Posted on 02/15/2014 7:26:41 AM PST by equaviator
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and their thrilling, high-precision maneuvers will highlight the 2014 Selfridge Air National Guard Base Open House & Air Show, in September.
Flying F/A-18 Hornets, the pilots are scheduled to perform on both days of the show, Sept. 6-7 at the Harrison Township base.
“They fly an extremely high-precision demonstration. They take the aircraft to the limits of their flying, very close to each other. It’s very exciting,” said Technical Sgt. Dan Heaton of the 127th Wing at Selfridge.
The Blue Angels last performed at the Selfridge Air Show in 2005.
In 2013, the federal government budget sequester grounded the world-renowned team from performing after April 1.
“We took some time off in Pensacola (Fla., where the team is stationed) to kind of focus on our mission as a whole and how we want to function as a team from here on out in 2014 forward. So we’re doing more community outreach,” Navy Lt. Ryan Chamberlain said in a 127th Wing video.
“Selfridge asked for us and we were able to support in 2014. We’re excited to be back,” he said.
Chamberlain and Lt. Commander Michael Cheng, the Blue Angels’ events coordinator, recently visited the Harrison Township base to meet with Selfridge and air show officials to discuss safety details of the event.
The September air show will be a homecoming for Navy Commander Thomas Frosch, the Blue Angels’ flight leader and commanding officer. Frosch, a native of Clinton Township, graduated from Fraser High School in 1988.
In 2003, he was a department head for Strike Fighter Squadron 192 and deployed with the USS Kitty Hawk and few in support of Operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom. In 2005, he reported to a NATO headquarters in Belgium and during his tour, deployed as an individual augmenter with a NATO security force to Kabul, Afghanistan.
Frosch joined the Blue Angels as commanding officer in November 2012. In additional to numbers medals, he has logged more than 3,000 flight hours and 830 landings on aircraft carriers.
Other aerial performers scheduled to perform at the Selfridge show include the ethanol-powered Vanguard Squadron; Patty Wagstaff, the first woman to win the title of U.S. National Aerobatic champion and multiple award-winner in international competitions; skywriter Melissa Pemberton; John Klatt; and Randy Ball.
The attractions on the ground are equally popular. More than a dozen aircraft from all branches of the military are on display for an up-close look. In fact, a few can be boarded, and pilots are often on hand to discuss the aircraft and field questions from show-goers young and old.
Some military veterans are often seen accompanied by their grandchildren, pointing to specific aircraft they worked on during times of war.
“One of the reasons why the commander wants to have these open houses is we want people to come out and see what the aircraft are. Quite frankly, your tax dollars pay for this stuff. You deserve the right to periodically look at them,” said Heaton, the 127th Wing spokesman.
As with past open house/air shows at Selfridge, parking and admission to the event is free. Officials expect attendance to reach approximately 150,000 over the two days. Tens of thousands more watch the skies from properties within a few miles of the base, while many others view the aerial displays from boats anchored in Lake St. Clair.
Heaton expects the participation of the Blue Angels will make the always popular event a bigger hit.
“That definitely draws attention,” he said. “There’s just something about seeing those Blue Angels – you can feel that roar in your gut.”
This year’s open house and air show is the first since 2011, which was marred by tragedy when a wing walker fell to his death during a performance in front of thousands of onlookers.
The first Selfridge air show was in 1922, when the first air speed record not set in France, was recorded.
For more information about the 2014 Selfridge Open House & Air Show, go to selfridgeopenhouse.com.
Always liked the Blue Angels...till I saw the Thunderbirds. Wow!
I’ve only seen The Thunderbirds and I agree——wow!!!!
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Is Pussy Galore’s flying circus going to perform?
You know what just bugs me... well not that it’s a huge deal... but often these websites for local newspapers don’t tell you what STATE they are published in.
Macomb, Illinois?
I once flew out of Moline the weekend before the Blue Angels were scheduled to perform there at Quad Cities. The F-111 were all lined up over by the Fire Safety building. We taxied right past them... it was pretty need seeing these aircraft up close like that.
In Memory of Al Taddeo, WWII Naval Aviator and member of the 1st United States Navy Blue Angels team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnMZQATbenM
Michigan. Keeping us safe from the Canukistani horde just across the border.
In 1973 or 74 while in the USAF I saw the Blue Angels and the Thunder Birds at separate events perform in F4s. Of all the planes I’ve seen them perform in, the F4 stands out as most awesome. Especially the high speed low altitude passes with those big screamers blowing your ear drums out. When fuel became an issue and they went to A4s and T38s it just wasn’t the same. The F18s and F16s are cool but just lack that swagger of the F4s.
There is at least ONE we should have kept out: Granholm.
The A-10s used to fly right over my house on the way to Michigan Speedway for the flyover.
Great video. Thanks for sharing it.
The F4 is still one of my favorite military aircraft.
Used to live right along Metro Pkwy late 80's through early 90's and always got to see fighters come in for a landing. Out on the flats they used to patrol, say lots of F-4 Phantoms flying at about 500'.
pleased they are flying - I had read they were grounded because of sequester cuts.
My primary flight instructor, who was an ex Navy F-4 jockey, said the F-4 was the first aircraft in the world that could accelerate going straight up vertical.
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