Airshow brings 25 years of flight

A P-47 owned by the Lone Star Flight Museum is painted to resemble an aircraft of the 358th Fighter Group from 1944.

Justin Joseph

The Signal Staff

The Wings Over Houston Airshow celebrated 25 years of flight at Ellington Airport Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, showcasing everything from early war planes to stunt planes taking the skies.

More than 40,000 people were in attendance to watch the United States Navy Blue Angels return to the Airshow for the first time in more than 10 years. The tarmac of the airport was filled with jets, airplanes and helicopters as well as vendors and different activities for the audience.

Spectators were able to meet military pilots, peek inside the cockpits of fighter jets and hold ammunition shot from the aircrafts. There were also hot air balloon and helicopter rides available to those who wanted to take a ride.

The MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle was on display courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

“The aircraft is in fact unmanned.” said Col. Brett Thomas of the Texas International Guard. “It is what we call a U.A.V. or an unmanned aerial vehicle. Nobody is actually in the cockpit on the airplane itself, but we are in control of the airplane the whole time it is airborne.”

The Airshow set up a special tent where spectators could get autographs from legends and heroes of prior wars. To commemorate the war heroes, the program included a featured show named “Tora! Tora! Tora!”– a reenactment of the Pearl Harbor attack complete with explosives and dogfights.

The audience was captivated with the stunt flying of Gene Soucy and his assistant Teresa Stokes. The team worked well together, especially when Teresa left her seat in mid-air and became a wingwalker while Gene performed acrobatic tricks with his airplane, such as flying upside down and making loops.

An AV-8B Harrier II Jet landing vertically onto the tarmac.

The Harrier jet displayed maneuverability that makes it such a unique aircraft, especially its ability to land like a helicopter, which many jets are not capable of. Apache helicopters were also on display and did a fly by.

The Blue Angels ended the Airshow in grand fashion with a precise execution of various formations and drills many would not attempt in a dream, much less in the air. With a maximum speed of Mach 1.7 or 1,200 mph, the F-18 Hornets are designed to attack and fight in order to defend the nation.

“I can’t believe how flawless the stunts went today,” said spectator Natasha Lawrence. “I travelled in from Maryland to watch the Airshow.”