Dayton Air Show releases display airplanes, performances at this year’s July event

Crew members from the Dayton-area will accompany some of the ground displays. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Samuel Spencer, a Stebbins High School graduate, will be with the U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey, Alter High School and University of Dayton graduate Air Force Lt. Col. Art Bull will fly the U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker, Carroll High School graduate Army 1st Lt. Peter Wallace will join the U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk crew, and the U.S. Air Force UH-1N Huey crew will have Steve Escoffier, a Fairborn High School and University of Dayton graduate.

This year’s airshow will be headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flying in their new twin-engine fighter aircrafts, the F/A-18 Super Hornets. The choreographed show has the crew flying up to 700 miles per hour while the aircrafts get as close as 18 inches from one another. The U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team and the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team will be incorporated into the performance as well.

Throughout the two-day airshow, TORA! TORA! TORA! will preform an eight-plane pyrotechnic reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and aerobatic pilot Kevin Coleman will roll his aircraft at 400 degrees per second and preform daring maneuvers mid-air. The U.S. Air Force F-15 two-ship flyby and the U.S. Air Force C-17 Demo Team will show off one of the U.S. Air Force’s largest aircrafts.

Debuting at the Dayton Air Show this year is Vampire Air Show’s de Havilland Vampire historical aircraft which will preform several tricks, including inverted flight and roll, all while showing off its extreme smoke system. Also appearing for the first time at the air show is pilot Kent Pietsch who will bring his specialty comedy act to the Dayton airspace. Pietsch’s act features engines shutting off 6,000 feet in the air, parts dropping out of the plane and precarious landings in his yellow Jelly Belly Interstate Cadet S-1A-65F.

The annual CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger brings an estimated $3.7 million to the Dayton economy, according to the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Tickets for the air show can be purchased online at www.daytonairshow.com or at area Kroger stores. A $3 discount will be applied to tickets purchased in-store. Children ages 5 and under are free.