Air Show California, What to Expect at Wings Over Camarillo
Since the earliest days of aviation, people have gathered for air shows. It is a place to show off the latest and greatest in flights but it is also the place where Boeing and aerospace manufacturers, service provider airlines, militaries, and governments from around the world get together to strengthen partnerships and from new ones commit to advancements in areas like safety and environmental performance and inspire the next generation of innovators. So what is an airshow? It is one of the ways Boeing is working to build the future together.
Air show California captures the hearts and minds of the public for many important reasons. It might be a new military aircraft making its debut at your local airport or maybe exhibitors enticing kids to consider a career in aviation or even the excitement of watching breathlessly as parachutists float overhead. It is all part of the magic of the air shows. They entertain, inform, and educate us all no matter who we are and they plant the airplane bug into the heads of future pilots.
Wings Over Camarillo is an annual celebration, run by Camarillo Wings Association (CWA) at Camarillo Airport over a weekend in late August. The main action takes place in the air, featuring over 80 aircraft, which include vintage jets, transport planes, WWII fighters, and bombers. Besides, you can take advantage of public access to airplanes and pilots.
Do you want to know what to expect at Wings over Camarillo? If yes, then you have landed at the right place. In this article, we will tell you what you can expect at Wings over Camarillo. So let’s dive into it.
Airplanes at the Wings over Camarillo
A few airplanes that you will see at the Wings over Camarillo are as under.
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
The first plane we are going to take a look at is the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. It was the first fighter to appear in the European theater. The 8th Air Force flew its first mission on August 17th, 1942.
The P-38 Lightning by Lockheed might be one of the most impressive aircrafts in the world of aviation. With its unconventional twin tail, it was commonly used during the Pacific War. The twin Allison engines with 1,600 horsepower make the P-38 the perfect warbird for long distances due to its ability to fly higher and faster than other fighters built around the same time. Between 1941 and 1945 more than 10,000 aircraft were produced. Today, the P-38 is a very rare model and appears to be priceless. It comes as no surprise that no efforts and costs were spared to save and restore those treasures.
The P-38 was the only twin-engine fighter in the European theater. It would go around to the side and was more effective in the Pacific as a support for ground troops against the Japanese. You will get a better idea if you come to the air show and see for yourself.
P-47 Thunderbolt
The next plane we can see at the California air show is a P-47 thunderbolt. It was a second United States fighter to appear in the European theater. The aircraft originated with a June 1940 proposal by Republic designer Alexander Kartveli to base a fighter on the new Pratt and Whitney R-2800 twin-row radial engine, turbo-supercharged for high-altitude performance.
It was very effective as a short to medium-range companion aircraft fighter specifically at high altitude air combat and ground attacks in both World War 2, European and Pacific Theatres.
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt had the distinction of being the heaviest single-engine fighter to see service in World War Two. Parked alongside any of its wartime contemporaries, the Thunderbolt dwarfs them with its remarkable bulk. Despite its size, the P-47 proved to be one of the best performing fighters to see combat. Produced in greater numbers than any other U.S.-made Fighter, the story of how it came to exist is at least as interesting as its many accomplishments.
Boeing C-17 Globemaster
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster is the backbone of the US Air Force’s cargo fleet. More than 200 of these aircraft are currently in operation at the US Air Force all around the world and chances are you might have seen one of them already. But what you might not have seen is how these aircraft look like from the inside and that is what you can see with your own eyes while attending the California air show.
The Globemaster is a fascinatingly versatile aircraft. It can be used to transport virtually anything that fits inside of it as long as its weight doesn’t exceed. The c-17s maximum payload of seventy-seven and a half tons.
It regularly transports military weak holes and even tanks but it can also transport any kind of cargo that is packed in boxes or on pellets and naturally, the c-17 can also transport people. 54 seats are installed on the side of the walls of the cabin and the further 102 can be screwed to the ground. The C-17 can hold up to 300 people.
Activities at the Wings over Camarillo
The annual Wings Over Camarillo offer a wide range of activities like helicopter rides, a World War II reenactment camp, classic car shows, robotic demonstrations, and the opportunity to see a wide array of airplanes.
All aircraft will be on display for a closer look, as well as some aircraft display models including a Thunderbolt II, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a Lockheed C-130J Hercules, and others.
Also on the ground, but lifting spirits just the same, is the classic car show and the 82nd Airborne Division 505th Reenactment Camp, which will stage a “full-on armor and infantry reenactment involving tanks, half-track, trucks, jeeps, and motorcycles.”
This 40-year-old tradition is full of family-friendly fun and excitement drawing over 24,000 attendees for the two-day weekend. With the feeling of an old-time barnstorming air show crossed with a big party, the Wings Over Camarillo has something for everyone from ages 2 to 92.
The gates to Wings over Camarillo are open from 9 am to 7 pm at the Camarillo airport every year.
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