is engaged…and hence the name Screamin’
Sasquatch!
But
one of my favorite demonstrations was that of a single F-18 Super Hornet.
This is the VFA-122 Super Hornet in action. The Tactical Demonstration,
or "Tac Demo" team flies as close to the "edge of the
envelope" as safety and prudence allow. The routine highlights the
Rhino's maneuverability and slow-speed handling characteristics. The
"Demo" is designed to highlight the mobility, versatility, and power
of the FA-18. From the high "G" minimum radius turn to the slow
speed "high-alpha" pass, the Demo flight puts the Rhino through its paces.
Lyon Air Museum’s C-47 Dakota, recently
christened “Willa Dean”, has had a long and successful service life.
Transferred from the USAAF to the French in May of 1945, this aircraft
continued to fly for the most part unmodified, unlike so many of its
contemporaries. In 1967 it again changed ownership, this time transferring to
the Israelis. There, it continued service without major modification,
ultimately being sold to the civilian market where it found its way to Lyon Air
Museum as one of the most complete and original C-47s currently in operation.
“Willa Dean” now carries the colors of the 440th Troop Carrier Group’s 97th
Troop Carrier Squadron, complete with D-Day Invasion Stripes.
To see my entire collection from this shoot, here's a link to my website gallery: http://www.costamesaphotography.com/California/OC-Orange-County/HB-Breitling-Air-Show/
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