2022 “Large” Ground Display

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“LArge” Ground Display Aircraft Sneak Peek!

Last Update: Tuesday, 10/25/22 10:57 CT (e!)

In addition to the amazing US Navy Blue Angels, you will see some of the best civilian and military pilots in the world – flying for you. This sneak peek represents a fraction of the total number of aircraft that will be on display!

>>> To get you started, we’re going to look at the HEAVY side of things … Transports & Bombers. That said, please stay tuned to your email for the Fighter & Vintage aircraft update. <<<

An Important Note on the Warbird Display Ramp
Some aircraft below are on the WARBIRD DISPLAY RAMP. Display times will vary. If you’d like to see these aircraft … please arrive early! Below is your Insider peek into several notable aircraft you will be able to see this weekend, both on the ground and flying.

Aircraft note: Aircraft below might not be the exact paint scheme, tail flash, or unit shown. All display aircraft are subject to change without notice.

B-52 Stratofortress

What’s 159 feet long and 185 feet wide? A B-52 Stratofortress … of course! The 2022 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow is fortunate enough to host the B-52 on ground display! This behemoth is one of those things you need to see in person, because it’s absolutely astonishing – not only in size but also its iconic history!

Special thanks goes out to our friends at Barksdale Air Force Base. Also, please be sure to thank the men and women of the military that make this all possible! Don’t Miss the B-52 on Ground Display October 29th and 30th at Ellington Airport! It’s your chance to come out and get an up close look at an amazing piece of aviation history.

AC-130J “Ghostrider”

The AC-130J is the fifth generation gunship replacing the aging fleet of AC-130U/W gunships. AC-130 gunships have an extensive combat history dating back to Vietnam where gunships destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and were credited with many life-saving, close air support missions. Over the past four decades, AC-130s have deployed constantly to hotspots throughout the world in support of special operations and conventional forces. In South America, Africa, Europe and throughout the Middle East, gunships have significantly contributed to mission success.

C-5 “Super” Galaxy!

“The C-5 Galaxy is one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory. The aircraft can carry a fully equipped combat-ready military unit to any point in the world on short notice and then provide the supplies required to help sustain the fighting force.
The C-5 has a greater capacity than any other airlifter. It has the ability to carry 36 standard pallets and 81 troops simultaneously.

The Galaxy is also capable of carrying any of the Army’s air-transportable combat equipment, including such bulky items as the 74-ton mobile scissors bridge. It can also carry outsize and oversize cargo over intercontinental ranges and can take off or land in relatively short distances. Ground crews are able to load and off-load the C-5 simultaneously at the front and rear cargo openings, reducing cargo transfer times.
The C-5 has 12 internal wing tanks with a total capacity of 51,150 gallons (194,370 liters) of fuel — enough to fill 6 1/2 regular-size railroad tank cars. A full fuel load weighs 332,500 pounds (150,820 kilograms). A C-5 with a cargo load of 270,000 pounds (122,472 kilograms) can fly 2,150 nautical miles, offload, and fly to a second base 500 nautical miles away from the original destination — all without aerial refueling.

With aerial refueling, the aircraft’s range is limited only by crew endurance.”

Photo / Info Credit:
http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/
tabid/224/Article/104492/c-5-abc-galaxy-c-5m-super-galaxy.aspx

B-29 Superfortress – “Doc”

Doc is a B-29 Superfortress and one of 1,644 manufactured in Wichita during World War II. Since 1987 when Tony Mazzolini found “Doc” sitting and rotting away in the Mojave Desert, plans have been in the works to restore the historic warbird to flying status to serve as a flying museum.

Over the past 15+ years, hundreds of volunteers have worked on “Doc” and the restoration project. Skilled workers and retirees from Wichita’s aviation industry, veterans, active duty military and others wanting to honor those who served, have spent tens of thousands of hours on Doc’s restoration.
Photo Credit: Brett Schauf, courtesy of the Lone Star Flight Museum facebook page

C-17 Globemaster III

“The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.”

Source/Link: http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/
Display/tabid/224/Article/104523/c-17-globemaster-iii.aspx

B-17G Flying Fortress

“The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry outperformed both competitors and exceeded the air corps’ performance specifications. Although Boeing lost the contract because the prototype crashed, the air corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances.

The B-17 was primarily employed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the daylight strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets. The United States Eighth Air Force, based at many airfields in central and southern England, and the Fifteenth Air Force, based in Italy, complemented the RAF Bomber Command’s nighttime area bombing in the Combined Bomber Offensive to help secure air superiority over the cities, factories and battlefields of Western Europe in preparation for the invasion of France in 1944. The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the War in the Pacific, early in World War II, where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields.

From its prewar inception, the USAAC (by June 1941, the USAAF) promoted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a relatively fast, high-flying, long-range bomber with heavy defensive armament at the expense of bombload. It developed a reputation for toughness based upon stories and photos of badly-damaged B-17s safely returning to base. The B-17 developed a reputation as an effective bomber, dropping more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. Of the 1.5 million tonnes of bombs dropped on Germany and its occupied territories by U.S. aircraft, 640,000 tonnes were dropped from B-17s. In addition to its role as a bomber, the B-17 was also employed as a transport, antisubmarine aircraft, drone controller, and search-and-rescue aircraft.

As of May 2015, ten aircraft remain airworthy. None of them are combat veterans. Dozens more are in storage or on static display. The oldest of these is a D-series veteran of combat in the Pacific and the Caribbean.”

Credit/Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress

B-25 Mitchell

“The B-25 medium bomber was one of America’s most famous airplanes of World War II. It was the type used by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle for the Tokyo Raid on April 18, 1942.Subsequently, B-25s saw duty in every combat area being flown by the Dutch, British, Chinese, Russians and Australians in addition to U.S. forces. Although the airplane was originally intended for level bombing from medium altitudes, it was used extensively in the Pacific Theater for bombing Japanese airfields and beach emplacements from treetop level, and for strafing and skip bombing enemy shipping.Built by North American Aviation, the B-25 first flew on Aug. 19, 1940, and the U.S. Army Air Corps accepted the first five B-25s in February 1941. By the end of the war, North American Aviation had built a total of 9,816 B-25s at its California and Kansas plants.”

Source/Credit:
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/196310/north-american-b-25b-mitchell.aspx

Please note: Aircraft ABOVE might not be the exact model, type, tail flash, or paint scheme shown. All display aircraft are subject to change without notice.

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