The Thunderbirds Diamond Formation pilots perform the Trail to Diamond Bottom Up Pass during the Thunder Over the Boardwalk Air Show in Atlantic City, N.J., Aug. 13, 2014.
Thunder Over the Boardwalk (also known as the Atlantic City Airshow) is an annual
airshow held over the Atlantic City boardwalk every summer. It has occurred since 2003 and is currently one of the largest airshows in
North America. What sets it apart, aside from being a beach show, is the fact that it usually occurs on a Wednesday. It takes place along the beaches of
Atlantic City, New Jersey, in front of the
boardwalk, with the
casinos in the background. Flybys and demonstrations as high as 15,000 feet (4,600 m) and as low as 50 feet (15 m) over the water in front of the Atlantic City skyline.
Show center is marked in front of
Boardwalk Hall (Florida Avenue) and the beach. Aircraft staging for the airshow is done at Atlantic City International Airport and at
McGuire AFB, both of which are off-limits to the public.
The first show took place on August 27, 2003, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight. Headlining the show were the Thunderbirds and the Golden Knights. The show also featured demonstrations from the A-10, F-14, F-15, and F-16, all jam packed into a five and a half hour flying display. The weather was not very favorable, as it was hazy for the entire day.[9][10]
111th Fighter Wing-A-10 Thunderbolt II (Four-Ship formation)
118th Fighter Wing-A-10 Thunderbolt II (Two-Ship Demonstration/Flybys)
A-10 Thunderbolt II East Coast Demo Team
C-17 Globemaster III 2-Ship Flybys
C-141B Starlifter Flyby
EC-130E Command Solo Flyby
F-14 Tomcat Demonstration
F-15 Eagle East Coast Demo Team
F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team
HC-130J Hercules Flyby
HH-65 Dauphin 2-Ship demonstration
HU-25 Guardian Flyby
KC-10 Extender Flybys
KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby
KC-135E and 4x F-16 NJ ANG Refueling demonstration
The Horsemen - Jim Beasley and Ed Shipley
Ed Shipley F-86 Sabre Demonstration
Collings Foundation B-17G Flying Fortress flyby
USAF Heritage Flight
2004
The 2004 show was held on August 18, and featured the same four demonstrations, as it would be the last time an F-14 Tomcat would fly over Atlantic City, along with the last airshow appearance of a C-141B Starlifter from
McGuire AFB, as the type was being withdrawn from active duty service. The skies were about the same as they were in 2003, and all of the performers were able to put on their best shows for over 350,000 airshow fans and beach-goers.
The 2005 show was held on August 31, and featured the Thunderbirds once again, but the show was threatened by bad weather inland (caused by the remnants of
Hurricane Katrina), which kept many of the performers from showing up, including
Dale Snodgrass. High winds curtailed the Golden Knights and Black Daggers from jumping and caused sea spray coming off the ocean to ruin any chances of photographers getting decent pictures. The show was still a success, with over 200,000 people attending.
FAA Technical Center (Convair 580 & Boeing 727-25C Flybys)
Missing Man Formation (The Vultures)
2006
In December 2005, the Thunderbirds announced they were returning to Atlantic City for the fourth installment of the show. In February 2006, the
Blue Angels announced they had a show site listed as "TBA" for August 23 - the same date as the Atlantic City show. In March, it was formally announced that the Blue Angels would be joining the Thunderbirds for the 2006 show.
Joining the Blues and Birds were a slew of performers making their Atlantic City debut, including Sean Tucker, the new F-15E Strike Eagle Demonstration Team, the B-2 Spirit, the
F-4 Phantom, and the F-22 Raptor. The weather had turned out to be fantastic, with over 600,000 people attending the airshow, making the 2006 airshow one of the largest events ever held in Atlantic City up until that time. All of the pieces of the puzzle had fit together nicely and both jet teams held their annual reunion at Atlantic City.
Performers
USAF Thunderbirds
US Navy Blue Angels
US Army Golden Knights
177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcon
B-2 Spirit Flyby
C-17 Globemaster III Flyby
F-15E Strike Eagle Demo Team
F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team
F-22 Raptor Flybys
HH-65 Dauphin & HH-60 Jayhawk SAR Demonstration
HU-25 Guardian Flyby
KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby
KC-10 Extender Flyby
P-3C Orion Flyby
QF-4E Phantom II Demonstration/Flybys
Sean Tucker
Michael Hunter
Jim Beasley Jr.-P-51 Mustang
GEICO Sktypers
USAF Heritage Flight
FAA Tech Center (Global 5000 and Boeing 727 Flybys)
New Jersey State Police (S-76 SWAT Demo) Flybys
2007
Performers
USAF Thunderbirds
US Army Golden Knights
A-10 Thunderbolt II Flyby
AV-8B Harrier Demonstration
B-2 Spirit Flyby
C-5 Galaxy Flyby
C-17 Globemaster III Flyby
Ch-46 Sea Knight Flyby
EC-130J Command Solo Flyby
F-16 Fighting Falcon (Four Ship Formation)
F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demonstration Team
F/A-18C Hornet Demonstration-VFA-106
KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby
USCG Search & Rescue Demonstration
Matt Chapman
Michael Mancuso
Rob Holland
Horsemen Mustang Demonstration
GEICO Skytypers
Red Stars Formation Team
USAF Heritage Flight
FAA William J Hughes Tech Center (Global 5000 Flyby)
New Jersey State Police (S-76 and Bell 206 SWAT Demonstration) Flybys
Horizon Blue Cross Blimp
2008
Performers
USAF Thunderbirds
US Army Golden Knights
106th Rescue Wing-HC-130P & HH-60G
177th Fighter Wing F-16 Fighting Falcons
C-17 Globemaster III Flyby-Dover AFB
C-17 Globemaster III Flyby-McGuire AFB
CH-46 Sea Knight Flyby
EC-130J Command Solo Flyby
F-15E Strike Eagle Demo Team
F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team
F/A-18F Super Hornet Demonstration-VFA-106
HH-65 Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demo
KC-10 Extender Flyby
KC-135 Stratotanker Flyby
MH-53E Sea Dragon Fly
Matt Chapman
Tim Weber
Greg Poe
Ed Hamill
Red Eagles
Josh Wilson-Yak-50
Jim Beasley Jr. (P-51 Demo)
Lee Lauderback (P-51 in HF)
Northeast Raiders Formation
NJ State Police Bell 206 & S-76 Flybys
FAA Tech Center DC-3, Global Express Flybys
USAF Heritage Flight
US Navy Legacy Flight
2009
The show was held on Wednesday, August 19. It debuted the Flightline Club which provided public seating on the beach and also featured
a la carte food and beverage service. The weather had turned out to be fantastic, with over 750,000 people attending the airshow, making it one of the largest events ever held in Atlantic City. The schedule included the USAF Heritage Flight featuring the
F-16,
A-10 and 2
P-51s and the US Navy Legacy Flight featuring
F/A-18F and
F4U Corsair.[12]
The 2010 show was held on Wednesday, August 25 – 100 years after Atlantic City and
Asbury Park hosted New Jersey's very first airshows.[13][14] According to the
New Jersey State Police there were over 750,000 people in attendance.
The 2012 show was held on Friday, August 17. This was the first year the show was held on a weekend. Early attendance estimates were for 1 million people.[17]
Performers
USAF Thunderbirds
US Army Golden Knights
7th Bomb Wing B-1B Lancer Flyby
106th Rescue Wing-HC-130H
143rd Airlift Wing-C-130J-30 Hercules
166th Airlift Wing-C-130H Hercules
177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcons
305th AMW/514th AMW-C-17 Globemaster III
2 QF-4E Phantom
SH-60B Seahawk
USCG Search & Rescue Demonstrations (MH-65s)
USCG HC-130J Hercules
Black Diamond Jet Team
Hawker Beechcraft Texan II
GEICO Skytypers
Northeast Raiders
Red Eagle Airsports
Andrew McKenna (T-6)
Jim Beasley Jr. (Spitfire & P-51)
USAF Heritage Flight
FAA William J Hughes Tech Center (Convair 580 & Global 5000)
New Jersey State Police (AW139, Bell 206,S-76)
2013
In 2013, the show returned to a Wednesday but it was held in June instead of its traditional month of August. This year, spending cuts by the United States federal government due to
budget sequestration forced the US military to cancel all appearances at airshows, including this show. As a result, there were no US military flybys, jet demonstration teams, parachute teams, or solo demonstrations by select fighters. While many airshows elsewhere were canceled due to the absence of US military support, Atlantic City organizers decided the show was going to be held regardless. At the same time, they had a challenge: more commercial acts meant that organizers were looking for more donations to cover the costs of this airshow. Overall, they still managed to put on a good show even without the US military to provide the "thunder" that gave this airshow its name.[18]
2014
The show returned to its traditional month of August. It was held on Wednesday, August 13. With the end of sequestration, US military participants returned to the show.
U.S. Army Golden Knights Flag Jump with National Anthem
U.S. Army Golden Knights Mass Exit Show
N.J. Air National Guard 177th FW F-16 Flyby
N.J. Air National Guard 108th WG KC-135 Flyby
NBC 10 Helicopter Flybys
N.J. Air National Guard Composite Wing Flyby (KC-135 & 2 F-16s)
Chris Thomas SNJ-2 Aerobatics
U.S. Navy MH-53 Super Stallions Flyover
U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III Demonstration
Medical Helicopter Flybys
N.J. State Police Flybys
552nd Air Control Wing E-3C Sentry Flyby
N.J. Air National Guard UH-60 SPIES/FRIES Demonstration
552nd Air Command Wing E-3C Sentry Flyby
1st HS, UH-1N Twin Huey (2-ship) Flyby
FAA William J. Hughes Aircraft Flybys (2-passes)
Jim Beasley Jr./Ed Shipley Ti-6 (2-ship) Demo
U.S. Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demonstration
Paul Dougherty Eagle Aerobatics
Full Throttle Formation Team
Army Golden Knights Parachute Demonstration
Jim Beasley Jr. P-51 Mustang Demonstration
U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demonstration
U.S. Navy Legacy Flight F/A-18 & FG-1D Corsair
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Enlistment Ceremony
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
Photographic challenges
For a photographer, Thunder Over the Boardwalk presents a challenging set of circumstances to get the best shot. The show takes place over the Atlantic Ocean, which means that one is facing the sun all morning and into the afternoon. Getting decent pictures of the aircraft as they pass by the casinos is not difficult at all, as well as getting pictures of the Golden Knights as they land, with the casinos in the background. Photographers on the beach at show center cannot get that many pictures of aircraft when they are at show left because the
Pier at Caesars juts out into the ocean about 1,000 feet (300 m) and is a virtual obstruction either way. Because of the pier, aircraft are forced to fly almost half a mile away from the shore line for safety reasons.