Atlantic City Weekly

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By Lori Hoffman

SEAGALLS BEWARE! Your airspace will be violated on Wednesday, August 18 when the sky over the boardwalk in Atlantic City will be filled with Thunderbirds, Golden Knights, South Jersey's own Jersey Devils, Navy Tomcats and dozens of other aircraft demonstrating the precision and skill of America's top guns.

Atlantic City's tradition as host of an outstanding airshow was revived last year with a show celebrating the 100th anniversary of powered flight. The 2004 Thunder over the Boardwalk Airshow Wednesday, Aug. 18 from 10am to 4:30pm, plans to deliver an even more exciting program, this year as part of the city's 150th anniversary celebration. Leading the charge of topflight demonstration teams will again be the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, and the United States Army Parachute Team -- the Golden Knights. The show's narration will be broadcast on WOND 1400AM radio.

Based in Nellis, Nev., the Thunderbirds fly the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. A Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the solo aircraft highlight the maximum capabilities of the F-16. While the team's maneuvers are awe-inspiring in airshows, demonstrating the capabilities of the pilots and their aircraft, the Thunderbirds are part of our combat force. If called upon, the only slightly modified aircraft can be made combat ready in less than 72 hours.

The job of the U.S. Army Golden Knights is to leap into the sky and form precise formations, as well as hit targets on the ground. The Golden Knights are the Army's only aerial demonstration unit. Based at Fort Bragg, N.C., 90 men and women make up the Knights. The team goes back to 1959, known then as the Strategic Air Corps (STRAC) Parachute team, earning the Golden Knights moniker in 1962. The Golden Knights have produced 129 nation and 23 world champion parachutists.

Lt. Anthony "Opie" Walley and Lt. "Smokin' Joe Ruzicka are the top guns for the US Navy Tomcat Demonstration Team. Walley is a combat veteran with more than 30 missions over Iraq and Afghanistan. The F-14 Tomcats will be flown in tightly choreographed maneuvers showcasing the power and noise of the twin turbofan engines. The Tomcat will also show its slow flying abilities, including passes in the carrier landing configuration.

The US Air Force F-15 East Coast Demonstration Team is based out of Hampton, Va. The pilot and team leader is Capt. Bret Anderson, a veteran fighter pilot who has logged 65 missions in Iraq. The aircraft in the F-15 demonstration are fully combat capable and would immediately deploy to war if called upon, as would all team members. The F-15 is an extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed for aerial combat.

These fighters "feel the need for speed."

The A-10A Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team is assigned to the 23rd Fighter Group at Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, N.C. A combination of high and slow speed maneuvers, rapid rolls, maximum climbs and descents, and simulated weapons employment add plenty of pizzazz to the airshow. The A-10 was the first Air Force aircraft specifically designed for close air support of ground forces.

Joining members of our armed forced in the airshow are the civilian F-104 Starfighters and the experimental aircraft builders, the Vultures. Starfighters are the only fully operational, civilian owned supersonic jet team on the U.S. airshow circuit. Founder Rick Svetkoff purchased his first F-104 in 1995.

In its first season in 1997, the Starfighters quickly became one of the most sought-after acts in airshows.

The Vultures are a group of experimental aircraft builders that build and fly their own aircraft. The Vultures consist primarily of Van's RV aircraft. These are kit-built aircraft certified under the experimental category. The Vulture Formation Team's routine consists of non-aerobatic formations set to music. The final pass that is made is the "Missing-Man" formation, with "Taps" playing in the background, in honor of the men and women who gave their lives for their country.

The home team component of the air show is a fly-by by the 177th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard, the "Jersey Devils," based at Atlantic City International Airport. The 177th Fighter Wing is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) network to protect our nation against terrorism. Like the Thunderbirds, the Jersey Devils fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Other aircraft in the show include the US Air Force F-16CJ Fighting Falcon East Coast Demonstration Team, the US Coast Guard HH-65B Dauphin Search and Rescue Demonstration, a USAF Heritage Flight with Jim Beasley Jr. in the P-51D Mustang, the 108th Air Refueling Wing with their KC-135E Stratotanker, a USAF C-17A Globemaster III from Charleston AFB, S.C., and a McGuire AFB based C-141 Starlifter and KC-10A Extender.

2004 Thunder over the Boardwalk Airshow Wednesday, Aug. 18 from 10am to 4:30pm. The free airshow can be viewed above the Atlantic City Boardwalk, from anywhere within a five-mile radius of the former Ocean One Pier at Arkansas Ave. Airshow narration will be broadcast on WOND 1400AM.

Airshow Schedule

Please note that schedule is subject to change due to weather, aircraft availability and operations.