Cleveland National Airshow

When it comes to aviation, I will always be a 12 year old kid. I enjoy piloting an aircraft as well as being a spectator at an airshow. The weather was rather "ify" on Saturday and Sunday didn't appear to be much better, but my son, granddaughter and I decided to make the trip from Rittman, Ohio to Burke Lakefront Airport in downtown Cleveland for the Sunday edition of the Cleveland National Airshow. As we neared the lakefront airport the clouds began to break and we ended up enjoying a sun-filled day at the airshow.  The headline performers were the Blue Angels an always thrilling spectacle.

A Blue Angels flight demonstration exhibits choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators. The Blue Angels’ C-130, affectionately known as Fat Albert, begins each demonstration by exhibiting its maximum performance capabilities during a ten-minute performance. Shortly thereafter, you will see the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-jet Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.

The team is stationed at Forrest Sherman Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, during the show season. However, the squadron spends January through March training pilots and new team members at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California.

A member of the United States Army Parachute Team, The Golden Knights, presents the colors from on high.

  In 1959 13 men joined together to form the Strategic Army Corps Sport Parachute Team, to compete in the then communist dominated sport of skydiving.  The team performed so well that on June 1, 1961 the Army officially recognized, designated and activated the team as the U.S. Army Parachute Team.

For 50 years the “Golden Knights” have been wowing audiences at air shows, competitions and most recently, with high profile tandems.

The two demonstration teams travel all over the country performing aerial demonstrations at air shows and special events in support of Army recruiting goals.

The two competition teams travel, competing nationally and internationally at various skydiving competitions, continuously bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals.  They are the most successful U.S. Department of Defense sports team.


The Golden Knights not only perform at air shows, compete on an international level and perform high profile tandems they also visit high schools and work with local recruiters showing young adults what type of opportunities the Army has for them.

Providing a singular blend of low-level precision formation and solo aerobatics with fascinating transitions, Red Eagle Air Sports is nationally known for its eye-popping, spectacular performances. Prepare to witness inverted flat spins, inside and outside loops, multiple snap rolls, tail slides, torque rolls, plus our signature maneuvers: the Torqued Eagle, Topcoat This, the Squirrel Cage, The Centrifuge, The Farvel Loop and the Tuck-Under Break.
Flying the Red Eagle and one-of-a-kind Talon Eagle, Buck Roetman and Dan McClung demonstrate the awesome power of these highly-modified aerobatic aircraft.

Red Eagles Air Sports - Two-Ship Aerobatic Team.

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Blue Angels in slow flight and nose high attitude.

Replica of a Japanese Zero

Jump plane for the US Army Golden Knights

World War II B-17 Bomber, Voight F4U-5 Corsair and a Replica Japanese Mitsubishi Zero.