Kern County Airshow, October 6, 2004
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The Kern County Airshow was held at the Inyokern Airport on Wednesday October 6, 2004. It featured several aerobatic performances, and visits by an AV-8B Harrier and an F/A-18F Super Hornet of VX-9 based at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, a B-52 Stratofortress from the 412th Test Wing based at Edwards Air Force Base, and an Israeli Aircraft Industries Kfir. The Canadian Snowbirds appeared at the Kern County Airshow for the second year in a row.

MiG-15UTI, N41125 was built in 1954. Its serial number is 242266.

MiG-15UTI, N41125.

Canadair CT-114 Tutors of the Canadian Snowbirds

Link to the Canadian Snowbirds web page.

Czech Aerovodochody L-29 Delphin, N92216 was built in 1971. Its serial number is 194500.

Douglas DC-3, N101KC Rose of Dream Flight carried passengers on aerial tours from the Inyokern Airport. The flights provided spectacular views of the China Lake Valley and the Sierra Nevada. Rose was built as a DC-3 in 1943 and served the Army Air Force as a C-53D. It is a veteran of the D-Day invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944. Its Douglas construction number is 11639.

Link to a display of photos from an aerial tour aboard Rose.

Israeli Aircraft Industries Kfir, 928KF is one of five operated as aggressor aircraft for air combat maneuvering training by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) of Newport News, Virginia. This was a first for me. Not in my wildest imaginings would I have guessed that there would be a Kfir flying at Inyokern.

Israeli Aircraft Industries Kfir, 928KF.

Former Flight Systems Canadair CT-33A, N303FS.

Royal Air Force Sikorsky AH-64D Longbow Apache.

Douglas DC-3, N101KC Rose taxis out with a load of passengers for a scenic tour of the valley.

Douglas DC-3, N101KC Rose begins its take-off roll.

Bearhawk, N232PF was built in 2003. Its serial number is BH232-7.

Parachutists of the Just in Time team suit up for a jump from Cessna 182E, N3152Y. It was built in 1962. Its serial number is 18254152

Douglas DC-3, N101KC Rose returns from another revenue flight.

SAIA-Marchetti SF-260 Warrior, N941TA flown by Chuck Lischer. It was built in 1977. Its serial number is 286.

Parachutists of the Just in Time team jump from Cessna 182E, N3152Y at the commencement of the flying performances.

Two aerobatic airplanes circled a descending parachutist with an American flag as the Star Spangled Banner played during the opening ceremony.

Parachutists landing.

SAIA-Marchetti SF-260 Warrior, N941TA.

Yak-54, N154DB is flown by Eric Beard. It was built in 1996. Its serial number is 01002.

Yak-54, N154DB.

Extra 300L, N94TW

The 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB sent Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 for a low-speed, dirty pass and then a high-speed pass.

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 of the 412th Test Wing.

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 of the 412th Test Wing.

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 of the 412th Test Wing.

High-speed pass by Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 of the 412th Test Wing with its bomb bay doors open.

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 of the 412th Test Wing.

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, 60-0050 of the 412th Test Wing.

Czech Aerovodochody L-29 Delphin, N92216 is flown by Bob Stambovsky.

Zlin 50, N6660K Tumbling Bear flown by Rob Harrison lives up to its name. It was built in 1996. Its serial number is 0075.

Link to Rob Harrison's web site.

Zlin 50, N6660K Tumbling Bear.

Edge 540, N540BW flown by Mike Mangold. It was built in 1998. Its serial number is 0021.

Formation take-off of Yak-54, N154DB and Extra 300L, N94TW.

Yak-54, N154DB is flown by Eric Beard.

Extra 300L, N94TW was built in 1997. Its serial number is 049.

Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-9 Vampires at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station sent McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier, 164121 to the airshow. The Harrier flew past and then came back to hover in front of the crowd.

McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier, 164121.

The Harrier's exhaust became smoky as the pilot engaged water injection to increase thrust for a vertical climb. The noise was so loud that it exceeded the capacity of eardrums to respond to sound. Our heads were filled with a ringing across the the audible spectrum that bore no resemblance to the sound waves filling the air.

Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet #240 of VX-9 based at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station made a fast flyby.

Many of the members of the audience purchased umbrellas to ward off the intense sunlight. The man with his arms akimbo had been standing in that spot since 8:00 A.M.

More 2004 Kern County Airshow Photos

Douglas DC-3, N101KC Rose of Dream Flight carried passengers on aerial tours from the Inyokern Airport. The flights provided spectacular views of the China Lake Valley and the Sierra Nevada.

The Canadian Snowbirds appeared at the Kern County Airshow for the second year in a row. They flew an 8-ship show because the pilot of #5 was under the weather. They fly a show that is distinctly different from the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds with some very complicated formation changes.

Go to the Airshow Page of the Goleta Air and Space Museum.

Send a message to Brian.