- The Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Canadian Snowbirds! The team last performed in Oregon back in 2014, which was also the last time I saw them. This year, I am absolutely thrilled to finally photograph their aerobatic grace and beauty with my DSLR camera! Not only that, but seeing them here in Oregon also finally marks a personal highlight for me in being able to catch all three of North America's military formation jet teams with DSLR in a short span of just two years (I saw the Blue Angels last year in Idaho Falls, the Thunderbirds earlier this year back in Utah, and now the Snowbirds here in Oregon!)!
- The other star attraction was supposed to be the Canadian Forces CF-18 Demo Team, which was commemorating the 60th anniversary of NORAD this year with a special paint job. This was supposed to be the last air show of the 2018 season where the Snowbirds and CF-18 Demo Team were to perform together at the same venue. However, the jet had maintenance issues all weekend long that kept them grounded from doing any aerobatics. But in a show of class, the CF-18 Demo Team stayed on location and placed their jet on static display for people to get a close look all weekend long when they could've easily left and ferried the plane back to Canada to address the issue.
- In lieu of the CF-18 Demo Team, Canadian Air Force and aerobatics pilot Captain Brent Handy filled in with a very cool demo of the CT-155 Hawk, Canada's primary jet trainer.
- In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the United States Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force commemorated the occasion with formation fly-by passes with two F-16s and a single CF-18. And because the CF-18 Demo Team did not the perform, the standard CF-18 made a couple of extra passes after the F-16s left the area!
- United States Special Operations Command (U.S. SOCOM) Para-commandos supported by the United States Air Force/Minnesota Air National Guard 934th Airlift Wing's C-130H Hercules participating in the parachute jump demonstration as well as the opening ceremony. The Hercules that served as the jump platform even made a few fly-by passes and demonstrated why the mighty "Herc" is still in service after over fifty years!
- A United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster III fly-by, courtesy of the 62nd Airlift Wing out of McChord Air Force Base near Seattle.
- The Olympic Air Museum out of Olympia, Washington and two of their Vietnam War-era helicopters, the venerable UH-1 Huey and the AH-1 Cobra (which is a first for me in seeing one fly!)
- Alaska Airlines, once again bringing in one of their Boeing 737-800s to Hillsboro.
- The United States Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team and the USAF Heritage Flight with a Douglas A-1Skyraider from the Heritage Flight Museum out of Bellingham, Washington, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders (son of Apollo 8 astronaut, Major General William "Bill" Anders). Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders also flew a few solo passes prior to the A-10 demo and then gave a demo himself in the Skyraider following the conclusion of the Heritage Flight!
- The Historic Flight Foundation out of Everett, Washington and two of their distinct warbirds, the North American B-25 Mitchell we know as "Grumpy" and the legendary Supermarine Spitfire.
- Aerobatic performances by Bob Freeman (Freeman Air Shows), Renny Price, Mike Wiskus (Lucas Oil Air Shows), and Jon Thocker and Ken Rieder of Redline Air Shows as well as Hayden Proffitt in the Chevy jet truck.
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Pre-Show Activities
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Opening Ceremony
Oregon Air Show 2018 - U.S. SOCOM Para-Commandos
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Mike Wiskus Teaser
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF C-130H Tactical Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Bob Freeman
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Brent Handy CT-155 Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Renny Price
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF C-17 Fly-By
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Mike Wiskus
Oregon Air Show 2018 - NORAD 60th Anniversary Formation
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Olympic Flight Museum
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Redline Air Shows
Oregon Air Show 2018 - U.S. SOCOM Para-Commandos
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Hayden Proffitt & Mike Wiskus
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Alaska Airlines
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Greg Anders Skyraider Teaser
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF Heritage Flight
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Greg Anders Skyraider Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Historic Flight Foundation
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Canadian Forces Snowbirds
Photo preview & highlights:
Static Display
I arrived early enough before it got crowded, so the first thing I did was go check out the static display aircraft and there were plenty to see including a few aircraft types I've never photographed before until today!
Pre-Show Activities
Even before the show opened, there were a couple of pre-show flights that took place. The Historic Flight Foundation's B-25D Mitchell "Grumpy" took to the air taking up some passengers on a joyride. An A-10 Thunderbolt II also took to the skies on a quick test flight as well.
Opening Acts
As per the usual, the air show opened with the opening ceremonies conducted by the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Para-commandos supported by a C-130 Hercules serving as the team's jump platform. Afterwards, the parachute team did a brief jump demonstration before a teaser by Mike Wiskus in his Pitts biplane. Following the brief aerobatic demonstration, we were treated to a brief tactical demo from the C-130 jump aircraft!
Aerobatics by Bob Freeman
The first act of the main performance line-up was Bob Freeman of Freeman Air Shows and his Extra EA-300.
RCAF CT-155 Demo by Brent Handy
With the Canadian CF-18 Hornet demo down for maintenance issues, Captain Brent Handy filled in with a cool little demo of the Royal Canadian Air Force's primary jet trainer, the BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk, which made things interesting. I've also never seen a Hawk in flight before, so this was a welcome substitution to the air show line-up!
Aerobatics by Renny Price
I think it's safe to assume that local Oregonian Renny Price of Hammerhead Aerobatics is one act you can always expect to see at the Oregon International Air Show!
USAF C-17 Globemaster III Fly-by
Another anticipated act for this year's show would be the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III fly-by, courtesy of the 62nd Airlift Wing out of McChord Air Force Base up in Washington!
Aerobatics by Mike Wiskus
Up next was Lucas Oil Air Show's Mike Wiskus in his Pitts biplane. He had a little "escort" courtesy of the Hillsboro Police Department!
NORAD 60th Anniversary Flight
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) between the United States and Canada. In commemoration, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air Force flew in formation at air shows across North America demonstrating the closeness Canada and America has shared since 1958 in a partnership to protect the North American skies. Since the end of the Cold War NORAD stands prepared to face new threats including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and terrorism. We stand in appreciation of this alliance with the knowledge that North American skies will remain safe from any outside threats so that we may continue with our lives as normal!
Olympic Flight Museum Helicopters
Up next was a unique display of two Vietnam-era military helicopters courtesy of the Olympic Flight Museum out of Olympia, Washington; they brought out their UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra and gave us a glimpse of what American troops and airmen faced during the Vietnam War. Seeing the Cobra flying was particularly exciting for me as I have never seen one in flight before!
Aerobatics by Redline Air Shows
Up next was the only dual aerobatic performance in the air show line-up, Jon Thocker and Ken Rieder of Redline Air Shows and their home-built Van's RV-8s.
United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Para-Commandos
The U.S. SOCOM Para-commandos performed for the second time with a couple more jump demonstrations.
Hayden Proffitt versus Mike Wiskus
Up next was supposed to be a race between Hayden Proffit in his 1957 jet-powered Chevy pick-up truck and Mike Wiskus in his Pitts. Unfortunately, it started to drizzle and the runway got wet, which would've made it extremely dangerous for the truck to go high-speeds. So all we got was a little taunting contest between the two! At least we got some flaming hot action on the part of Hayden Proffitt!
Alaska Airlines
It wouldn't be the Oregon International Air Show without some kind of participation from Portland's hometown air carrier, Alaska Airlines! A Boeing 737-800 made a high-speed pass, followed by a full-stop landing with about 50 staff and guests on board before taking off again. In an era of commercial airline travel notorious for bad publicity and customer service, Alaska Airlines at least makes an effort to stand out within the communities it serves.
USAF A-10C Demo, USAF Heritage Flight, & A-1 Skyraider Demo
Up next was an act I've been looking forward to seeing, the United States Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II demo and Heritage Flight. We actually got quite a bit more than expected with this; for starters, while waiting for the Alaska 737 to takeoff, the A-1 Skyraider flown by Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders got in the air and did a couple of passes. Once the 737 was outbound, we got the full A-10 demo followed by the United States Air Force Heritage Flight. After the A-10 landed, the Skyraider stayed airborne and gave a brief demonstration of its own! It was an absolute privilege seeing America's two greatest ground-attack/close air support aircraft from their respective eras fly together an perform at this air show!
Historic Flight Foundation
The second-to-last act in today's air show line-up was the warbirds of the Historic Flight Foundation out of Everett, Washington. Specifically, we were treated the sight and sounds of the Supermarine Spitfire and the North American B-25 Mitchell. With live, Andrew Sisters style music being performed by the singing troupe Ladies for Liberty, we got glimpse into the past. This year's air show also saluted the Doolittle Raiders, and their daring one-way flight in 1942 to bomb Japan in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Historic Flight Foundation's B-25 flew specifically to honor this year's special guest of the air show, Lieutenant Colonel Richard "Dick" Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot from that very raid of the Raiders! At 103 years of age, Lieutenant Colonel Cole is the last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders.
Canadian Forces Snowbirds
And finally, it was time for the 2018 Oregon International Air Show's headliner act, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds of 431 Air Demonstration Squadron out of CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada! Four years have passed since I last saw the Snowbirds perform with their nine CT-114 Tutors and this year, I finally photograph their performance in DSLR, making this air show one of the biggest highlights of the year!
All can say about today is WOW! What an air show! Truly a highlight of the year and good way for me to cap off my 2018 air show season! I'm satisfied now that I've photographed all three military jet teams in North America, along with the rest of this year's great line-up. And I'm glad I was able to make it back to the Oregon International Air Show this year!
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Opening Ceremony
Oregon Air Show 2018 - U.S. SOCOM Para-Commandos
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Mike Wiskus Teaser
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF C-130H Tactical Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Bob Freeman
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Brent Handy CT-155 Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Renny Price
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF C-17 Fly-By
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Mike Wiskus
Oregon Air Show 2018 - NORAD 60th Anniversary Formation
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Olympic Flight Museum
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Redline Air Shows
Oregon Air Show 2018 - U.S. SOCOM Para-Commandos
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Hayden Proffitt & Mike Wiskus
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Alaska Airlines
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Greg Anders Skyraider Teaser
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - USAF Heritage Flight
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Greg Anders Skyraider Demo
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Historic Flight Foundation
Oregon Air Show 2018 - Canadian Forces Snowbirds
Photo preview & highlights:
Static Display
I arrived early enough before it got crowded, so the first thing I did was go check out the static display aircraft and there were plenty to see including a few aircraft types I've never photographed before until today!
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| Royal Canadian Air Force BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk (155205) of 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School/15 Wing out of CFB Moose Jaw on display. Captain Brent Handy would take this Hawk up for a demonstration flight in lieu of the CF-18 Hornet demo. |
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| United States Navy Northrop F-5N Tiger II (761549) of Fighter Squadron Composite (VFC-13) "Saints" out of NAS Fallon on display. |
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| United States Navy Grumman G-123 E-2C Hawkeye 2000 (165648) of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17) out of NAS Lemoore and attached to the USS Theodore Roosevelt on display. |
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| United States Navy Northrop F-5N Tiger II (761537) of Fighter Squadron Composite (VFC-13) "Saints" out of NAS Fallon on display. |
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| United States Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules (08-3173) of 317th Airlift Wing, 40th Airlift Squadron, the "Screaming Eagles" out of Dyess Air Force Base on display. This is my first time seeing a Super Herc up close! |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force De Havilland Canada DHC-5 CC-115 Buffalo (115452) of 19 Wing, 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron out of CFB Comox on display. |
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| Oregon Air National Guard McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle (78-0470) from the local 142nd Fighter Wing, 123rd Fighter Squadron, the "Redhawks" out of PDX on display. |
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| United States Army Boeing CH-47F Chinook (08-08774) on display. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Bell 206B-3 CH-139 JetRanger III (C-FTHV) on display. Actually, this JetRanger is fully operated under civilian operations and formerly carried military registration 139312. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Bell 412CF CH-146 Griffon (C-FYZK) on display. Another former military helicopter previously registered as 146404. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Ratheon CT-156 Harvard II (156110) of 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (CFFTS)/15 Wing out of CFB Moose Jaw on display. |
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| United States Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet (165675) of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), the "Flying Eagles" out of NAS Lemoore on display. |
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| Idaho Air National Guard Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II (78-0627) of the 124th Fighter Wing, 190th Fighter Squadron out of Boise on display. |
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| Idaho Air National Guard Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II (80-0276) of the 124th Fighter Wing, 190th Fighter Squadron out of Boise on display. |
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| United States Navy Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk (167815) of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron SIX (HSC-6) out NAS North Island and attached Carrier Wing 17 (CVW-17) on the USS Theodore Roosevelt on display. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force McDonnell Douglas CF-18A CF-188A Hornet (188776) of the Canadian CF-18 Demo Team on display. Painted in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Bummer that this jet didn't fly for this show... |
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| United States Navy Sikorsky S-70B MH-60R Strike Hawk (168101) of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 49 (HSM-49), the "Scorpions" out of NAS North Island on display. Note the special markings on the tail. |
Pre-Show Activities
Even before the show opened, there were a couple of pre-show flights that took place. The Historic Flight Foundation's B-25D Mitchell "Grumpy" took to the air taking up some passengers on a joyride. An A-10 Thunderbolt II also took to the skies on a quick test flight as well.
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| North American B-25D Mitchell (N88972) "Grumpy" departing on 31L for a quick joyride. |
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| United States Air Force Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II (79-0202) of the 355th Operations Group, representing both the 354th Fighter Squadron "Bulldogs" and the 357th Fighter Wing "Dragons" out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base departing on 31L for a test flight. |
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| In typical warbird fashion, "Grumpy" buzzes the airport upon return! |
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| "Grumpy" on short-final for 31L. |
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| "Grumpy" taxiing back to the ramp. It would go back up later towards the end of the air show for a demonstration with the FHC's Spitfire and again after the show's conclusion to take more people flying. |
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| The A-10 buzzing overhead upon return! It's only my second time since Reno last year that I've been able to see the A-10 take flight and I gotta say, I love the sound those twin General Electric TF34-GE-100As make! |
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| The Hawg touching down on 31L. |
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| The A-10C taxiing back to the ramp. A completely different airframe on location would go up later in the day for the United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II demonstration. |
Opening Acts
As per the usual, the air show opened with the opening ceremonies conducted by the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Para-commandos supported by a C-130 Hercules serving as the team's jump platform. Afterwards, the parachute team did a brief jump demonstration before a teaser by Mike Wiskus in his Pitts biplane. Following the brief aerobatic demonstration, we were treated to a brief tactical demo from the C-130 jump aircraft!
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| United States Air Force Lockheed C-130H Hercules (92-3285) of the 934th Airlift Wing, 96th Airlift Squadron, the "Flying Vikings" out of Minneapolis-Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station airborne off 13R. Note the prop vortices! |
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| Mike Wiskus of Lucas Oil Air Shows in his Pitts S-1-11B/260 Super Stinker (N5111B) departing on 31L. |
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| Now here's a sight you don't see every day! A civilian aerobatics biplane in formation with a military airlifter! |
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| The first para-commando bringing in the American flag. |
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| Another para-commando during the jump demonstration. |
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| Another para-commando with red smoke to increase visibility on the overcast day. |
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| The final para-commando coming in hot. The U.S. SOCOM Para-commandos kept it tight since the cloud cover restricted how much altitude they had for good visibility; they're not allowed to jump through clouds during a jump! |
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| Mike Wiskus buzzing into the air show box to put on his quick teaser demo! |
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| The "Flying Vikings" making a high-speed pass in the mighty Hercules for a brief tactical demo! |
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| Banking to the right, making a unique angle for photography! |
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| The second high-speed pass before setting up for landing. |
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| The "Herc" taxiing back to the ramp after landing on 13R. |
Aerobatics by Bob Freeman
The first act of the main performance line-up was Bob Freeman of Freeman Air Shows and his Extra EA-300.
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| Bob Freeman in the Extra EA-300/SR (N330RF). Picture here executing the Knife-edge pass. |
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| Final photo pass prior to landing. |
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| Taxiing back to the hot ramp. |
RCAF CT-155 Demo by Brent Handy
With the Canadian CF-18 Hornet demo down for maintenance issues, Captain Brent Handy filled in with a cool little demo of the Royal Canadian Air Force's primary jet trainer, the BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk, which made things interesting. I've also never seen a Hawk in flight before, so this was a welcome substitution to the air show line-up!
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| Captain Brent Handy beginning takeoff roll on 31L with the Royal Canadian Air Force BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk (155205). |
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| The first photo pass! |
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| Steep left turn on the second pass! |
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| Another photo pass! |
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| Airborne off 13R after performing a touch-and-go! |
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| Climbing back into the pattern for 13R to conclude the demonstration. |
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| Captain Handy taxiing the CT-155 back to the hot ramp. This kind of performance just shows how much class the Canadian Air Force has! |
Aerobatics by Renny Price
I think it's safe to assume that local Oregonian Renny Price of Hammerhead Aerobatics is one act you can always expect to see at the Oregon International Air Show!
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| Renny Price lifting his Sukhoi Su-29 (N699SU) off 31L. |
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| Knife-edge photo pass. |
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| Taxiing back to the hot ramp. |
USAF C-17 Globemaster III Fly-by
Another anticipated act for this year's show would be the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III fly-by, courtesy of the 62nd Airlift Wing out of McChord Air Force Base up in Washington!
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| United States Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III (96-0004) of the 62nd Airlift Wing out of McChord Air Force Base making its first fly-by pass in landing configuration. |
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| Second fly-by pass in the "clean" configuration. |
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| Never get tired of seeing one of these fly! |
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| Climbing away back to nearby Portland International, where the plane was staging from. |
Aerobatics by Mike Wiskus
Up next was Lucas Oil Air Show's Mike Wiskus in his Pitts biplane. He had a little "escort" courtesy of the Hillsboro Police Department!
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| Mike Wiskus taxiing out with five cops on motorcycles in tow! |
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| I think Mr. Wiskus is in trouble with the law! |
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| The famed inverted ribbon cut, with help from the Hillsboro Police Department! |
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| Knife-edge photo pass. |
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| Reverse knife-edge pass! |
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| Taxiing back to the hot ramp. Clearly, Mike Wiskus had fun playing with the cops! |
NORAD 60th Anniversary Flight
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) between the United States and Canada. In commemoration, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air Force flew in formation at air shows across North America demonstrating the closeness Canada and America has shared since 1958 in a partnership to protect the North American skies. Since the end of the Cold War NORAD stands prepared to face new threats including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and terrorism. We stand in appreciation of this alliance with the knowledge that North American skies will remain safe from any outside threats so that we may continue with our lives as normal!
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| Royal Canadian Air Force McDonnell Douglas CF-18A CF-188A Hornet (188735) of 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron "Cougars" out of CFB Cold Lake departing on 31L to rendezvous with the rest of the NORAD formation staging out of PDX. At the controls is Major Erick "Hom" O'Connor. |
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| "Hom" leading two United States Air Force F-16s in the first formation pass! Incredible to see a multi-national military formation! |
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| "Hom" leading the Vipers in the trail parade review pass. This shot puts a perspective with regards to size comparisons between the F-16s and the legacy Hornet model. |
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| "Hom" breaking formation to begin the solo pass sequence! |
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| First pass by "Hom" in the Canadian Hornet! |
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| How about some afterburner?! |
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| First pass of the United States Air Force General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon (84-1294) of the 309th Fighter Squadron "Wild Ducks" out of Luke Air Force Base in afterburner! |
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| Beginning the bank still in afterburner! |
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| Afterburner and vapor, the one cool thing about shooting on an overcast day! |
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| First pass of the United States Air Force General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon (84-1324) of the 309th Fighter Squadron "Wild Ducks" out of Luke Air Force Base! |
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| Second pass of "Hom" in the Hornet! |
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| Pitching up and vapor starting to form! |
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| Afterburner and more vapor! |
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| Second pass of the F-16C, still in afterburner! |
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| Pitching up and getting some vapor formed! |
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| Second pass of the F-16D! This one stayed off the burners up until this pass. |
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| Finally, the F-16D goes into afterburner! |
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| "Hom" making his third pass in the Hornet! |
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| THIS has to be my favorite shot of the Canadian Hornet! |
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| Third and final pass by the F-16C with a plume of afterburner! |
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| Bugging out back to PDX, where the F-16s were staging out of! |
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| Third and final pass of the F-16D! |
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| "Hom" making his fourth solo pass! |
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| We appreciated the extra passes made by "Hom" in the Canadian Hornet in lieu of the main CF-18 Demo! |
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| Fifth and final pass by "Hom" before setting up for landing! |
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| Major O'Connor bringing the Hornet back in for a landing on 31! |
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| "Hom" taxiing the CF-18A back to the ramp. |
Olympic Flight Museum Helicopters
Up next was a unique display of two Vietnam-era military helicopters courtesy of the Olympic Flight Museum out of Olympia, Washington; they brought out their UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra and gave us a glimpse of what American troops and airmen faced during the Vietnam War. Seeing the Cobra flying was particularly exciting for me as I have never seen one in flight before!
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| The helicopters airborne off the hot ramp! |
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| Bell UH-1H Iroquois (NX443YB) making a pass. |
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| The Cobra providing cover from above! Note the narrow underside profile. |
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| The Huey coming in for a tactical landing. |
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| The Cobra continues to provide cover! |
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| Bell TAH-1P Cobra (N7239T) "Voodoo Venom" making a solo pass. |
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| The Huey back in the air with the Cobra! |
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| The Huey family coming back around. Note how much tighter the Cobra turns! |
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| The Cobra being a good wingman to the Huey! |
Aerobatics by Redline Air Shows
Up next was the only dual aerobatic performance in the air show line-up, Jon Thocker and Ken Rieder of Redline Air Shows and their home-built Van's RV-8s.
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| Joh Thocker and Ken Rieder taking off in formation off 31L. |
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| First pass before going up into the vertical. |
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| Thocker and Reider criss-crossing each others' smoke trail with some fancy barrel rolls! |
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| Thocker inverted on a pass with Reider! |
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| Formation photo pass. |
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| They took off in formation, and they land in formation! |
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| Taxiing back to the hot ramp. |
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| Jon Thocker in his Van's RV-8 (N803RL). |
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| Ken Reider in his Van's RV-8 (N804RL). |
United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Para-Commandos
The U.S. SOCOM Para-commandos performed for the second time with a couple more jump demonstrations.
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| The C-130H getting airborne for the second time with the para-commandos on board! |
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| First jumper with some red smoke. |
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| The second jumper turning on the downwind before touching down. |
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| Third jumper on base before making his final approach. |
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| The good old Herc making a tight bank before setting up to land! |
Hayden Proffitt versus Mike Wiskus
Up next was supposed to be a race between Hayden Proffit in his 1957 jet-powered Chevy pick-up truck and Mike Wiskus in his Pitts. Unfortunately, it started to drizzle and the runway got wet, which would've made it extremely dangerous for the truck to go high-speeds. So all we got was a little taunting contest between the two! At least we got some flaming hot action on the part of Hayden Proffitt!
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| Hayden Proffitt in Hot Streak II, a 1957 Chevy pick-up truck powered by twin Pratt & Whitney J34-48 jet engines that once powered a Navy T-2 Buckeye. Gotta love the flames! |
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| Flames out of the smoke stacks! |
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| Mike Wiskus giving Hayden Proffitt a dose of his smoke! |
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| Hot Streak II getting towed back to the ramp after cancelling the race. Better luck next time boys! |
Alaska Airlines
It wouldn't be the Oregon International Air Show without some kind of participation from Portland's hometown air carrier, Alaska Airlines! A Boeing 737-800 made a high-speed pass, followed by a full-stop landing with about 50 staff and guests on board before taking off again. In an era of commercial airline travel notorious for bad publicity and customer service, Alaska Airlines at least makes an effort to stand out within the communities it serves.
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N562AS) operating as ASA9983 from Portland making a high-speed pass. You don't get to see airliners do stuff like this often! |
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| ASA9983 moments away from touching down on 31L! |
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| Smoking the mains on 31L! |
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| ASA9983 parking on Taxiway A prior to engine shut-down. |
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| Taxiing for departure back to Portland International as ASA9984. |
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| ASA9984 lined up on 31L awaiting takeoff clearance! |
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| ASA9984 rolling on 31L for departure back to Portland! As always Alaska Airlines, for stopping by! |
USAF A-10C Demo, USAF Heritage Flight, & A-1 Skyraider Demo
Up next was an act I've been looking forward to seeing, the United States Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II demo and Heritage Flight. We actually got quite a bit more than expected with this; for starters, while waiting for the Alaska 737 to takeoff, the A-1 Skyraider flown by Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders got in the air and did a couple of passes. Once the 737 was outbound, we got the full A-10 demo followed by the United States Air Force Heritage Flight. After the A-10 landed, the Skyraider stayed airborne and gave a brief demonstration of its own! It was an absolute privilege seeing America's two greatest ground-attack/close air support aircraft from their respective eras fly together an perform at this air show!
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| Douglas AD-4NA A-1D Skyraider (NX965AD) "The Proud American" from the Heritage Flight Museum out of Bellingham, Washington departing on 31L. At the controls is Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders, son of Apollo 8 astronaut, Major General William "Bill" Anders. |
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| First pass by Lieutenant Colonel Anders! |
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| Second teaser pass of the legendary Skyraider! |
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| United States Air Force Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II (78-0684) of the 355th Fighter Wing, 357th Fighter Squadron "Dragons" out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base departing on 31L. At the controls is Captain Cody "ShIV" Wilton. |
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| "ShIV" roaring in with the "Hawg!" |
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| One of the many pitch-out maneuvers! |
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| Starting an eight-point roll! |
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| Going up into the vertical. Even the A-10 generates some vapor! |
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| Slow and dirty! |
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| This angle only means one thing if this were actual combat: the Warthog is using it's GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon! Only thing missing is that famed "Brrrrrrrrrrt!" sound! |
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| "ShIV" angling in on another simulated gun run! |
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| The moment of pitch-out of the "gun run!" Note all the vapor forming as a result of the sudden change in the A-10's angle of attack. |
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| One more simulated "Brrrrrrrrt!" run! |
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| "ShIV" pitching out one more time. |
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| Halfway through a slow roll. |
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| The Dedication Pass. |
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| Pitching out to get set for formation flying with the Skyraider. |
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| First pass of the Heritage Flight! |
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| Second pass of the Heritage Flight! |
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| Third and final pass. |
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| The moment of cross-over! |
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| Cross-over break complete! |
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| Captain Wilton in the Warthog! |
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| Lieutenant Colonel Anders and the Skyraider! |
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| Barrel rolling with mock weapons mounted on the wings, demonstrating what kind of armament the Skyraider is capable of back then! |
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| "ShIV" on his last pass before setting up to land! |
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| Greg Anders making another high-speed pass in the "Sandy!" |
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| "ShIV" bringing the A-10 in for a landing on 31L! |
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| Note the ailerons also acting as spoilers. |
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| Captain Wilton taxiing to A-10 back to the hot ramp. |
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| Greg Anders beginning his quick solo demonstration with a simulated gun run. |
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| Another look at the weapons mounted on the wings. |
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| Photo pass of the Skyraider. |
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| Final pass by Lieutenant Colonel Greg Anders in the Skyraider! |
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| Bringing the Sandy back in for a landing on 31L |
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| Wings folded on taxi back to the hot ramp. |
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| That is, until he unfolded the wings! |
Historic Flight Foundation
The second-to-last act in today's air show line-up was the warbirds of the Historic Flight Foundation out of Everett, Washington. Specifically, we were treated the sight and sounds of the Supermarine Spitfire and the North American B-25 Mitchell. With live, Andrew Sisters style music being performed by the singing troupe Ladies for Liberty, we got glimpse into the past. This year's air show also saluted the Doolittle Raiders, and their daring one-way flight in 1942 to bomb Japan in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Historic Flight Foundation's B-25 flew specifically to honor this year's special guest of the air show, Lieutenant Colonel Richard "Dick" Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot from that very raid of the Raiders! At 103 years of age, Lieutenant Colonel Cole is the last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders.
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| Supermarine 361 Spitfire LF9E (N633VS) from the Historic Flight Foundation taking off on 31L. |
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| "Grumpy" departing on 31L for the second time of the day. |
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| First high-speed pass of the Spit! Never get tired of that beautiful sound of a Merlin engine. |
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| "Grumpy" buzzing in bomb bay doors open! |
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| Dirty Pass by "Grumpy!" |
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| The Spitfire buzzing overhead to join up with the B-25! |
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| Another "odd couple" formation of Allied aircraft! |
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| Second formation pass by the Spitfire and Mitchell. |
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| "Grumpy" taxiing back to the ramp after landing on 13R. |
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| The Spitfire rolling out on 13R. |
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| Spitfire taxiing back to the hot ramp. Always a privilege to see one of these magnificent British designs in action! |
Canadian Forces Snowbirds
And finally, it was time for the 2018 Oregon International Air Show's headliner act, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds of 431 Air Demonstration Squadron out of CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada! Four years have passed since I last saw the Snowbirds perform with their nine CT-114 Tutors and this year, I finally photograph their performance in DSLR, making this air show one of the biggest highlights of the year!
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| Snowbirds 1 through 3 formation takeoff on 31L. |
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| Snowbirds 4, 6, and 7 formation takeoff on 31L |
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| Snowbirds 5, 8, and 9 formation takeoff on 31L. |
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| The Snowbirds spread out for their pre-show shake-out, where they condition their bodies before subjecting themselves to the high-G maneuvers of the aerobatic display. |
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| The team opening their display with the Vulcan formation, emulating the famous British V-bomber, the Avro Vulcan! |
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| The Big Arrow. |
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| The Concord bottom-side pass. |
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| The Big Wedge Topside Pass. |
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| The Big Diamond. |
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| The Voodoo Split! |
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| The solos performing the inverted opposing pass! |
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| Snowbirds 5 through 7 in a three-ship trail formation pass. |
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| The Double Take roll by Snowbirds 1 through 4! |
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| The solos in an opposing pass while doing individual rolls. |
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| The solos executing the Canopy Cross! |
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| The Cormorant Split. |
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| Another opposing pass executed by the solos! |
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| Head-on Bottom side opposing pass by the solos! |
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| The Five Line Abreast by Snowbirds 1 through 3, 6, and 7. |
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| Snowbirds 1 through 3, 6, and 7 in a shallow bottom side Vic. |
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| The solos barrel rolling around the smoke trail of Snowbirds 4 and 5! |
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| Another incredible formation split with multiple crossovers! |
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| The Goose. |
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| The Swept Seven. |
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| The solos in the reflection roll. |
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| The Double Diamond. |
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| The Swept Delta Bottom side pass. |
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| The Wineglass. |
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| Back to the Big Diamond. |
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| The Nine Plane Line Abreast Exit, dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel Richard "Dick" Cole. |
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| The Battle of Britain tribute pass prior to landing. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114054), Snowbird #1 with Team Lead, Major Denis Bandet at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114051), Snowbird #2 with Inner Right Wing, Captain Sarah "T-Rex" Dallaire at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114009), Snowbird #3 with Inner Left Wing, Major Jason "J-Rock" Tuckett at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114090), Snowbird #4 with First Line Astern, Major Stephen "Pup" Melanson at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114109), Snowbird #5 with Second Line Astern, Captain Kevin Domon-Grenier at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114096), Snowbird #6 with Outer Right Wing, Major Bassam "Panda" Mnaymneh at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114143), Snowbird #7 with Outer Left Wing, Captain Pierre-Marc "Dash" Deschenes at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114033), Snowbird #8 with Lead Solo, Captain Greg "FOMO" Hume-Powell at the controls. |
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| Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair CL-41A CT-114 Tutor (114141), Snowbird #9 with Opposing Solo, Captain Taylor "McLovin" Evans at the controls. |
All can say about today is WOW! What an air show! Truly a highlight of the year and good way for me to cap off my 2018 air show season! I'm satisfied now that I've photographed all three military jet teams in North America, along with the rest of this year's great line-up. And I'm glad I was able to make it back to the Oregon International Air Show this year!
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