Diamond Pilots perform the Low Break Cross maneuver during a practice demonstration Sept. 19.
HOUSTON (September 17, 2018) – Plan ahead and get your tickets now to see the U.S Navy Blue Angels, returning to Houston for the 34th Annual Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Wings Over Houston Airshow on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20-21, at Ellington Airport.
“We’re excited to welcome back the world-famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels, led by Commander Eric Doyle, a native of League City,” said Airshow Director Bill Roach. “For the first time at Wings Over Houston, we’re honored to have on static display That’s All, Brother, a C-47 aircraft which led the aircraft formation of more than 800 C-247s carrying paratroopers who dropped behind enemy lines hours before the first troops stormed the beaches on D-Day, June 6, 1944. You also don’t want to miss Sean Tucker, one of the greatest aerobatic pilots in history, who is flying his last season of solo performances. These are just a few of the great performances we’re lining up for this year’s show. Now is the time to buy tickets at the lowest prices of the year.”
Produced by the Commemorative Air Force, the non-profit airshow is shaping up with several performances including:
- That’s All, Brother, a recently restored C-47 aircraft which transported paratroopers in the D-Day invasion in Europe 74 years ago, is making its CAF Wings Over Houston debut. The historic plane will be on static display for fans to see. Tours for a nominal fee will help the CAF raise money to send That’s All, Brother and her crew to France next year as part of a contingent of C-47s and other aircraft flying to Europe to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
- Jack Links Screamin’ Sasquatch Jet Waco, a 1929 Taperwing Waco bi-plane outfitted with a jet engine flown, will be flown by veteran aerobatic pilot John Klatt. Jack Links also is a sponsor of Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster relief organization which has done extensive Hurricane Harvey relief work in the Houston area.
- The world’s leading civilian airshow performer, Sean D. Tucker with Team Oracle, returns for his last season as a solo performer.
- La Porte resident Deborah Rihn-Harvey, world aerobatic champion and one of the highest ranked competitors in the country, with perform her breath-taking show.
- The U.S. Air Force will demonstrate the amazing capabilities of the F-16 Viper, a single-seat, multi-mission fighter that can fly over Mach 2 and the ability to switch from an air-to-ground to an air-to-air role at the touch of a button.
- The U.S. Air Force will showcase a Heritage Flight formation with aircraft to be determined later.
- Fan favorite, Tora! Tora! Tora! returns again to wow fans with their explosive reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
- The RE/MAX Skydiving Team will open the show with a performance choreographed to the national anthem.
- The U.S. Coast Guard will demonstrate rescue routines, having provided an all-weather 24/7 search and rescue capability to the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast since 1963.
The show also will feature a massive display of aircraft on the ground which fans can see up close and meet with their pilots and crews. Other ground activities include the appearance of military veterans who will meet fans and sign autographs in the Legends and Heroes Autograph Tent. More details, including the static aircraft lineup and list of military legends, will be announced closer to show.
To purchase tickets for the 2018 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow, please visit the airshow’s website, www.wingsoverhouston.com, or call 888-4-FLYSHOW. On airshow performance days, general admission tickets will be sold at the gate. Once inside the gates, fans are welcome to visit reserved areas and purchase upgraded seating, if any are available.
About Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Wings Over Houston Airshow
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Wings Over Houston Airshow is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community event produced by a volunteer effort of the Gulf Coast Wing, Houston Wing, and Tora! Tora! Tora! of the Commemorative Air Force, with support from the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas Legends Flying Museum, Vietnam War Flight Museum, Lewis Air Legends and Collings Foundation West. The Airshow is dedicated to showcasing vintage World War II aircraft, along with the thrills of modern aviation. One of the top air shows in the United States in its category, the CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow attracts more than 90,000 festival goers throughout Houston as well as from around the globe. The 2018 Airshow benefits the CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow Scholarship Program, Exchange Club of Sugar Land, military recruiting efforts, and the Commemorative Air Force aircraft restoration and flying historical programs, in addition to numerous other nonprofit participating organizations.
About the Commemorative Air Force
The Commemorative Air Force is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Dallas, and the recognized leader of the Warbird Movement—the effort to preserve and honor American military aviation history. Since it was founded in 1957, the CAF has accrued 170 historic aircraft—the largest collection of vintage military aircraft in the world. Educational outreach programs impact an estimated 20 million Americans each year thanks to over 12,000 volunteers who support the CAF nationally and overseas. The Commemorative Air Force honors the men and women who built, maintained, and flew in American airplanes during World War II. The organization believes that is best accomplished by maintaining the airplanes in flying condition; taking the airplanes to the people, allowing them to experience the sight and sound of the aircraft in flight. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.