Over a million people watched as what is billed as the "worlds largest military airshow", and also as the "largest airshow in the United States" was held at MCAS Miramar from October 13-15, 2000. It was the third year that the Marines have hosted the event, after taking over from the Navy due to base realignments.
The show included three daytime performances and one special night show on Saturday. In addition to the military showing off all the current inventory of aircraft, many top civilian acts were also there. Aviation legend Bob Hoover, who had received some of the top billing, unfortunately was a no-show.
Three Mig-17’s took to the
skies during the show, with the "Stoli" Migs (formerly the "Red
Star" Migs) joining regular performer Bill Reesman in his Mig-17F.
Reesman flies his "Red Bull" Mig in both a daytime "Mig Magic"
show, and night "Mig Meteor" performance. It is Reesman’s
second Mig, having totaled one in a spectacular crash a few years back.
Reesman is based out of the former Norton Air Force base, now a civilian field, near San Bernardino. According to Julie Reesman, his wife and airshow announcer, they make it to "16 or 17 shows a year—East Coast, West Coast, all over the U.S."
The immaculate Mig-17F is put through 8-g maneuvers during his performance. Reesman flew an opposing jet during Vietnam, with over 320 combat missions in the F-100 Super Sabre. He is also a former Northwest Airlines pilot and United Airlines instructor.
The USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association brought in Jim Moriarty’s
1961-vintage SH-34J 
Choctaw helicopter
for static display. All of the current crewmembers served on the same model
helicopter during the Vietnam War. It is maintained in the markings of HMM-362,
the "Ugly Angels", which served in Vietnam during the 1960’s.
Another beautifully restored aircraft that frequents the Miramar show is a Ryan PT-18 trainer. The open-cockpit World War II primary trainer was produced in San Diego during the war, so it is a local favorite at the show.
Vintage warbirds also took to the air for a variety of "Heritage
Flights". The airshow was dedicated to the fifty-year anniversary of
the Korean War, and planes that flew both in World War II and Korea were
featured. Two P-51 Musta
ngs, an F8F
Bearcat, and F-86 Sabre jet were joined by a FG-1D Corsair and F7F Tigercat
from the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA.
On a sadder note, two QF-4 Phantoms were also on display. The Vietnam-era jets, which would be a welcome addition to many an air museum, were apparently slated to become targets for the joint U.S.-Britain-Canada war games that were held off the Southern California coast the week following the Miramar airshow.
The AV-8B Harrier jump jet was back again this year, but instead of coming
from the USMC, it was provided by the Royal Navy. The jet is used for close
air support of Marine ground troops, and can stay on station for up to 30
minutes. Seven external store stations can handle a variety of missiles,
mostly air-to-ground, and a 25MM six-barrel gun pod with 300 rounds 
of ammunition.
The F-14 Tomcat, one of the world’s most heavily armed fighters,
put on a low-level display before the crowd. The two-seat aircraft has a
RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) who can track up to 24 
targets from over 100 miles away. With full afterburners, the
Tomcat produces 50,000 pounds of thrust, which was fully demonstrated during
the show while doing minimum-radius turns.
The B-1B Lancer bomber was also a crowd favorite, showing what the Mach-2 aircraft could do at much slower speeds with 600 MPH passes before the crowds. The Lancer is half a football field long, and weighs about a half-million pounds when fully loaded.
The Red Baron Stearman Squadron is always
a crowd favorite at the Miramar show. The four 
PT-17 World War II vintage trainers have been restored with certain
modifications including the addition of a 450-HP engine to allow the antique
aircraft to perform stunts beyond belief. These guys fly really tight
formation, and still pull off amazing feats.
The F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter-bomber
grabbed the attention of everyone present as it went through a tactical
demonstration flight. The New Mexico-based jet is part of the 49th
Fighter Wing, and gained fame in missions during Desert Storm, with over
1000 combat missions flown without so much as
a scratch to any of the aircraft.
Another strange-looking aircraft is the A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog". The tank-killer came to the show from Tucson, and is really quite nimble in the air. With a 30-mm. Gattling gun that fires between 4,000 and 6,000 rounds per minute, it packs a potent punch.
The pride of the show is the Marines MAGTF demonstration, where F/A-18
fighters and Cobra helicopters "soften up" the airfield before
CH-46, CH-53, and UH-1 helicopters insert the troops. The CH-53 can even
drop off a howitzer, and 
shortly thereafter
Marine ground forces reach the airfield in M1-A1 Abrams battle tanks and
other ground combat vehicles. MAGTF stands for the "Marine Air-Ground
Task Force", and shows how quickly the Marines can respond to a crisis
situation that calls for maximum force.
The "Number One" featured performer each year is the Navy’s
Blue Angel flight demonstration team. Before
the colorful blue and yellow F/A-18 Hornets take to the skies, the C-130
Hercules that backs up the team demonstrated a JATO-bottle short-field takeoff.
"Fat Albert" gains altitude quickly with eight JATO bottles shooting
out their fire.
Eight of the F/A-18’s arrive at the show, but only six actually perform before the crowds. The final two do PR work, including media and celebrity rides, and their pilots provide the commentary during the performance.
The four-plane "Diamond" formation
is meant to show off the graceful aerobatic formation maneuvers that demonstrate
Navy-trained flying skills. The other two jets are there to provide fast-paced
high performance maneuvers with the two solo pilots. The Blue Angels fly
at about 35 air shows each year, before 
an estimated 15 million spectators.
The Marines provide an excellent show each year at Miramar, and for those living in Southern California, it is a "must-see" event.
Digital ChoreoGraphics
