MUSKEGON, Mich — This weekend, the skies over the Muskegon County Airport will be filled with United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft at the Wings Over Muskegon Air Show.
Wings Over Muskegon Schedule
The Wings Over Muskegon Air Show takes place on July 8 and 9 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Muskegon County Airport.
- Grounds Open: 9 a.m.
- Morning Teaser: 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
- Air Show Starts: 1 p.m.
- Air Show Ends: 3 p.m.
- Grounds Close: 5 p.m.
Tickets are available online at WingsOverMuskegon.com. Different levels of tickets are available including General Admission, Fighter Club, Officer's Club and Business Chalet.
There will be no on-site ticket sales.
Aircraft and Performers
Multiple aircraft and performers will conduct stunning maneuvers and fly-bys on Saturday and Sunday of the show. Here is information on all of the aircraft and their pilots that will be performing.
A-10C Thunderbolt II
The A-10C Thunderbolt II, nicknamed the "Warthog," will be part of an USAF Heritage Flight. The A-10 will be piloted by Team Pilot and Commander, Captain Lindsay Johnson. Captain Johnson will be the first female military demonstration pilot to fly at the Muskegon Air Show.
The A-10C is close air support aircraft used in support and forward air control roles. The plane has a top speed of 517 mph and is armed with a 30mm Gatling gun and Maverick and Sidewinder missiles. The USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team is from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ.
P-51D Mustang
The P-51D, affectionately referred to as "Bald Eagle," is also part of the USAF Heritage Flight. The P-51D will be piloted by Jim Beasley Jr., a founding member of the Air Force Heritage Foundation who has flown historic aircraft for over 20 years.
This P-51D will be painted to mirror the scheme of Lt. Robert Eckfeldt's P-51D. Lt. Eckfeldt served in the 361st‘s 374th Fighter Squadron during World War II. The paint scheme includes the 8th Air Force's signature "Invasion Stripe," which was painted on aircraft that participated in D-Day.
North American P-51D Mustang
A second P-51D Mustang, named "Swamp Fox," will also participate in the Muskegon Air Show. This P-51D Mustang is not the original "Swamp Fox" that was used during World War II in the European Theater, but is a P-51D that was built in 1945 and later painted to resemble the original "Swamp Fox."
The P-51D is sometimes called "The Cadillac of the Skies" because of its dominance as a fighter during the closing years of World War II. The P-51D has a top speed of 437 mph and was used as a fighter and heavy bomber escort during World War II. The fighter was also used in limited capacity during the early years of the Korean war as a fighter-bomber.
The "Swamp Fox" is piloted by RT Dickson, who has been flying in air shows since 1992.
MiG-17F
The MiG-17F is a Soviet-made fighter that entered service in 1960 and was active until 1990. The fighter was the primary enemy of the United States Air Force over the skies of Vietnam.
Rand Ball will pilot the MiG-17F, which tops out at an impressive 715 mph. Ball has flown several Russian jets, boasting 1,800 hours of flight time in the Soviet-made aircraft.
T-34 'Mentor'
The "Hooligan Flight Team" will be demonstrating formation flying in T-34 "Mentors," which were designed to act as training aircraft for the USAF and US Navy.
Five T-34s will fly at the air show and show off different formations and formation maneuvers.
Folds of Honor Biplane
Ed "Hamster" Hamill will be flying the Folds of Honor Biplane to raise awareness and funds for military families. Hamill is a retired USAF Colonel with 30 years of service and over 2,200 hours of flight time in an F-16.
The plane helps promote the Folds of Honor organization that provides money for education to family of service members.
Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
MXS-RH
Ten-time, consecutive, US National Aerobatic Champion Rob Holland will be piloting his custom MXS-RH at the air show. Holland is considered to be one of the best airshow performers in the world, with over 28 international competition medals.
The MXS-RH is a completely custom aircraft based on the MXS. The all carbon-fiber plane weighs a minimal 1,200 pounds, but has enough power to pull off innovative maneuvers that are impossible for many other aircraft to imitate.
Air Adventure Rides
In addition to the demonstrations, there will be three aircraft taking passengers on flights on July 6, 7, 8 and 9. You can book short flights on a B-25, C-47 and UH-1h Huey helicopter. The flights range between 10 and 20 minutes.
Tickets for flights on July 8 and 9 also include a ticket to the air show. You can purchase Air Adventure tickets here.
B-25 Rosie's Reply
Take a ride in a B-25 in one of two compartments on the plane. Two passengers can ride in the flight deck and nose compartment while four passengers can ride in the rear compartment.
Learn more about the aircraft here.
C-47 Hairless Joe
Hop in a C-47 and take a trip above the tarmac during the air show. The C-47 seats 12 passengers at a time.
Learn more about the aircraft here.
UH-1H Huey Greyhound
Jump aboard this whirlybird and experience an open-door flight at the air show. The UH-1H Huey helicopter can fit ten passengers at a time.
Learn more about the helicopter here.
Ground Display Aircraft
On top of all of the aircraft performing and offering rides, there will be almost a dozen other military and civilian aircraft on display at the airport.
- North American B-25J “Georgie’s Gal”
- UH-60 Blackhawk (MIARNG Grand Ledge)
- HC-144 (USCG Air Station Cape Cod)
- Grand Caravan
- Beech 18
- 1976 Cessna 150M Commuter
- 1973 Cessna 172M Skyhawk
- 1973 Cessna 172M Skyhawk
- 1970 Cessna 177B Cardinal
- 1994 Mooney M20J
13 ON YOUR SIDE is a media sponsor of the Wings Over Muskegon Air Show.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.