MiG's Over America: MiG-15, MiG-17, and MiG-21

This is footage of a pair of MiG-17's, and one MiG-21 performing at an American airshow in the late 1990's, and a beautiful MiG-15 parked static at the same event, all privately owned by American pilots.

Air Show Crash: Kevin Eldridge's Super Corsair crash at the 1994 Phoenix 500 Air Races

This is amazing footage caught at the 1994 Phoenix 500 Air Races of Kevin Eldridge flying the souped up FG-1 Super Corsair during time trials for the event, resulting in a catastrophic engine fire and eventual crash of the warbird. Fortunately, Kevin was able to get out alive, albeith the bail out resulted in a few broken bones for him. Watch this AMAZING footage of the crash, and the eventual loss of a classic warbird.

Doolittle Raiders Final Toast: November 2013

The following videos were shot at the Doolittle Raiders Final Toast and reunion, held November 9, 2013 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.  The two videos included are the flyover of five B-25 bombers with a missing man formation, and s second video is of the wreath laying ceremony held in the monument garden located adjacent to the museum.

What a powerful and historic ceremony. 

Video of the Doolittle Raiders Final Toast B-25 Flyover

Video of the wreath laying ceremony and Dick Cole's speech

A look back 20 years ago: Touring the Pima Air & Space Museum and the best aircraft salvaged from the Boneyard

This is a nice video taken in 1993, the first time my wife and I visited the Pima Air And Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, and located just outside the military's aircraft retirement facility, affectionately referred to as the desert "boneyard."  Many of the aircraft uniquely included in this museum came from the boneyard, and were more than likely rolled across the street and into the hard packed desert, fenced in area of the museum.  Slowly, through the years, the museum restoration staff have restored many of these aircraft, including many of the planes you will see in this footage, that still have the white protective wrap on the winshields, intakes, etc.

This museum is a must see for any aviation and military aircraft enthusiast.  Click below for a short tour.

Pima Air and Space Museum Walking Tour

More information on the Pima Air and Space Museum pulled from the museum's website: The Pima Air & Space Museum is one of the largest aviation Museums in the world, and the largest non-government funded aviation Museum in the United States. The Museum maintains a collection of more than 300 aircraft and spacecraft from around the globe, including many rare and one-of-a-kind, and more than 125,000 artifacts. Here you will walk among the giants of our aviation heritage, including military, commercial, and civil aviation. Among them are a B-29 Superfortress, the SR-71 Blackbird, and a rare World War II German V-1 "buzz bomb."  The collection includes President John F. Kennedy's Air Force One, and presidential aircraft used by president's Nixon and Johnson. The Museum has five large hangars totaling more than 177,000 feet of exhibit space. In addition, the 390th Bombardment Group (Heavy) Memorial Museum is located on the Museum grounds. Pima Air & Space maintains its own aircraft restoration center, and is also proud to offer exclusive tours of the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), also known as the "Boneyard," located across the street at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Most Unique Never-to-be-seen again Military Heritage Flight: F-15 Eagle and Glasair III

Watch this very unique and never to be seen again Heritage Flight of an F-15 Eagle and a civilian Glasair III.  Before strict restrictions were put on military Heritage Flights and formations were limited to the individual jet demonstration pilots and a very select few accomplished pilots who own and fly ex-military warbirds, such as P-51's, P-38's, P-40's, and Navy Corsairs to name a few, Chip Beck, a Phoenix, Arizona based aerobatic pilot, was able to sneak a Heritage Formation flight in with the F-15 East Coast Demonstration pilot.  The demonstration took place on Sunday, March 8, 1998 at Phoenix-Mesa, Gateway Airport (then Williams Gateway Airport), while the two were performing at the Cox Communications Air & Motor Spectacular.  Watch and listen to this unique flyby!

Unique Heritage Flight: Glasair III and F-15 Eagle

F-117 Nighthawk escorted by a matching black T-38 Talon from Holloman AFB

A great formation flyby by the now retired F-117 Nighthawk and its matching black painted T-38 Talon from Holloman, AFB in New Mexico. This footage was shot in March of 1998 at the Cox Communication Air Show Spectacular in Mesa, Arizona at Williams Gateway Airport.

F-117 Nighthawk escorted by T-38 Talon

Impressvive Evasive Manuevering by the AH-64D Apache Longbow

Watch the incredible power and agility of the AH-64D Apache Longbow as its test pilot takes it through a series of impressive maneuvers to avoid enemy anti-aircraft and ground fire. This footage was shot at the 1998 Cox Communications Air & Motor Spectacular on March 8, 1998, in Mesa, Arizona - just 10 miles from the Apache manufacturing plant.

AH-64D Apache Longbow Evasive Maneuvering Video

Rare Jets: F-8 Crusader, F-104 Starfighter, and F-5 Freedom

Check out this video of a static display from a 1998 air show in Phoenix, Arizona including three classic fighter jets from the U.S. Navy and Air Force:  The F-8 Crusader, F-5 Freedom, and the F-104 Starfighter.  The F-104 and F-8 are privately owned and the F-5 was from an Aggressor Squadron.

Video of F-8, F-104, and F-5

4 F-16's flyover during National Anthem played by trumpet superstar Jesse Macguire

Watch as Four F-16 Falcons from Luke Air Force Base fly over the Cox Communications Air Show Spectacular during the National Anthem, played by Jesse Macguire.

Watch 4 F-16's Fly Over Air Show during National Anthem

Screaming, popping, smoking and fire belching 300MPH Jet Truck!

By far, the best ground based entertainment you can get for an air show is Les Shockley's Jet powered Peterbuilt truck. It's an amazing piece of machinery.  Burning down the runway, or race strip, at close to 350MPH, it's hard not to be in awe of this machine. I'm not a huge fan of crazy ground based motorsports - but Les will make you a fan. Watch this video of Shockwave flying by a Mesa, Arizona crowd, and listen to the sound of his machine.  Impressive.

Shockwave flying by at over 350MPH

Watch a UH-1 Huey Low Hover down a taxiway into parking spot

This is video shot in 1998 of a team of transient alert Air Force members parking static aircraft and helicopters at an air show in the Phoenix, Arizona area. In this video, a UH-1H Huey U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter hovers low down the taxiway and into his static display slot. It's fun to watch and I assume probably more fun to do!

Watch UH-1H Huey hover low into position

Listen to the beautiful engine DRONE of the U.S. Navy's Grumman C-2 Greyhound!

This is video shot at an air show parking the massive and loud, Grumman C-2 Greyhound, responsible for what the Navy calls COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery). Note the wings are already folded back for tight storage on the carrier and listen to those engines. Lovely!

Watch the Grumman C-2 Greyhound COD

Arizona Army National Guard's Mobile 155MM Howitzer

This is video of the Arizona Army National Guard's Mobile 155MM Howitzer on display at an air show in the Phoenix, Arizona area back in 1998. I love the Humvee that shoots by painted up like the Arizona flag. Nice!

AZ Army National Guard Mobile 155MM Howitzer

Who Says Women and Children Can't Handle a Machine Gun??

This is great video of the proper and safe handling of a water cooled machine gun at the 2013 Fall Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot near Louisville, Kentucky by both a woman and a boy (probably 10-12 years old). You can tell they have been well trained to handle the weapon and do a great job shooting down range accurately and safely.

Woman and Boy Shooting a Water Cooled Machine Gun Like Pros

Shooting World War II era Machine Guns: Thompson, BAR, and German MP-40

This is great footage of shooting some classic World War II-era machine guns, from both sides of the battlefield. Included in this footage is the M1A1 Thompson Machine Gun, the German's MP-40, which is a 9mm machine pistol (by definition), and the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), the classic backbone of the American infantry squad.

Video of shooting World War II era Machine Guns

Machine Gun Tracers Flying Everywhere at Knob Creek

Take a close look at the background of this video. During one of the main, upper range shoots at the October 2013 Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot, tracers are flying everywhere in the background, up range while small and large machine guns demonstrate their firepower.  It's an impressive site. Click below to see the video:

Watch Machine Gun tracers

Yep! Women DO in fact Shoot Machine Guns

Women Shooting Machine Guns at '13 Knob Creek

The 2013 Sub Machine Gun Obstacle Course Competition Shoot at Knob Creek

Check out this video of the 2013 Sub Gun Obstacle Course Competition held semi-annually at the 2013 Fall Knob Creek machine Gun shoot near Louisville, Kentucky. Competitors bring their own weapon and walk... or run from station to station to shoot at a number of different targets (some moving) while hiding behind different obstacles, simulated walls, and barriers. It was fun to watch and I am sure more fun to shoot. I would love to do this sometime.

2013 Fall Knob Creek Sub Gun Competition Video

2013 Fall Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot Video Highlights

The 2013 Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot is in the books and the crowds were amazing -- more importantly, so was the shooting. In fact, my ears are STILL ringing.  Check out this three minute video of the shooting, which includes a collection of weapons shot at the event by spectators and owners:  CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF KNOB CREEK

The Hedgerows of Normandy: Now and Then

Take a quick look at the hedgerows of Normandy, France where, during World War II, the Americans and Germans fought it out after the D-Day landings... literally field to field for miles.

Hedgerow Video: Now and then

4 Second video of the M134 GE Minigun Rapid Fire

Must See Flashy Blue Angels and Thunderbirds Jet Pilot Cockpit Hand Signals!

Check out these cool hand signals from the Navy Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds as part of their daily ritual before taking off for their aerial demonstrations. This is one of the coolest parts of the show that many people miss!

Blue Angels and Thunderbirds Hand Signals

Touring the WWII bunkers of the D-Day Invasion at Normandy's Omaha Beach

This is quick tour of some of the bunkers and pillboxes Nazi Germany built to protect the French coast against an Allied invasion in Normandy.  These videos were taken around the vicinity of Omaha Beach's Fox Red Sector neat St Laurent.

War Memorials and existing Maginot Line sites around France's Colmar Pocket

If you visit the border of France and Germany, there are an amazing number of war memorials dedicated to the various fighting that took place in the region. Maginot Line bunkers line the countryside and tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery pieces serve as memorials to those who died before us on the battlefields to preserve our freedom. Watch this video for a tour of some of the best spots to see in the Colmar Pocket region of France.

War Memorials and Maginot Line of the Colmar Pocket in France

Video of classic Vietnam War-era A-1D Skyraider Search and Rescue Mission with pyro

Video of shooting the M3 Grease Gun Sub Machine Gun

This is a video of shooting the M3 Grease Gun at the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot in April 2013.

Video: 30 Seconds Over Tokyo was alive again during the Doolittle Raiders 2012 Reunion

With the final surviving Doolittle Raiders traveling to Dayton, Ohio one more time in November to open their bottle of Hennessey and toast those who have gone before them, I thought I would break out the 2012 Doolittle Raiders Reunion video where over a dozen B-25's gathered in Urbana, Ohio and then eventually flew over to Dayton to commemorate the reunion.  Click below for the video:

2012 Doolittle Raiders Reunion with B-25's

Video of Gee Bee R2 1930's Racer flown by Delmar Benjamin: (Disney Planes El Chupacabra)

Ok... ok, this isn't military related, but it's hard to pass up. Ever seen the Gee Bee R2 air racer fly in person?  Well, if you have seen the original fly, then you are probably at least 100 years old. So, you probably haven't. However, a guy named Delmar Benjamin woooed air show crowds for years flying his exact replica of the Gee Bee R2.  Now, mind you, this is the same aircraft that killed a number of air race pilots in the early 1930's but also motored a younger Jimmy Doolittle to first place at the finish line at the Cleveland Air Races too. It's an amazing aircraft and even more amazing to keep airborne according to a number of pilots, including Delmar.

Enjoy this clip from an air show in the Phoenix, Arizona area, which also includes shots from a tail mounted camera.  It gives you a real neat perspective of this unique bird, which even Disney Planes used to model their El Chupacabra character after.

Watch the Gee Bee R2

Great Video of the USAF's F-15 Eagle Tactical Fighter demonstration: Raw power!

Video: Six Million Dollar Man Episode featuring the United States Air Force Thunderbirds

All Lee Majors fans take note!  Remember the all-time best episode of the Six Million Dollar Man?  No!  Not the Bigfoot episode.  NO!!  Not the bionic dog and bionic hot chick episode either. "The Thunderbird Connection," episode!

In The Thunderbird Connection, Steve Austin poses as a clandestine member of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds Jet Demonstration team to save a Prince in a made-up Middle Eastern country that is being overrun by an evil dictator. Geez... sounds a little like today, without the poisonous gas!

Anyway, my friend John Lapointe (Thunderbird #2 during the 1976 and 1977 seasons) is in this episode.  This, I guess, would be one of the many perks of being a Thunderbird. I didn't know John at the time of the airing, but he later helped us all produce an air show by managing the jet teams (like VIPs) when they visited our air show each year. What a great resource and God Bless his soul.

This clip is a collection of random scenes including John and the rest of the crew.  It looks like three of the five pilots are "real" members, as Steve Austin "covertly" slips into #3 position (with his shaggy 1970's haircut and all). I know "Jinx" and "Fig" Newton (who eventually raised to the rank of General) are the real deal for sure. I'm unsure about the rest. Enjoy this classic!

Video of Shooting the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) at Knob Creek

If you enjoyed watching the Thompson shoot at Knob Creek, you will LOVE hearing the BAR rattle off a few rounds. It was a great opportunity to shoot this classic, but not cheap, as you can imagine.  Nevertheless, every gun and history enthusiast, especially those who study World War II should experience this sometime in their lives. It gives you an excellent perspective of what it was like for an 18-year old squad machine gunner to haul that thing on his back, or his shoulder or even over his head for miles and miles and then set it up to stop an enemy advance cold in its tracks. There is lots of power in this weapon.  Enjoy.

Shooting the BAR at Knob Creek

Video of Shooting the Thompson Machine Gun at Knob Creek's Annual Machine Gun Shoot

Have you ever wanted to experience the thrill of shooting the Thompson Machine Gun?  Do you think you could hit anything at all from 25-30 yards with this thing?  After shooting about 150 rounds through it, I am not entirely sure if I ever hit a damn thing.  Nevertheless, I still think about it every day. It was a great experience and the gun shot surprisingly smooth.  It seemed to jam a lot, but it was also hot and dirty from being constantly shot by most of the men and women in attendance, because of it's popularity.  If you ever get a chance to visit the Louisville, KY area in April or October, the Knob Creek show is a must stop. But get there early, you don't want to have to park too far from the action, as the parking lot can get pretty messy if there is significant rain.   Enjoy this footage:

Shooting the Thompson Machine Gun at Knob Creek

Video of the AH-64D Apache Longbow

I never get tired of the AH-64D Apache Longbow.  What a great attack helicopter.  If you are lucky enough to live in Mesa, Arizona, you can see dozens a day heading in and out of the Boeing Apache plant located in the heart of town, near Falcon Field. I'm sure the "locals" eventually get a little sick of seeing them fly over, but I sure never did.

This video was taken at the Cox Communications Air & Motor Spectacular at the old Williams Air Force Base, which has changed names a couple times since the facility's de-MIL.  It was Williams Gateway Airport at the time, but now it is Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport now.

Enjoy the action!  Just be glad you are not on the business end of this monster!

Watch the AH-64D Apache Longbow Tactical Demonstration

Great video of a C-130 dumping 3,000 gallons of water on Fire!

I love sharing this video. This is Woody Grantham's International Air Response C-130 dropping 3,000 gallons of water on pre-set pyrotechnics that we burned at our air show each year in Mesa, Arizona. Woody's operation, based at a semi-abandoned airfield in Chandler, Arizona includes the C-130 as well as a few other large aircraft he has converted for fire fighting.  It was a blast having them around to do this performance at the air show each year.  If you want to see more of the air show performances including the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, individual fighter aircraft demonstrations and aerobatic demonstrations, visit the Military History and Aviation Channel on YouTube.  Enjoy the video:

Doolittle Raiders Plan their Final Meeting ever in Dayton Nov 9, 2013

It looks like from the attached article that the Doolittle Raiders will be attending their final reunion ever November 9, 2013 in Dayton at the Air Force Museum. You don't want to miss this -- if the public is welcome!  Here's the article that ran in the Columbus Dispatch:

Doolittle Raiders Meeting For The Last Time

Check out a video of the most recent gathering of B-25's in honor of the Doolittle Raiders from the last reunion:  Video of B-25 Gathering to Honor Doolittle Raiders


Jimmy was flat out BAD ASS. They don't make men like him anymore.

  

I Love Great Air Show Videos

How much do you love military air shows?  Unfortunately, these days, they're a dying breed. With military cuts, the consolidation of aircraft into only a few aircraft type no longer provide the variety that old air shows used to provide. Unfortunately, static displays are dwindling because of funding and simple lack of aircraft, and less funds for air show producers.  However, we can still enjoy the videos, right?

Here is a great YouTube channel with hundreds of air show videos from 1997 to 2002, including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the Air Force Thunderbirds Jet demonstration teams, The AH-64D Apache, A-10, F-15, F-16, and F-18 single ship demonstrations, as well as a host of ex-military aircraft and civilian aerobatic performers that will keep your thirst for world-class aviation quenched.

Great Air Show Videos

Enjoy and Keep 'Em Flying -

Captain Denim