Military Jets Photography: October 2012

The NAS Oceana Air Show of 2006 will go into the books as the last flying apperance of the mighty F-14 Tomcat. But the airshow had many other acts too.
The static isn't as big as I'm use to have at European shows but there were some rare items that you don't see at other shows. There were, among others, a T-37B, two T-38s (a USAF T-38A and a USNTPS T-38C), a TH-6B (also from the US Naval Test Pilots' School), the Air Force brought also a F-16B and a F-15E, both from Eglins Flight Test Squadron, a F-22A from nearby Langley, two ANG F-16Cs, a F-117A and a KC-135R. The US Army came with 2 Apaches. The US Navy presented itself with a P-3C, an E-2C, a C-2A, a C-9B, a F/A-18C from homesquadron VFA-87 and a F/A-18E from VFA-137, who are based at NAS Leemore. It was a bit frustrating that only one Hornet from all NAS Oceana based squadrons could made it into the static. Cetainly when you see all the Hornets and Super Hornets parked together at the end of the car parking.
Saturday's public displays started with aerobatics from the famous Patty Wagstaff in her Extra 300 and from Allen H. Smith in his Aero L-39C. The military displays started with the E-2C+ Hawkeye Demo performed by VAW-120 stationed at NAS Norfolk. But it was the next item that everybody had come to see, the Fleet Flyby and the Navy Air Power Demonstration. This is probably the highlight of the airshow. This year, the crowds were treated to the spectacle of watching 13 aircraft takeoff in quick succession: four F/A-18C Hornets of which two from VFA-34 "Blue Blasters" and two from VFA-87 "Golden Warriors", five F/A-18F Super Hornets of which four VFA-11 "Red Rippers" and one VFA-106 "Gladiators" and four F-14D Tomcats from VF-31's "Tomcatters", the "last Cats standing". After regrouping a tight and remarkably beautiful 12-ship formation flew one pass along the crowdline, soon followed by VFA-106's F/A-18F's fast pass and the always impressive wall of fire. It was a magnificent sight. Sadly it will be remembered as the last one of its kind ever, since no F-14 will ever again take part in it. Those 12 aircraft then demonstrated the Air Power Demonstration, a wonderful airfield attack set piece, complete with pyrotechnics and lots of vapour forming on the aircraft due to the huge amount of moisture in the coastal air.
Another highlight was the flying display by the world's only civilian airworthy CF-104D. Although it was annouced as a static display, someone must have been pushing really hard to get that Starfighter in the air.
Current fast jets displayed during the weekend included the USAF F-15C, the USN F/A-18C Hornet, and USN F/A-18F Super Hornet. Taking a leaf from the Air Force's book, the Navy's Tailhook Legacy Flight, composed of an F/A-18C Hornet, a F4U Corsair and an AD-4 Skyraider. It's always impressive to see this "then and now" formations.
The USAF supported the show with demos from its two publicly-acknowledged Stealth aircraft. An F-117A Nighthawk from the 9th FS and, on Sunday, an B-2A Spirit from the 509th BW managed two passes, though both were high and fairly distant.
The only overseas involvement came from the British Army's Red Devils parachute team, who jumped along with the US Army Special Command Black Daggers, with the jumps followed by the traditional singing of the national anthem.
Of lesser interest to the foreign enthusiast, especially those who mainly follow military aviation, were the several civilian items in the flying displays. As well as those already mentioned, they included the SNJ-equipped Geico Skytypers team and Greg Shelton's Super Stearman, flown firstly on his own, and later in the day with wing walker Ashley Battles.
The flawless Blue Angels finished the flying on both show days, though by that time the sun had swung around far enough to make photography quite challenging, particularly when aircraft were coming from left to right in front of the public...
At the end of the Saturday, there was a meet and greet with the Blue Angels pilots as well as some displays on the beach front of Virginia Beach. Hightlight was the afterburner pass by a F-14D Tomcat. A magnificant sight to close the night.