A few months ago we were on the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar for their annual 5k run. Today we were back, this time for their annual air show. They have a stellar lineup of aerial performances, and we were told it was an event not to be missed.
As usual, because we were driving a hundred miles into the city, we felt like we should do more than just one thing. We invited another senior missionary couple to join us for lunch.
As we were chatting and mentioned that we used to live in Longmont, Kristy asked if we knew Dave and Liz Nelson… our good friends there! Yes, we’ve known them for decades. And it turned out Liz was her best friend growing up in California. Small world!
Unsurprisingly, the air show was packed with people. Unfortunately, we ended up parking so far away that we missed one of the “don’t miss this” performances. But we still caught several hours’ worth of good stuff. We started out on the tarmac in the cheap seats (meaning: free).
But the view wasn’t great, and it was hot on the concrete with the sun beating down. We relented and purchased a couple of tickets in the grandstands, which had a much better view and also featured several of our friends.
There were so many exciting things to watch as the planes zoomed overhead. My “good” camera is back in Montana, so all I had to work with was my phone and a little point-and-shoot camera. Both of them were difficult to use in the bright sun, so I ended up with at least a dozen photos of empty blue sky as I attempted to track the jets overhead. My pictures didn’t turn out well, but they’re good reminders of what we saw…
An F-22 Raptor goes transonic (notice the plume of water vapor as it accelerates):
That same Raptor flew really slowly in formation with a classic P-51 Mustang of World War II vintage. I’m sure the Mustang was going as fast as its little propeller could take it, while the Raptor was bordering on a stall. It was cool to see them together, though.
Several biplanes were featured, and frankly I was astonished at the sorts of acrobatics biplanes are capable of doing.
They did flips, twists, rolls, falling from a high stall, and fast dives. Daredevils indeed.
The highlight of the show was, naturally, the Blue Angels. They’re the Navy’s premier aerobatic squadron, and they’re something of a hometown favorite because their training ground is right here in El Centro. They performed all sorts of high-speed high-precision maneuvers.
Their “diamond” formation is amazing to see. They maintain about eighteen inches of separation between cockpit and wing.
It was so cool to see them roar overhead in tight formation.
We’re excited to see them again in March, when they start their show season in El Centro before touring the country.
Overall the air show was amazing (and loud!) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterward we met up with a group of friends at a restaurant called Boomerang’s…
… which the owner sadly informed us would be closing permanently in two days. He’d been in business for seventeen years, but the landlord doubled his rent and he isn’t profitable enough to pay that, so the restaurant is finished. Too bad– the food was quite good.
A great day with great friends. And some airplanes.