This year the Open House was different. Security was much more visible. Upon entering the base the Security Police were searching two vehicles with a working dog. This year the B-52 and B-1s were in a roped off area. This year the 89th Air Wing Commander banned food/beverage coolers from the show area. This was a safety/security precaution. People often write how security precautions make life more difficult and so give terrorists a moral victory. In this case the no coolers rule made the show area visibly cleaner. This year the USAF Thunderbirds were grounded so they couldn't perform. During a performance at Patrick AFB, FL on April 25 two of the team's F-16s touched on takeoff. There was only minor damage but Major General Glen Moorhead, commander of the Air Warfare Center, decided to ground the team after he reviewed the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Blue Angels were otherwise engaged. On Saturday the Golden Knights couldn'
t perform because of the high winds. The winds also prevented the 82nd Airborne Mass jump. The 82nd Airborne made their mass jump on Sunday. The Golden Knights made an abbreviated show on Sunday because of the cloud ceiling.
A US Army Gold Knight
This is the only Golden Knight to jump on Saturday. The Golden Knight's airplane a C-31. A B-1B Lancer, a B-52 Stratofortress, and a B-2 Spirit.
A B-1B and B-52 on display and a B-2 in flight at the Andrews AFB Open House.
An F-51 Mustang and an F-16 Fighting Falcon and an A-10 Thunderbolt II
An F-51, F-16, and A-10 fying together. An F-86 flying with two F-15s.
An RC-135, a C-135, and a KC-135, three military versions of the Boeing 707.
While the Boeing 707 is a rarety these days in civil aviation the USAF uses these venerable craft extensively. The Andrews AFB open house illustrated this.
Two USMC CH-46s in flight. A Cobra gunship in flight.
A pair of CH-46s, a pair of Cobra helicopters and two Harrier jump jets performed a Search and Rescue Demonstration. A USMC F/A-18 Hornet, a Canadian AF CF-18, and a US Navy F/A-18 in flight. An AH-64 Apache Longbow attack helicopter. The Longbow is the most advanced Apache helicopter. A US Army Patriot Surface to Air Missile Launcher. The Skytypers in flight
The Skytypers were one of a few civilian air demonstration teams to perform. There have been more civilian air demonstrations the last couple of years.
A motor cycle used by the Germans in World War II.
There was also a display of equipment used by the Wehrmacht.
Notice the false cockpit painted on the bottom of the Canadian Air Force CF-18.
Paul F. Straney and Robert Sacchi © 1999