Tinker AFB host her Star Spangled 2019 airshow on June 1 and 2. This year’s theme for the show includes “Saluting our United States Armed Forces, Past, Present and Future,” honored the men and women who served our country and commemorated the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. Performing Highlights includes the US Navy Blue Angels, Wings of Blue, Air Combat Command ( ACC) F-16C tactical demostration Team, plus P-51 , A-1 Heritage flight team, B-29 “Doc” Miss America P-51 and B25 demostration, FLS Microjet, Vietnam Combat Search and Rescue reenactment (C-7 Caribou, A-1H Skyraider, A-1E Skyraider, O-2 Skymaster, UH-1H Huey) ,Randy Ball MIG-17, Team Tinker (KC-135, E-3, E-6) , B-2, KC-46 flyby and Jelly Belly, Adam Baker and Jack Links.
The Airshow started with Parachute drop and the singing of the National Anthem .
Team Tinker which is the host unit base out of Tinker AFB did an aerial display which include take off , landings and multiple flyby. KC-135 Stratotanker from the 507th Air Refueling Wing, the 552nd ACW’s AWACS E-3 Sentry, and a Navy Strategic Communications Wing ONE E-6 Mercury showcase the capabilities of today’s airforce.
This show also include two very unique military aircraft namely the B-2A “Spirit of Texas” Spirit Stealth bomber and our latest Boeing KC-46 tanker that will compliment with the current aerial refuler KC-135 and KC-10 tanker. They did a fly by in this airshow.
Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration team headed by Maj. Garret Schmitz, from the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina did a power wrenching demonstration of the Lockheed Martin F-16C Blk 50 fighter.
This show we have the unique opportunity to see one of the only two flyable B-29 in the world. This B-29 name “Doc” is base in Wichita Kansas. She flew with a B-25 and P51D during the airshow.
There is also a Vietnam war Reenactment of rescuing down pilots with warbirds including A-1 Skyraider, A-37 close air support aircraft, UH-1H , O2 and Caribou transports.
The Finale of this shows comes from the United States Navy Blue Angels flying the F/A-18C Fighter. The precise formation and sequences of the Blue angels really show the skills, professionalism of our Navy and Marine pilots.
This show also include some other non military themed performance. Here are some of the actions.
All Airshow must have their static display and Tinker AFB in 2019 have some pretty interesting static displays. Static displays include C-17, F-16C Blk 42 E-3, B-1, B-52, KC-135, Navy E-6, USMC F-35C MC-12, T-38C, B-25, P-51 Miss America, T-6, T-28. Canadian Air Force Hawk.
I would like to specially thank PA office for Tinker AFB and especially Greg Davis for hosting us in photographing and video graphing this event. The amount of work involve in making this airshow was phenomenal. Thank you all for the hard work and effort.
Article by Dave Chng
Photographs from Dave Chng and Liu Chia Ming
Video by Denise Remmel