KC-10

WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE — You’ll never forget the first time a B-2 bomber flies over your head. The aptly-named “Spirit” looks ghostly as it glides through the sky. Graceful and frightening.

One of the best parts about last weekend’s Great New England Air Show was that it featured all three American bombers, including the B-2, B-1, and venerable B-52. The B-2 did a flyover, and we did not capture any photos of it (you need to buy more of our Amazon.com products if we’re going to afford a professional camera!) but we did get some great photos of the B-1B, B-52, C-17, C-5, and KC-10, and we are happy to show you a gallery of the “giants” of the show.

C-5 "Galaxy" transports lined up. The C-5 is the only plane based at Westover Air Reserve Base (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil) — C-5 “Galaxy” transports lined up. The C-5 is the only plane based at Westover Air Reserve Base (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

A massive B-52 bomber with four of its eight engines visible. (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

Rear view of a B-1B supersonic bomber (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

The B-1B bomber from the front (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

Crowds at the air show used the massive B-1 wings as shade as temperatures rose into the 90s with high humidity. (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

An Air Force C-17 "Globemaster III" parked on display (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil) — An Air Force C-17 “Globemaster III” parked on display (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

A McDonnell Douglas KC-10 "Extender" on display. Visitors could walk through many of these large planes and see the cockpits. (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil) — A McDonnell Douglas KC-10 “Extender” on display. Visitors could walk through many of these large planes and see the cockpits. (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

The massive nose of the C-5 "Galaxy" folds up for easy cargo moving (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil) — The massive nose of the C-5 “Galaxy” folds up for easy cargo moving (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

C-5 transports lined up at Westover Air Reserve Base (Air Cache photo/John M. Guilfoil)

A previous air show at Westover Air Force Base

Air Cache will be attending the Great New England Air Show this weekend at Westover Air Force Base.

The show runs Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. at the Westover Air Reserve Base fuel cell hangar. Enter the base at the Industrial Gate via Westover Road, Chicopee.

If you’re using a GPS, plug in this address: 2255 Westover Road, Chicopee, MA

Here is a preview of what we expect to see (Courtesy of air show organizers)

Vintage aircraft scheduled to be on display and in the air include:

C-47 Skytrain (one of the longest-serving military aircraft in the world, it was the workhorse of the D-Day invasion)
P-47 Thunderbolt (this renowned fighter was also assigned to Westover in the 1940s)
B-25 Mitchell (signature aircraft of the Doolittle Raid in 1942)
AC-47 Gunship (used during Vietnam War, it attacked enemy positions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail)

Modern military aircraft scheduled (these are subject to operational commitments at any time):

B-1 Lancer (Air Combat Command heavy bomber)
B-52 Stratofortress (assigned to Westover from 1956 to 1972)
KC-135 Stratotanker (also based here from 1957 to 1975)
F-15 Eagle (flown by the Massachusetts Air National Guard in Westfield)
KC-10 Extender refueling tanker
C-17 Globemaster III
UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter

In addition, aircraft scheduled to perform fly-bys include:

B-2 Spirit (Saturday only)
F-15 Eagle
US Navy F/A-18 fighter-bomber
US Marines MV-22 Osprey
Navy Legacy Flight (old and new aircraft flying in formation)
C-5B Galaxy

And various small civilian acrobatic aircraft:

Geico Skytypers (six-ship formation of WW II-era aircraft)
Iron Eagles (two biplanes)
Mike Goulian

Click here for more info!

Giants of the Great New England Air Show 2012

Preview: Air Cache is attending the 2012 Great New England Air Show at Westover Air Force Base