Sunday, August 10, 2014

Baltia Thunder Over Michigan 2014

The USAF Thunderbirds brought their Fighting F-16 Falcons to star in the August 9-10 air and ground show at the Willow Run airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The team of six fighter jets screamed overhead in a precision display of high speed aerobatics that brings the daily show to a close and aptly describes the airshow - Thunder Over Michigan.
Crews of maintenance personnel go over the Thunderbirds after the show finishes and the planes have taxied to their holding area.
Willow Run is home to the Yankee Air Museum which "has acquired and returned to flying status five World War II aircraft. The first plane was acquired in 1981, a Douglas C-47 World War II transport which was built in 1945. The "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is the YAM's world class award-winning flagship. The B-17G "Flying Fortress" which was used in the movie "Tora!Tora!Tora!" was purchased in 1986. The "Yankee Lady" underwent extensive restoration and was returned to flying status in 1995. The B-25D "Mitchell", a medium-duty bomber similar to the type used in Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, was acquired in 1987."

The Ford Motor Company airport was constructed in the early 1940s for the mass production and airfield of B-24 Bombers of which almost 9,000 of the large planes were built until the end of World War II. It only took 59 minutes to make one bomber and the plant employed over 42,000 personnel.
Large planes like the Baltia Airlines Jumbo Jet to the smaller prop driven fighters and bombers wait on the airstrip available for photos or even tours. Many of the planes take part in the airshow and return to the flight line waiting for tomorrow's show. Remember - no smoking, no coolers and absolutely no weapons are allowed onto the airport grounds by members of the public.

A B-17 Bomber runs up its engines in preparation for taking off. There were B-17 and B-25 rides available for purchase along with helicopter rides on a Bell Huey and a Cobra gunship.

The line of Texan and Harvard trainers 
At the military encampment you could see infantry guns and tanks along with weapon demonstrations. Twice a day the soldiers put on the battle demonstrations as part of the airshow scheduled events.
The thunder happens on the ground as a WWII European battle re-enactment features both infantry and tanks of allied and German forces engaged in a smoky battle right in front of the thousands of visitors. Rolling away from the camps outside the airport, the soldiers enter the grounds and take up position along the front line, exchanging gunfire and tank shells as the battle ranges up and down the airfield.

The M-5 Stuart tanks line up for a volley fire




North American F-86 Sabre
Curtiss C-46 Commando
B-17 Flying Fortress




Saturday and Sunday Schedule - subject to change
8:00 AM - Admission/Ticketing Points Open
9:00 AM - Air Show Grounds Open
10:30a.m. - 11:00a.m.
• WWII European Ground Battle (Featuring Five M5 Stuart Tanks)
11:30a.m. - 4:30p.m.
• Texan Takeover (T-6 (29))
• U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team
• F-86 Sabre Demo
• P-51 Mustang Demo
• WWII AAF Victory Flight (B-17; P-38;P-47; P-51; P-40)
• WWII AAF Parade (B-17; B-25 (3); P-38;P-47; P-51 (3); P-63; P-40;F-6;C-46; C-47; C-60;
AT-11)
• P-63 Kingcobra Demo
• WWII European Air & Ground Battle Reenactment (L-5)
• Screamin Sasquatch WACO
• B-24 Liberator Demo
• U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds Demo
5:00 PM - Air Show Grounds Close

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