Gallery Update: 2019 Oregon International Air Show Recap

Once again, I'm having one of those years where I go to a couple smaller aviation events, and one air show. But this year's Oregon International Air Show will stand out because the main highlight for me was the Royal Air Force Red Arrows as the show headliner!

Hailing all the way from Great Britain, the Red Arrows are nearing the end of their 2019 North American tour and the Oregon International Air Show happens to be the smallest stop on their tour! The only downside to this year's show is that it was being held at the McMinnville Municipal Airport due to runway rehabilitation currently going on at Hillsboro. Consequently, the two highlight acts this year at the show, the RAF Red Arrows and the other being the United States Air Force F-35A Demo Team both had to stage their aircraft out of Portland International, which denied us of seeing those aircraft on the ground here.

Speaking of the F-35, 2019 also marks the year where the United States Air Force F-35A Heritage Flight Team (meaning the F-35A only flew in Air Force heritage flight formations only) transitioned into the F-35A Demo Team, meaning we got to see a lot more of the F-35's capabilities compared to past show seasons! Being the inaugural year for a full-demo, it was great to finally see the F-35 here in Oregon for the first time!

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Static Display

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Flight Ramp

McMinnville (MMV) 2

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Red Arrows Pilots Arrival

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Mike Wiskus

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Mike Wiskus & Hayden Proffitt

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Renny Price

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Sean D. Tucker

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Red Arrows Pilots Departure

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Olympic Flight Museum

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Alaska Airlines

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Greg Howard

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Elias Corey

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Joe Shetterly

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Jeff Boerboon

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Steve Stavrakakis

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Cessna Citation Arrival

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Horizon Air

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Team Oracle

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Greg Anders

Oregon Air Show 2019 - USAF F-35A Lightning II Demo

Oregon Air Show 2019 - USAF Heritage Flight

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Mike Wiskus & Hayden Proffitt

Oregon Air Show 2019 - Matt Younkin

Oregon Air Show 2019 - RAF Red Arrows

Photo Preview & Highlights

Static Display, Flight Ramp, & Pre-show Spotting
I wasn't expecting much in terms of the static display aircraft because most of it were coming from the nearby Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum's collection; plus there were several aircraft I already saw and photographed earlier this year at other events. But much to my delight, there were several notable highlights that surprised me, thanks to participation by the Royal Canadian Air Force as well as the Experimental Aircraft Association's Cascade Warbirds Squadron and even some of local pilots and their aircraft!

Guimball Cabri G2 (N969MH). The G2 is French-built light helicopter.

Kraska Rebel 2300 (N711WH). This is a one-of-a-kind built by air show performer Wayne Handley, having modified the design with a wing designed for the Zivko Edge 540 along with many other custom details. This plane currently resides on permanent display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.

Ryan Navion A (N4591K) on display. This General Aviation classic was built in 1948!

Ryan Navion (N4579K) on display. The base-model for the Ryan-built versions of the North American Navion, made obvious with the lack of wingtip tanks. It turns out that the largest concentration of Navion owners are right here in the Pacific Northwest, mainly in the state of Washington!

Scottish Aviation Bulldog 120/121 (N321BD). Originally designed by Beagle Aircraft, the Bulldog is a British military basic trainer with aerobatic capabilities. Formerly XX627 with the Royal Air Force.

Bell 212 (N373PA) on display.

Sherpa Aircraft Sherpa K500 (N711SA). The Sherpa is a utility aircraft currently available in two variants, the K500 which has five seats and a piston engine, as well as an eight-seat, turbine engine variant known as the K650T. Sherpa Aircraft is currently working on the K600 variant, which seats six. The manufacturer is located up in Scappoose, Oregon.

Jerry Trimble Helicopters Robinson R66 (N7063M) on display.

Jerry Trimble Helicopters Robinson R22 Beta (N3055N) on display.

Trimble Aviation Piper PA-28R-180 Arrow (N7521J) on display.

Beech D18S C-45H Expeditor (N6495D) on display.

Royal Canadian Air Force McDonnell Douglas CF-188B CF-18B Hornet (188931) on display. They actually flew this into McMinnville!

Industria Aeronautică Română S.A. Brașov IAR-823 (NX66KB) on display. It's been a while since I last saw one of these!

Royal Canadian Air Force/KF Defence Programs Grob G-120A (C-FPFJ). The G-120 is a German-built, two-seat training and aerobatic low-wing aircraft with a carbon composite airframe. The Royal Canadian Air Force operates 14 of them under lease from KF Defence Programs, a defense contractor. 

Stinson 108 Voyager 150 (NC8623K) on display.

Extra EA-300/L (N41CV) on display.

Bell TAH-1P Cobra (NX7239T) "Voodoo Venom" parked on the flight ramp. From the Olympic Flight Museum up in Olympia, Washington, this helicopter would perform in the air show.

Fairchild 24J (NC20615) taxiing to the General Aviation parking after arriving from Eugene. A handful of General Aviation pilots flew in for the air show. One of these years, I'll have to join the crowd and fly out for an air show!

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (N208SL) arriving on 22 from Portland. On board are some of the pilots from the RAF Red Arrows. Since they can't stage their jets in McMinnville, the pilots were flown in via General Aviation so they could interact with the public.

Cessna 525 CitationJet CJ1+ (N186DL) arriving on 22 from Portland. On board are the rest of the RAF Red Arrows pilots.

Opening Acts
Given the smaller venue size at McMinnville, much of the air show acts were aerobatic performances, which were more or less the same with a few notable highlights. Following the opening ceremony, Mike Wiskus started the flying activities off with his Pitts before he was "rudely" interrupted by Hayden Proffitt in the Chevy jet truck! Following the opening act, local Oregonian Renny Price performed his aerobatic routine in the Sukhoi Su-29.

Pitts S-1-11B/260 Super Stinker (N5111B) with Mike Wiskus of Lucas Oil Air Shows taxiing out to begin the flight demonstrations.

Going inverted right after taking off on 22!

Enter Hayden Proffitt and his 1957 Chevy pick-up truck powered by twin Pratt & Whitney J34-48 jet engines known as "Hot Streak II!"

Mike Wiskus "buzzes" Hayden Proffitt!

Drag chute deployed after a little speed-run!

Photo pass by Mike Wiskus and the Pitts.

Mike Wiskus taxiing his Pitts back to the ramp.

Sukhoi Su-29 (N699SU) with Renny Price of Hammerhead Aerobatics at the controls taxiing out.

Executing an excellent knife-edge photo pass in the Su-29.

Coming int to land on 04. 

Renny Price taxiing his Su-29 back to the ramp after finishing up his aerobatic display.

Solo Aerobatics by Sean D. Tucker
Up next was a surprising solo act by Team Oracle's Sean D. Tucker in his one-of-a-kind Oracle Challenger III. Tucker officially "retired" from solo aerobatics last year during the 2018 air show season at the Wings Over Houston Air Show with a proper send-off for his next venture of team aerobatics. His Oracle Challenger III is destined for permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. But the Smithsonian was nice enough to let Sean Tucker debut his new team aerobatic display in the now-iconic biplane for the 2019 air show season, which was scheduled to occur later in the day. I for one was quite happy that I got to see Sean D. Tucker do his solo aerobatic routine once more and to capture his Oracle Challenger III on DSLR for the first time here at the 2019 Oregon International Air Show!

Aviation Specialties (Oracle) Challenger III (N260HP) with renowned aerobatics pilot Sean D. Tucker at the controls taxiing out for his solo demonstration.

The beginning of a succession of aileron rolls.

Finishing out the aileron rolls.

No Sean D. Tucker solo act is complete without cutting some ribbons! Here, Tucker is flying under the ribbons. He actually cut three during this demo!

In the midst of cutting ribbons!

Pulling up into the pattern to land on 22. I was quite happy that I got to see this act one more time and actually get it on DSLR camera!

Olympic Flight Museum Helicopters
Like last year, the Olympic Flight Museum out of Olympia, Washington brought their Bell UH-1 Huey and Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopters for a Vietnam War-era display and demonstration.

Bell UH-1H Iroquois (NX443YB) making a pass.

"Voodoo Venom" making a pass.

Huey and Cobra in formation.

Alaska Airlines
Even at McMinnville, it wouldn't be an Oregon International Air Show without participation by the principle flying sponsor, Alaska Airlines and one of their Boeing 737s! The airline sent one of their 737-900/ER straight from Portland for a single fly-by pass; the plane obviously didn't land due to runway length and space.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-990/ER (N224AK) making a high-speed pass over 22. Operating as ASA9984 from Portland.

The airline livery stands out in contrast with the overcast skies in these shots!

First good look at the tail number. N224AK was actually the first 737 in Alaska's fleet to carry a registration ending in "AK" instead of "AS" as the all the combinations of the latter were in use!

ASA9984 about to make a climb-out back to Portland.

Aerobatics by Greg Howard, Elias Corey, & Joe Shetterly
Following the Alaska Airlines fly-by, we had more aerobatic performances. The next three that were on were all performers I've never seen before. First, we had Greg Howard, another local Oregonian in his Giles G-200, one of 12 ever built by AkroTech Aviation out of Scappoose, Oregon before the company went out of business. The next act was Elias Corey, an Italian-American competition aerobatics pilot from the EC Competition Flight Team as well as EC Aerosports flying his Extra 330EC. And then we had Joe "Rifle" Shetterly of Rifle Airshows and a member of the Shetterly Squadron flying his Van's RV-8, that was once owned by the late-Eugene Gaddis, a member of the original flight test team for the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.

Giles G-200 (N97GH) with Greg Howard at the controls taxiing out.

Greg Howard making a dive during his routine in the the G-200.

Greg Howard taxiing the G-200 back to the ramp.

Extra EA-330SC (N330FU) with Elias Corey at the controls taxiing out.

Corey going up into the vertical during his routine.

Elias Corey taxiing back to the ramp.

Van's RV-8 (N76540) with Joe "Rifle" Shetterly at the controls taxiing out.

"Rifle" taking the late- Eugene Gaddis' RV-8 up into a barrel role after taking off on 22.

Midway through the roll.

Inverted pass in the RV-8.

Midway through a slow roll.

Photo pass by Joe "Rifle" Shetterly.

Landing on 22 at the conclusion of the routine.

"Rifle" taxiing by to give spectators another look at this RV-8. The chrome finish was a nice contrast to the overcast skies.

The N-number of this RV-8 represents jets that the late-Eugene Gaddis flew during his time as a military aviator: 7 is for the LTV A-7 Corsair II, 6 represents the Convair F-106 Delta Dart, 5 represents the Northrop F-5 Tiger, 4 represents the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, and 0 represents both the North American F-100 Super Sabre and Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. As an A-10 test pilot himself, Shetterly was appealed by the idea of owning a plane once owned and built by the late-Gaddis, a member of the original A-10 test team, as a way to honor the latter's legacy.

Aerobatics by Jeff Boerboon
Up next was the unique act that made its thunderous debut to air shows throughout the country in 2018, it's Jeff Boerboon and the Fat Tire Cowboys' Yakovlev Yak-110. Making it's first-ever appearance at the Oregon Air Show, the Yak-110 was an immediate crowd-pleaser thanks to that center-mounted General Electric turbojet engine!

Yakovlev Yak-110 (N110JY) with Jeff Boerboon at the controls taxiing out.

Airborne off 22 and already banking to the left to start the routine. As soon as the jet engine was turned on, people took notice pretty quick!

Coming in for a pass, smoke on, contrasting with the cloudy skies.

Execution of one of several high-speed passes!

Rounding out at the bottom of a loop before going back into the vertical.

Photo pass depicting the Yak-110's left side livery.

Knife-edge photo pass of the Yak-110.

One last high-speed pass.

Landing on 4.

Taxiing back to the ramp solely on jet engine power! The audience definitely enjoyed this act.

Aerobatics by Steve Stavrakakis
Up next was the "Tribute to the American Veteran" act by Steve Stavrakakis in his IAR-823, an aerial display I haven't seen since the 2015 Oregon International Air Show.

Industria Aeronautică Română S.A. Brașov IAR-823 (N823WT) "Wild Thing II" with Steve Stavrakakis at the controls taxiing out.

Stavrakakis getting "Wild Thing II" airborne off 22 to climb to altitude.

Executing one of many barrel rolls with smoke and pyros. Steve Stavrakakis puts on a simple, yet elegant air show performance in this rare, former Romanian trainer!

Landing on 22 at the conclusion of the display.

Steve Stavrakakis taxiing by the crowd.

Horizon Air
Up next was another round of fly-by passes from the Alaska Air Group, this time through regional subsidiary, Horizon Air. The airline sent one of their Embraer E-175s for two passes. In past years, Horizon sent their Dash 8 Q400 turboprops to the show, but this year marked the first time Horizon Air sent an E-175 as they themselves have extended their route network on the behalf of Alaska Airlines!

Horizon Air (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N631QX) making a high-speed pass over 22. Operating as QXE9555 from Portland.

This occasion marks the first time Horizon Air used one of their E-175 regional jets at the Oregon International Air Show!

QXE9555 executing a gear-down dirty pass on the second pass over 22.

Retracting the gear and beginning climb-out.

Always a treat to see airliners participating at air shows!

QXE9555 climbing out to return to Portland.

Team Oracle
Following the Horizon Air fly-by, it was time for one of the newest team-aerobatic acts that debuted this year, Sean D. Tucker and Jessy Panzer of Team Oracle. Following Tucker's retirement from his intense solo aerobatics, he has debuted the team act with Jessy Panzer at the California International Air Show earlier this year. This year's dual act will be unique as it will be the only year where we'll get to see Tucker's Oracle Challenger III before it goes up on display at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Jessy Panzer will flies off Sean D. Tucker's wing in the Oracle Extra 300.

Sean D. Tucker taxiing his Oracle Challenger III out for the second time today!

Extra EA-300L (N772TA) with Jessy Panzer at the controls taxiing out.

Team Oracle enters the aerobatic box in formation.

Two distinct aerobatic aircraft going up into the vertical. 

Both in the vertical on the verge of stalling prior to executing dual hammerheads. This perspective shows the size difference between Sean Tucker's custom-built Challenger III and Jessy Panzer's Extra 300.

Another formation pass prior to splitting up for some solo aerobatics.

Jessy Panzer making a solo pass.

Sean Tucker in the middle of a roll.

Another pass by Jessy Panzer.

Sean D. Tucker inverted.

One more formation pass by Team Oracle before splitting up to land.

Jessy Panzer landing on 22.

Sean D. Tucker landing the Oracle Challenger III on 22 for the second time today.

Tucker taxiing the Challenger III by the crowd. Grateful to be able see this plane fly once more before it goes on permanent display!

Jessy Panzer taxiing the Extra 300 by the crowd. She is a fine addition to Sean Tucker's newest air show venture!

United States Air Force F-35A Lightning II Demo & Heritage Flight
And now one of the biggest highlights of the year, it's the United States Air Force F-35A Lightning II demo and United States Air Force Heritage Flight! After three show seasons of flying only in Heritage Flight formations from 2016 to 2018, 2019 marks the inaugural year where the United States Air Force F-35 Heritage Flight Team has since transitioned to the F-35A Lightning II Demo Team with a full-on display of America's newest fighter! And we were fortunate enough that the Oregon Air Show was one of the destinations for the team on their inaugural year. As typical with a single-ship Air Force demo, we were treated with the United States Air Force Heritage Flight to conclude the incredible display!

North American P-51D Mustang (N151AF) "Val-Halla" from the Heritage Flight Museum taxiing out. At the controls is Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders.

"Val-Halla" departing on 22.

Greg Anders making one high-speed pass over 22 before clearing the airspace for the F-35!

Staging from Portland, the F-35A Lightning II screams in from behind show-center!

The first of several high speed passes.

At the controls is Captain Andrew "Dojo" Olson. Both pilot and aircraft are a part of the 56th Fighter Wing out Luke AFB in Arizona.

Some afterburner and vapor!

The first of a few minimum radius turns in afterburner.

Coming out of another minimum radius turn with some wingtip vortices.

The classic Weapons Bay Door pass as seen with the F-22 demo, and now the F-35 demo!

Going into afterburner as the internal weapons bay gets closed.

The conditions were ideal to get vapor shots like these! The one benefit to shooting on lousy, overcast days like today!

Missed the timing with the vapor cone on this one unfortunately...

Airframe used in today's demo is a United States Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II (13-5081) from the 56th Fighter Wing out of Luke AFB, Phoenix, Arizona.

More vapor as "Dojo" initiates a climb!

Another minimum radius turn detailing the underside profile of the F-35!.

Who doesn't love the smell of afterburner in the morning afternoon?

Topside profile view of the F-35A.

The dedication pass, with the following shots being some of my all-time favorites from this demo!

I finally got a vapor cone!

TWO vapor cones! I've waited years to get a shot like this!

Only in damp place like Oregon shots like these are possible!

The end of the dedication pass. These vapor shots are among some of my all-time favorites from the show!

Midway through a series of aileron rolls called the Eye-to-Eye.

Slow-speed pass, demonstrating the low-speed capabilities needed in dogfighting.

Just prior to re-lighting the afterburners.

"Dojo" executing a series of opposing rolls in a flat pass.

A good shot of the side-profile of the Lighting II.

Setting up for the final maneuver before the Heritage Flight.

Captain Andrew "Dojo" Olson execute a maneuver named after his call-sign, the Dojo Drift!

And yes, it's done in afterburner!

First pass by the United States Air Force Heritage Flight.

Second pass by the formation.

Third pass by the formation from overhead.

A fourth pass by the Heritage Flight formation; we got two extra passes from the formation during this demonstration!

The fifth and final pass from the formation over show-center.

A great size comparison between the P-51 and F-35!

Beginning of the crossover break!

Perfect timing!

Greg Anders performing a Victory Roll in the P-51!

Captain Olson performing another Eye-to-Eye roll in the F-35A!

High-speed flat pass by the Mustang!

Always a privilege seeing the P-51 in action!

Greg Anders beginning one more Victory Roll before hitting the traffic pattern to land.

"Dojo" executing one more Dojo Drift before heading back to PDX, where the F-35 demo team was staging out of.

Thanks for the demonstration and showing off the F-35 "Dojo!"

Greg Anders bringing "Val-Halla" back for a landing on 22.

Mike Wiskus Versus Hayden Proffitt
The show was quickly coming to a close. Up next, we had a little race between Mike Wiskus in his Pitts and Hayden Proffitt in the Chevy jet truck! Unfortunately, both plane and jet truck blew so much smoke prior to the race that and the winds were not blowing them away in time to the point that it was impossible to get actual shots of them racing.

Both racers queuing  up for the show!

Another look at Hayden Proffitt and the Chevy jet truck, "Hot Streak II."

Aerobatics by Matt Younkin
Matt Younkin was the last performer of the day before the airspace got turned over to the Red Arrows. Son of legendary air show performer Bobby Younkin, Matt Younkin demonstrates the elegance of energy and airspeed management in an airplane that often looks clumsy and was NOT originally designed to do aerobatics, the Beech 18. This solo act is one I'll never get tired of!

Beech C18S (N9109R) with Matt Younkin at the controls taxiing out.

Airborne off 22 to the tune of "Pink Elephants on Parade."

One of several Cuban-Eight rolls.

Rounding out on one loop...

And going right into another.

Elegantly managing the airplane's energy and airspeed to the tune of "Titans."

Photo pass with the emerging sunlight glinting off the fuselage.

Gear down, lights on, and aerodynamically dirty, Matt Younkin performs the Elephant's Waltz to close out his always-incredible performance!

Matt Younkin taxiing his beautiful twin-Beech 18 by the crowd line and back to the hot ramp.

Royal Air Force Red Arrows
And finally, it was time for the headliner act and one I've been looking forward to all year as it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows! Hailing from the United Kingdom, the team embarked on their 2019 North American tour, officially known as Exercise Western Hawk 19 in August of this year. 2019 marks the first time since 2008 during their Western Arrow tour that the Red Arrows have flown North American skies. The purpose of Western Hawk 19 and the team's deployment to North America from August until October is to support a wide range of British interests, which includes the promoting of international trade and cooperation, as well as deepening ties with two of Great Britain's closest allies across the pond, the United States and Canada. While much of the tour took place in and around major landmark sights and some of the largest cities and metropolitan areas of North America, the Oregon International Air Show happened to be smallest venue out of all the places the Red Arrows stopped at during their tour stops, making the team's appearance here all the more special and meaningful!

Here they are! Staging out of Portland and screaming in from behind show-center in "Big Battle" formation with the red, white, and blue smoke representative of the Union Jack, the RAF Red Arrows!

Just can't get enough of that gorgeous colored smoke!

Going into the vertical and transition to the Short Diamond formation.

Short Diamond formation.

The first of the team's historic formation shapes, the Red Arrows commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings, it's the Apollo formation!

The team consists of nine British Aerospace BAe Systems Hawk T1A advanced jet trainer aircraft. The Red Arrows have been flying the BAe Hawk T1 since 1979.

Leading the team as Red #1 (XX219) is Squadron Leader Martin Pert. Red #2 (XX177) is Flight Lieutenant Damo Green. Red #3 (XX322) is Squadron Leader Mike Bowden. Red #4 (XX319) is Flight Lieutenant Gregor Ogston. Red #5 (XX 242) is Squadron Leader Steve Morris. Red #6 (XX244) is Flight Lieutenant Toby Keeley. Red #7 (XX232) is Flight Lieutenant  Jon Bond. Red #8 (XX323) is Flight Lieutenant Chris Lyndon-Smith. And Red #9 (XX310) is Flight Lieutenant Dan Lowes.

Execution of the Apollo Roll. Just love how much the red stands out!

Representing the famed and fastest commercial aircraft in history and a very British design, it's the Concorde formation!

The Concorde formation rolling to the left to execute the Cygnet Loop.

Red, white, and blue smoke on, it's the Phoenix pass!

Colored smoke just really adds to the presentation!

Representing another British design, the team presents the Lancaster formation.

Execution of the Lancaster roll!

Reds 8 and 9 with the colored smoke executes the Tornado!

By fare one of the more visually appealing passes by the Red Arrows!

The rest of formation just changed smoke colors as 8 and 9 begin transition to standard white smoke!

The team splits into two elements in the Detonator! The formation consisting of Reds 1 through 5 is known as Enid.

Just beautiful contrast between the smoke colors and clearing skies!

Reds 6 through 9, beginning their own break with colored smoke!

Wait for it!

The crowd went wild upon seeing this incredible formation split by the rear section of the team!

Lieutenant Lowes in Red #9 banking left to begin execution of the Goose!

Red #9 going towards Enid!

Red #9 climbing up into the wake of the Enid formation!

And that's the Goose!

Enid passing by at the end of the Goose with alternating colored smoke!

Reds 6 through 8 begin the formation break known as the Vortex.

Beginning the crossover...

And that's the vortex!

Squadron Leader Pert leading the rest of the formation just before executing simultaneous rolls called the Revolution.

The Revolution roll!

The Synchro pair, Reds 6 and 7 execute a series of passes known as the Carousel, changing smoke color as they go.

The Enid group in line astern. 

Just prior to going into a reverse Battle formation.

Enid in a reverse Battle formation having just completed the Slalom.

Enid passing with colored smoke.

Reds 6 through 9 executing the Corkscrew!

The solos, Reds 8 and 9 with colored smoke rolls around the white smoke of the Synchro pair, Reds 6 and 7. 

The Enid group about execute the Rollbacks!

Reds 2 and 3 execute the first rolls!

Reds 2 and 3 are now on the outside.

Now wait for it!

Wait for it...

Keep waiting for it!

Reds 4 and 5 now do their roll!

This has to be one of my favorite shots of Enid right here!

Reds 4 and 5 halfway through their rolls to the outside.

Rollbacks complete!

The Synchros and solos beginning the Gypo break!

What a crossover!

Gypo break complete!

Red #1 leads the finale of the show, the Vixen Break!

Another incredible display of red, white, and blue smoke contrasting the clearing Oregon skies!

Again, the crowd went wild seeing this!

Vixen Break complete!

But wait! The Red Arrows gave us one last formation pass dedicated to their U.S. audience for their 2019 North American tour! Here they are set up in Big Battle formation one last time!

Using the same red, white, and blue smoke representative of their national flag, the Union Jack, the Red Arrows present the Stars and Stripes Pass!

Representing the American flag, this is the most patriotic thing I've ever seen coming from one our foreign allies across the Atlantic!

I for one was absolutely touched by this tribute to America!

The Red Arrows completing their pass before returning to Portland.

Thank you to the Red Arrows for the incredible display!

And that's a wrap! Another air show, another new (not to mention foreign!) aerobatic formation team to add to the portfolio! One disappointment about the show this year was that the organizers announced and touted the Red Arrows' support aircraft, an Airbus A400M Atlas as part of the line-up, but it never happened; it certainly would've been phenomenal to see one for the first time. And while this year's show being held in McMinnville created inevitable limitations such as the lack of opportunities for ground displays of the F-35 and the Red Arrows' BAe Hawk T1s, it was still an unforgettable air show.