Another year, another edition of Atlantic City's popular "Thunder Over The Boardwalk" airshow. While the show and the promise of aerial feats keep regulars coming back, there was something a bit out of the ordinary scheduled for this year. The United States Navy was scheduled to send the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team for only the second time in the show's 12 year history. This drove local aviation enthusiasts to look forward to Atlantic City even more, with excitement building by the week. To add on to an already impressive airshow schedule, the United States Air Force was scheduled to bring the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, instead of their usual participation with the Thunderbirds. The two jet acts alone made Atlantic City's airshow even more worth attending this year. Unfortunately, Maximum Performance Aviation was only able to attend the Tuesday practice session, but this added the treat of not seeing the Blues fly once, but twice!
The flying activities for the day began with the Blue Angels flying their Circles and Arrivals show, which was slated for the Monday before the show, but scrubbed due to low ceilings. Hornets filled the sky three-by-three, and flew passes of the Atlantic City boardwalk to establish visual references for the full show. Some passes included an added roll, some inverted time, and maybe even some afterburner, and it was a great opportunity to go behind the scenes and marvel at the amount of preparation the Blue Angels have before putting on their world famous, spectacular show.
The flying activities for the day began with the Blue Angels flying their Circles and Arrivals show, which was slated for the Monday before the show, but scrubbed due to low ceilings. Hornets filled the sky three-by-three, and flew passes of the Atlantic City boardwalk to establish visual references for the full show. Some passes included an added roll, some inverted time, and maybe even some afterburner, and it was a great opportunity to go behind the scenes and marvel at the amount of preparation the Blue Angels have before putting on their world famous, spectacular show.
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Once the Blue Angels were satisfied with their references, the skies were quiet for a smidge of time. Soon enough, Maj. John "Taboo" Cummings entered the airspace and flew the full F-22 Raptor Demonstration profile. It's always great seeing the sheer power of the F-22 on full display, and it quite frankly never gets old. The F-22 is capable of Thrust Vectoring, and it is quite amazing to see the Raptor flying the same maneuvers you see guys like Rob Holland and Sean D. Tucker flying their small aircraft. Soon, Jim Beasley Jr. joined up and flew formation for the United States Air Force Heritage Flight.
2008 Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor | 08-4158 | cn 645-4158 | 94th Fighter Squadron "Hat In The Ring", Langley AFB, VA | United States Air Force | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1944 North American P-51D-25NA Mustang | N51JB | 44-73029 | Jim Beasley Jr. | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1944 North American P-51D-25NA Mustang | N51JB | 44-73029 | Jim Beasley Jr. | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
The sound of radials replaced the sound of fighters. First the sound of the Russian radial with the Raiders Demo Team flying the Yakvolev Yak-52. Later, the GEICO Skytypers flying the American built North American SNJ-2 Texan. Then for 15 minutes, the sound of the modern reciprocating, horizontally-opposed engine with Mike WIskus and the Pitts S-1-11B.
Raiders Demo Team:
1984 Yakvolev Yak-52 | N1106P | s/n 844411 | Martin "Raider" Sheehan | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1991 Yakvolev Yak-52 | N102YK | s/n 9111309 | Tom "Cuda" Reynolds | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1990 Yakvolev Yak-52 | N192YK | s/n 9011008 | Jeff "Duster" Daniel | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
GEICO Skytypers:
1941 North American SNJ-2 Texan | N65370 | s/n 2562 | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1942 North American SNJ-2 Texan | N62472 | s/n UNKN | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1942 North American SNJ-3 Texan | N7648E | s/n 786987 | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1940 North American AT-6D Texan | N58224 | s/n 2553 | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1942 North American SNJ-2 Texan | N62382 | s/n UNKN | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1984 Yakvolev Yak-52 | N1106P | s/n 844411 | Martin "Raider" Sheehan | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1991 Yakvolev Yak-52 | N102YK | s/n 9111309 | Tom "Cuda" Reynolds | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1990 Yakvolev Yak-52 | N192YK | s/n 9011008 | Jeff "Duster" Daniel | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
GEICO Skytypers:
1941 North American SNJ-2 Texan | N65370 | s/n 2562 | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1942 North American SNJ-2 Texan | N62472 | s/n UNKN | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1942 North American SNJ-3 Texan | N7648E | s/n 786987 | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1940 North American AT-6D Texan | N58224 | s/n 2553 | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1942 North American SNJ-2 Texan | N62382 | s/n UNKN | GEICO Skytypers | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
1998 Aviat Pitts S-1-11B | N5111B | s/n 4003 | Lucas Oil Airshows | Mike Wiskus | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
The flight activities concluded with a demonstration of the Blue Angels Flight Demo Team. With the poor lighting conditions, it gave me an opportunity to get creative with my photos. I focused on some opportunities for B+W, as well as some vapor shots. Oh yeah, even Fat Albert pulled some vapor.
BLUE ANGELS BUREAU NUMBERS:
#1 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163754 | sn 0829/C112 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Cmdr. Thomas Frosch | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#2 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet | 163106 | sn 495/A409 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Capt. Matt Suyderhoud | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#3 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163491 | sn 727/C048 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Maj. Andy Talbot | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#4 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet | 162885 | sn 434/B076 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Maj. Nate Barton, USMC | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#5 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163451 | sn 662/C020 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Lcdr. Mark Tedrow | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#6 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163498 | sn 737/C053 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Lt. Ryan Chamberlain | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#7 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet | 163464 | sn 685/D010 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
FA | Lockheed Martin C-130T Hercules | 164763 | sn 382-5258 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Marine Corps | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#1 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163754 | sn 0829/C112 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Cmdr. Thomas Frosch | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#2 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet | 163106 | sn 495/A409 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Capt. Matt Suyderhoud | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#3 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163491 | sn 727/C048 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Maj. Andy Talbot | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#4 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet | 162885 | sn 434/B076 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Maj. Nate Barton, USMC | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#5 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163451 | sn 662/C020 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Lcdr. Mark Tedrow | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#6 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 163498 | sn 737/C053 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | Pilot: Lt. Ryan Chamberlain | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
#7 | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet | 163464 | sn 685/D010 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Navy | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015
FA | Lockheed Martin C-130T Hercules | 164763 | sn 382-5258 | Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team | United States Marine Corps | 2015 Atlantic City Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow | September 1, 2015