Columbus Air Force Base once again opened its gates to the public for the Thunder Over Columbus air show this weekend, celebrating air power and the base’s connection to the city.
Commander of the 14th Flying Training Wing Col. James “Flash” Blech told The Dispatch Saturday that the air show allows the public to see the “most capable fighters” the United States Air Force has built, while also allowing airmen to connect with Columbus citizens.
“(It’s been) a couple of years of really hard work from the team of coordinating, planning, scheduling, deconflicting, replanning and rescheduling, and all so that we can open up the base and bring out the community to come see Columbus Air Force Base, to come see some amazing acts, and most importantly, to allow our airmen and the local community to interact and share our story,” Blech said.
Thunder Over Columbus was a two-day air show, which started on Saturday and continued Sunday.
Military acts flying in the show included the F-35 Lightning II Demo Team; the C-17 Globemaster III Demo Team; T-6, T-1, and T-38 aircraft flown by members of the 14th Flying Training Wing and the headlining act, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds.
The weekend also included seven civilian acts, including a T-33, a Titan T-6 and groups like Tora, Tora, Tora — which recreates the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor through simulated dogfights.
Lt. Col. John “Rowdy” Little, air show director, said that in between acts, attendees could also view static displays, allowing civilians to ask questions about the aircraft airmen work with every day.
“It’s letting them get up close and personal with not only the aircraft themselves, but the pilots that fly them, the (weapon systems officers) that are out there, the loadmasters, everybody,” Little said.
Thunder Over Columbus also included a car show, a kids zone, and concessions for attendees to enjoy while they are on the base.
Saturday’s show attracted more than 22,000 viewers. Many brought their lawn chairs, sunscreen and umbrellas for shade to set up and watch the air power in action.
Paul Sampson, a Columbus veteran who had never been to CAFB before, said he wanted to use the air show to give his grandchildren a “fun day here in Columbus,” and as a way to share a little bit about his military experience with them.
“This is my first time being on the base,” Sampson said. “I wanted to bring my grandchildren out to get an experience. Being prior military, it’s an honor to take them out and show them some of the things I was involved in.”
Stephen Funderburk, of Red Bay, Alabama, said he and his family drove to Columbus specifically for the air show. He was excited to see the F-22 raptor, since he loves military planes, and builds and flies remote control planes in his free time.
“We’ve talked about Columbus for years,” Funderburk said. “We go to air shows all over the place, but we’ve never been. I was off work, and it was a perfect opportunity.”
Allison White, a Mississippi State University student who is originally from St. Louis, said she has attended air shows several times in the past. But she had never been to one in Columbus or gotten to see the Thunderbirds.
“I’m an aerospace engineering master’s student, and this is something that one of my professors said, ‘you need to come to the Columbus air show,’” White said.
Jada Sparkman, a lifelong resident of Columbus, attended the air show with her husband Ross and her one-year-old son, Mason. Even though she’s lived in Columbus for 31 years, she said Saturday was her first time coming to the air show.
She and her family were looking forward to seeing the tricks and aerobatics.
“Since we’ve had our son, we’ve wanted him to experience what Columbus has to offer, and this is one of the biggest things I never got to come to,” Sparkman said. “So as parents, we wanted him to experience the air show.”
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Related Photos
A Titan T-6 wows the crowd by spinning on the tarmac during Thunder Over Columbus at Columbus Air Force Base Saturday afternoon. The Titan T-6 is one of seven civilian air acts included in the two-day Thunder Over Columbus air show. (Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff)
The United States Air Force Thunderbirds perform during Thunder Over Columbus at Columbus Air Force Base Saturday afternoon. (Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff)
A F-35 and P-51 take the Heritage Flight over the Columbus Air Force Base during Thunder Over Columbus Saturday afternoon. (Deanna Robinson/Dispatch)
First Lt. Andrew Puseman helps Levi Baxter, 5, climb out of the cockpit of an AT-6 North American Texan on Saturday during the Thunder Over Columbus air show. The Commemorative Air Force from Memphis, Tennessee, brought the WWII advance trainer plane to the air show as a static display, allowing attendees to interact with the plane. (Photo by Abigail Sipe Rochester/Dispatch Staff)
