I went to the air show at Langley Air Force Base Saturday. The Air Force always puts on a great show. For my money, the Air Force and the Thunderbirds have always been more appealing to me than the Navy and the Blue Angles. The weather was perfect for a change. I was surprised that the crowds were not as big as they usually are. I think the news media predicted 180,000 for the 3 day event. Might have to do with the price of gas and some people might be a little apprehensive attending these types of events after 9/11. Everyone had to submit to a search before being allowed entrance, including being scanned with a metal detector or being patted down. But I don’t mind such precautions if it makes everyone safer. Needless to say the show was great. I didn’t stay for the Thunderbirds but I did see the B2 stealth bomber fly over. It is amazing how quiet such a large plane was. It flew directly overhead and I could barely hear the engines.

There was also a demonstration of the new F22 stealth fighter. Two F22’s and two F15’s put on a combined air show. The new F22 was really something to see. It had a burnished finish to it and was very moulded in appearance with no sharp corners. I also so a solo stunt plane performance where the pilot did some amazing manuevers. I took 61 photographs including the flight demonstrations and static displays. Also on display was the brand new Joint Strike Fighter. Now that is another beautiful looking aircraft. There were some WWII aircraft on display; a P51 Mustang, a Curtis P-40, and a Japanese Zero. As I was leaving for the day, six what looked like Japanese Zero’s put on a display. I switched to video and captured some nice video of them. This link will take you to the photo album I have put up with some of the shots I took. I just wish I had stayed longer but since I was alone I didn’t stay as long as I would have if there had been someone else there to share it all with. Teresa is not much on events like that.