The skies over Portsmouth, NH reverberated with the sound of high performance aircraft during the weekend of August 28 & 29, 2010. The Boston-Portsmouth Air Show, held at the Pease Tradeport's Portsmouth International Airport, was opened by the U.S. Army's Golden Knights and featured the United States Navy's legendary flight demonstration squadron, The Blue Angels.
Aerobatic Performers
The Firebird Aerobatic Team impressed with their opposing 300 horsepower Extra 300L stunt planes. Michael Goulian was amazing, flying his 350 horsepower EXTRA 300SHP aerobatic aircraft through breathtaking maneuvers. New Hampshire's favorite aerobatics pilot, Rob Holland from Nashua, NH, did not disappoint in his black MX2. John Klatt is a professional airline pilot and Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot. When does he find the time to practice his stunning aerobatics in his 330 horsepower Staudacher S-300D? Sean D. Tucker, a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, wowed the crowd in his bright red 400 horsepower Challenger II biplane.
Military Aircraft Demonstrations and Static Displays
The large crowd, estimated to be more than 40,000 each day, witnessed demonstrations by many old and new military aircraft including the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet and the U.S. Air Force's F-15 Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and KC-135 Stratotanker. The beautifully restored World War II B-25J Panchito is sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans and was an excellent reminder that "Freedom Is Not Free."
The Boston-Portsmouth Air Show was fortunate to be visited by the demonstration team, Força Aérea Brasileira Esquadrilha da Fumaça, the Brazilian Air Force Smoke Squadron! Using seven T-27 (Embraer EMB-312 Tucano), the Smoke Squadron is unusual in that their aircraft are two-seaters.
The Red Star Formation Team, last seen in Portsmouth in 2007 at the Wings of Hope Air Show, is always fun to watch with their four Soviet trainer aircraft, the Yakovlev Yak-52. Team MS760 is a new aerial ballet team formed this year for the 2010 air show season. Flown by two veteran retired military pilots, their Morane-Saulnier MS.760's are leisure jets built in France.
The best subjects for photographers with compact digital cameras are the static displays, and there were plenty of opportunities:
- Aero L-39ZA Albatross
- Bell UH-1N Iroquois
- Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18F Super Hornets
- Boeing B-52H Stratofortress and KC-135R Stratotanker
- Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
- Lockheed C-130E Hercules and P-3C Orion
- McDonnell Douglas F-15 Strike Eagle, KC-10A Extender, and T-45C Goshawk
- Nanchang CJ-6A
- Norhtrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
- North American SNJ-5
- Northrop AT-38C Talon
- Sikorsky UH-60L Blackhawk
- Yakovlev YAK-50 and YAK-52.
Blue Angels
The Boston-Portsmouth Air Show was lucky to be one of the thirty-five locations selected for the Blue Angels' 2010 schedule. One of the world's best flight demonstration teams, the United States Navy's Blue Angels has been thrilling crowds since 1946.
Sources:
- The 2010 Souvenir Program, Boston-Portsmouth Air Show
- The Official Website of the Blue Angels
- The Official Website of the Boston-Portsmouth Air Show
Ronald Campbell - Ronald T. Campbell of Hampton, New Hampshire is a professional writer and photographer whose lifelong hobby is studying history. He has ...
Join the Conversation