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The Kern County Airshow was held at the Inyokern Airport on October 1, 2003. It featured hot air balloons, several aerobatic performances, visits by an AV-8B Harrier and a pair of F/A-18E Super Hornets of VX-9 based at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, an F-15 Eagle from the 412th Test Wing based at Edwards Air Force Base, and an F/A-18F Super Hornet of VFA-2 based at Lemoore Naval Air Station.

Hot Air Balloon over the Inyokern Airport.

The morning started clear and warm with a very gentle breeze.

Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet, 166422, #130 of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-9 Vampires based at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station.

Link to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-9 web page.

VX-9 squadron insignia features an upside-down bat and lightning bolts.

Marine Corps Bell AH-1W Cobra, 163935, #740 of VX-9

Ramjet powered missile

Radio controlled models

Canadair CT-114 Tutor of the Canadian Snowbirds

Link to the Canadian Snowbirds web page.

The Canadian Snowbirds use nine CT-114 Tutors in their performance. They bring two spare airplanes in case of mechanical problems.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, 114159, Canadian Snowbirds #5.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, 114172, Canadian Snowbirds #2.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, 114013, Canadian Snowbirds #1.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, 114013, #1 of the Canadian Snowbirds

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Lockett Photography

You can buy a 8-inch by 10-inch glossy prints featuring my photographs of the Canadian Snowbirds at the Lockett Photography Store.

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The sky grew more overcast as the afternoon progressed. It kept the temperature in the 80s...maybe low 90s.

SAIA-Marchetti SF-260 Warrior, N941TA flown by Chuck Lischer.

Link to Chuck Lischer's web site.

Edge 540, N540BW flown by Mike Mangold

Zlin 50, N6660K Tumbling Bear flown by Rob Harrison

Link to Rob Harrison's web site.

Canadian Snowbirds ground crew

Mike Mangold makes a knife edge pass in his Edge 540.

Many of Mike Mangold's maneuvers depended on the power of the Edge 540's souped up Lycoming engine. His climb after take-off was so steep that the strong wind reduced his ground speed to zero. The Edge 540 hovered like a harrier for several seconds and then accelerated quickly in horizontal flight.

Mike Mangold climbs from the cockpit of the Edge 540.

Vortices of vapor stream from the strakes of Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet, 165920, 104 of VFA-2 Bounty Hunters based at Lemoore Naval Air Station.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, 114172, Canadian Snowbirds #2.

Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet, 165920, 104 of VFA-2.

Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet, 165920, 104 of VFA-2 makes a minimum-radius turn.

Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet, 165920, 104 of VFA-2.

Link to the web site of VFA-2 Bounty Hunters.

Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornets, 121 and 210 of VX-9 based at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station.

McDonnell-Douglas F-15A Eagle, 77-139 of the 412 Test Wing based at Edwards Air Force Base.

McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier, 753 of VX-9 approaches the airfield in vertical lift mode.

McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier, 753 of VX-9.

McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier, 753 of VX-9.

The Harrier's exhaust became smoky as the pilot engaged water injection to increase thrust for a vertical climb. The sound was so loud that it exceeded the capacity of my eardrums to transmit it to the bones of my middle ears. The roar of the engine became a ringing that reverberated through my skull.

Page 2 of the 2003 Kern County Airshow:

Page 2 of the 2003 Kern County Airshow display features the performance of the Canadian Snowbirds.

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