Report by Danny Bonny
With the theme of “Service in Action”, Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, Texas presented a revised flying programme over the weekend 6-7th April. Supported by various civilian acts and Warbirds, the United States Air Force provided precision demonstrations comprising the F-35A Demonstration Team from 388thFW Hill AFB, UT; C-17A and KC-46A of the ‘Altus Role’ Demonstration, 97thAMW Altus AFB, OK; the Heritage Flight of an F-35A and P-51D and culminating with the Aerial Demonstration Team, the ‘Thunderbirds’.
Hosted by the 502nd Air Base Wing at Randolph AFB, visitors had the opportunity over the two days to revel not only at the flying performances staged throughout the two days but also to engage with the various static displays of aircraft, military equipment, the STEM Expo (engaging science, technology, engineering & mathematics) plus a children’s zone.
The main ramp was covered with a large static display of Air Force aircraft comprising the huge C-5M Galaxy and KC-46A Pegasus to the AC-130J Spectre II and the single-engined Pilatus U-28A Drago. Other branches of the military were also present, the US Army displaying a Texas Army National Guard UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter while the US Navy’s training base at Corpus Christi provided a T-6B Texan II and a T-44C Pegasus for their static display. Warbirds displayed included the pristine Lewis Air Legends C-121A – N422NA, the sole airworthy Constellation in the USA plus a fine performance by the MiG-17F piloted by Randy Ball.
Other numerous Warbirds participated in both static and flying guises with static displays including a CT-133, two B-25’s but most notably the Commemorative Air Force’s recreation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, providing a visual reminder and memorial to those who died in World War II. The combined Heritage Flight was an amazing display of skill by both fast and slower aircraft.
The weather over the two days was a ‘not so typical’ Texas cool and cloudy weekend, only warming up in the later part of the afternoons. This meant that the USAF’s parachute team, ‘Wings of Blue’ from the USAF Academy in Colorado were unable to perform on either day. With the low cloud affecting each of the display days, a number of static aircraft failed to arrive and the flying displays by the B-1B Lancer and C-5M Galaxy were cancelled accordingly. This though didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the many thousands that visited the airshow each day to enjoy both the atmosphere and the revised set of performances. Fittingly, on both days though, the sun did break through for the finale and the ‘Thunderbirds’ were able to perform their full display routines.
Our thanks go to Ms. Stefanie Antosh,
Chief, Public Affairs
Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland
AETC/502 Air Base Wing Public Affairs