US Air Force’s 70th anniversary display at #RIAT2017

The United States air force (USAF) is celebrating the 70th anniversary of it’s formation this year. At the recently concluded Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the USAF organized a special anniversary display at the show. The USAF displayed a variety of aircraft at the show, on static display were the B-52H, B-1B, C-17A, U-2 and more.

The USAF also organized a special flying display which included flypasts of the McDonnell Douglas F-15, Lockheed Martin F-16, Boeing KC-135 and Lockheed C-130J. The anniversary display also included flying displays of the North American P-51D, Boeing B-17, Bell Boeing CV-22B Osprey, Lockheed F-22 and the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron “The Thunderbirds”.

The USAF display begun with a display from the Bell Boeing C-22B Osprey from the 7th Special Operations Squadron based at Royal Air Force station Mildenhall, England.

U.S. Special Operations Command Bell Boeing CV-22B 11-0061.
U.S. Special Operations Command Bell Boeing CV-22B 11-0061.

United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Flypast

Three McDonnell Douglas F-15’s did a fly past in formation. The formation included two F-15C Eagles from the 493d Fighter Squadron and a F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron both stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

Two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles with a McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.
Two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles with a McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.
Two McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagles.
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.

The flypast continued with two Lockheed Martin F-16CM Fighting Falcons from the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

USAF Lockheed Martin F-16CM
USAF Lockheed Martin F-16CM
USAF Lockheed Martin F-16CM
USAF Lockheed Martin F-16CM

Next in the flypast was the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker from the 351st Air Refueling Squadron at RAF Mildenhall.

USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 58-0118
USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 58-0118.

The final aircraft in the flypast was a Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

USAF Lockheed C-130J 08-8602.
USAF Lockheed C-130J 08-8602.

The F-22 Raptor

The USAF demonstrations continued with the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia.

USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor 09-4180 .
USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor 09-4180 .
USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor 09-4180 .
USAF Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor 09-4180 .

(See more pictures of the F-22 from last years show)

United States Army Air Forces

As part of the anniversary celebration a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and two North American P-51D Mustangs were also displayed. These aircraft were part of the United States Army Air Force which was the predecessor to the USAF.

US Army Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress 41-24485.
US Army Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress 41-24485.
US Army Air Force North American P-51D Mustang 44-13318.
US Army Air Force North American P-51D Mustang 44-13318.
US Army Air Force North American P-51D Mustang 44-72035.
US Army Air Force North American P-51D Mustang 44-72035.

We will be posting a separate article with pictures of the Thunderbirds, so stay tuned.

About Vedant Agarwal

A frequent flyer for both work and pleasure - Vedant has held elite status on many of the major alliances and airlines. Also an avid aviation photographer, his pictures have been published in and on the covers of many international publications.

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