Stockton Airshow (California, USA)

Stockton airshow

Stockton was truly a wonderful show.
I saw the airshow in 1998 and 1999.
1999 was especially great that there was so many to see, including the Northern Lights demo, aerobatics competition (to be broadcast on ESPN),USAF massive aircraft flyby, US Navy Top Gun "Wall of fire" and the Snowbirds.
The show provided ideal light conditions for photography, and the distance between the aircraft in flight and spectators were much closer than other airshows, allowing to shoot the planes large in the frame.
Unfortunately, the massive show is no longer held at Stockton.
I wish the show like 1999 would come back to Stockton.

C-130 and HH-60 aerial refuelling demo.

Amazing demonstration of USAF airpower.
B-1 given an aerial refuelling from KC-135, with an escort of two F-15C and two F-15E.
B-1B is from 366WG 34BS （tail code MO)
KC-135R is from 366WG 22ARS (63-8875 / MO)
F-15C is from 366WG 390FS （tail code MO)
F-15E is from 366WG 391FS （tail code MO)

F-15E (87-0198 / MO and 88-1667 / MO) of 366WG 391FS takes off.

F-16C of 366OG (91-0386 / MO)

F-15C of 366WG 390FS (86-0157 / MO)

CAF's CF-188 (188710) of 410Sqn with special marking makes a dirty roll on take off.

One of many civilian performer is this "Bulldog" Pitts S-2S piloted by Jim LeRoy.

Northern Lights.
Note one of the aircraft has "standard" paint scheme.
Obviously the regular aircraft was still under repair following a collision accident that took place at Reno airrace a week ago.

F-14 and F/A-18 from the "Top Gun"

SH-60 from the "Top Gun" based in Fallon, NV
During the Top Gun's combat demo "wall of fire" demonstration, this SH-60F (Bu.164089 / 71) of NSAWC played a role as combat rescue.

The Blue Angels performed during the 1998 show.
Stockton was very ideal to take photos as the planes seems to be flying much closer to me than any other airshows.

Canadian Snowbirds were invited for the 1999 show.

9 aircraft formation climbs high to make a loop.

Snowbirds performing during Friday's night show.

F-16C in formation with P-51 and a rarely seen P-63 Kingcobra.
P-51 is P-51K-1-NT "Val-Halla" (45-11525 / N151AF)
P-63 is P-63A (42-69021 / N163FS)

P-51D-30NT "Mad Max" (45-11559 / N51MX) makes a nice photo pass.

Even a stealth B-2 made fly-by.
Aircraft is B-2A of USAF 509BW, "Spirit of Alaska" (90-0040 / WM)

Airfield information

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