Tattoo offers rare heritage aircraft flyovers

Published May 11, 2007
By 2nd Lt. Holly Layer
88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Both heritage and modern aircraft will perform at this year's Air Force Materiel Command's "Freedom's Call" Tattoo as part of its theme, "Heritage to Horizons."

"This event will provide the aviation enthusiast a rare opportunity to view a wide selection of World War II era and modern day aircraft in-flight, providing the spectator a true picture of just how far we have developed our war-fighting technology during the past 60 years," said Dave Egner, tattoo director.

The June 29 Tattoo will feature musical performances, inspirational story telling, aircraft flyovers and evening fireworks.

Heritage aircraft appearing at Tattoo include:

P-51 Mustang - Originally a British design, the P-51 was used by the Army Air Forces for photo reconnaissance and ground support in 1941. In 1948, the "P" for pursuit was changed to "F" for fighter because of its multi-role use. The Mustang was used to escort B-29s from Iwo Jima to Japan, and later in Korea.

C-47 Skytrain - This transport airplane, nicknamed the "Gooney Bird," hauled people and cargo during World War II. After the war, the C-47 was the main aircraft used in the Berlin Airlift, which helped to feed the city's 2.5 million people for 11 months.

F-86 Sabre - As the U. S. Air Force's primary fighter in the Korean War, the Sabre, or Sabrejet, was designed as both a fighter-interceptor and a fighter-bomber. It was the most-produced airframe in the Cold War period.

C-54 Skymaster - The C-54 played important roles in World War II, the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War. Perhaps the C-54 is best known for its involvement in Operation "Little Vittles," which dropped packages of candy and gum to the children in and around Berlin.

"The C-54 which will fly over Freedom's Call 2007 is one of only a very few of its kind still flying today," said Egner. "This model aircraft played a very important role in the history of the Air Force. President Truman signed the National Security Act that directed the establishment of a separate flying service now known as the U.S. Air Force while in flight in a C-54 in 1947. That actual aircraft named the "Sacred Cow" is now on display in the Presidential Hangar here at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

B-25 Mitchell - The B-25 is perhaps most famous for its role in the retaliation raid on Japan after their attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Sixteen B-25s, led by then Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, left the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet April 18, 1942, just five months later.

T-28 Trojan - The Trojan began as a replacement for the T-6 Texan in the mid-1940s, and by the early 1960s, the Trojan was filling a counter-insurgency role in Vietnam and North Africa. The T-28 has since been replaced by another trainer, the T-34.
Modern airframes slated to appear at the show include:

A-10 Thunderbolt - Affectionately called the "Warthog," the A-10 was the U.S. Air Force's first plane designed for close air support of ground forces. It's single crewman, the pilot, is protected by a titanium 'tub,' and the aircraft as the capability to seal it's fuel engines with foam if hit. The Thunderbolt can maneuver well at low speeds and can loiter for long periods of time.

B-52 Stratofortress - The main long-range heavy bomber was the first to fly non-stop around the world in a record 45 hours and 19 minutes in 1957. While the airframe entered the Air Force in 1955, the Stratofortress is sometimes called the bomber that is "not getting older, just getting better" because of it's many improvements and updates throughout the years.

C-17 Globemaster III - The most recent edition to the inventory of the U.S. Air Force, the C-17 is the most versatile of cargo planes. The Globemaster can deliver troops and cargo to forward-deployed locations and can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions when needed.

C-5 Galaxy - The largest airframe in U.S. Air Force inventory, the C-5 Galaxy plays a vital role in rapid global mobility. The Galaxy features both front and rear loading capability, 12 fuel tanks that enable it to fly more than 2,500 nautical miles before refueling and can carry nearly every piece of combat equipment in the inventory of the U.S. Army.

KC-135 Stratotanker - The Stratotanker's main purpose is aerial refueling, and it can refuel U. S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, as well as those of other allied nations. The KC-135 can also perform ambulatory, reconnaissance and other missions.

F-117 Nighthawk - The F-117 is the world's first "stealth" aircraft, made up of radar-evading materials. The Nighthawk played roles in 1989 Operation Just Cause in Panama and in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

F-15 Eagle - First flying in the U.S. Air Force in 1974, the F-15 was the first fighter to have greater thrust than its own weight, which allowed it to accelerate while in a vertical climb. The Eagle has been used Operation Desert Storm to seek out "scud" ballistic missile launchers and perform counter-air operations in Iraq.

F-16 Fighting Falcon - This airframe is a low-cost, high-performance aircraft that was designed to combine some of the existing systems in the F-15 and F-111 with newer technology.

F-22A Raptor - The Raptor combines state-of-the-art avionics technology, stealth characteristics and air-to-air armament capability. Online since December 2005, the Raptor is the newest edition to the aircraft inventory of the U. S. Air Force.
"The Tattoo team is working daily to secure even more modern day aircraft to portray the U.S. Air Force story, 'Heritage to Horizons,'" said Egner.

Gates open June 29 at 4:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Pre-show activities will include live music by a local band and children's inflatable games. People may purchase food from vendors. Large coolers with ice and glass bottles are not allowed in to the event. Fireworks will conclude the event and begin at 10 p.m.