MCAS Miramar Air Show
Friday 27th September - Sunday 29th September 2024
Nestled close to the beautiful city of San Diego, MCAS Miramar may be more famous for its Top Gun association however it is also home to the largest military airshow in the United States. Enthusiasts from around the globe flock to the event each year to experience what the US Marine Corps has to offer and 2024 was no different. Featuring the unique MAGTF demo and displays from the Raptor and Blue Angels, the lineup was one of the strongest in recent years. Did the show stand up to this hype and its reputation as America's foremost airshow, or does it need to be made great again?
closed out his 2024 airshow season in San Diego. Photography by the author.
As the largest Department of Defense (DoD) organised airshow in the United States, the annual MCAS Miramar airshow held just outside San Diego always attracts a good deal of national, and international interest. Marketed this year as 'America's Airshow' there was a distinctly patriotic feel to the list of participants both in the air and on the ground with no international attendees, even the commentary seemed overly patriotic. That said, even though this is the largest military show in the US, compared to what Europeans are used to, Miramar airshow is a minnow. In terms of total number of aircraft on display to the crowd, it would be on a par with RAF Cosford Airshow - if Cosford was also three days long.
MCAS Miramar is home to a number of units that form the 3rd Marine Air Wing along with additional units stationed at the nearby MCAS Yuma and Pendleton. As air bases go, there is a fair variety of based types including the KC-130J Super Hornet, CH-53K Sea Stallion, MV-22B Osprey, F/A-18C Hornet, and F-35C Lightning II. As a result, the base enjoys a vast amount of open aircraft parking which the airshow takes full advantage of, spreading the static display out so that it isn't crowded together. Photography can still be somewhat difficult thanks to the American public's habbit of placing their chairs under aircraft due to the lack of fencing/ropes, something that really needs addressing. This however was the only real negative with the static display and is a common problem at all US shows.
The variety of US hardware on display around the airfield was impressive, including some rarities such as the final airshow appearance by an EP-3E Aries II and a pair of Super Hornet units deployed to nearby NAS North Island that are home based in Japan. These were joined by a whole menagerie of USMC hardware and local USAF/USN equipment plus a welcome appearance from B-29 'Doc'. A key aspect of the MCAS Miramar Airshow was to promote STEM and recruitment, something achieved by having the future of the Marine Corps on full display including the experimental Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie loyal wingman UAV, the MQ-9A Reaper and both USMC operated versions of the F-35. Those that collect memorabilia were also superbly catered for with a complete 'Squadron Row' formed by units not only from Miramar but all other local units too selling their T-Shirts and patches - even competing with each other for your money! It was very easy to spend hundreds on patches. Unfortunately, a number of advertised assets did not attend the show even though they made it into the souvenir program including the planned debut of the new CH-53K King Stallion which had been visible on the dispersal at MCAS Yuma for the entire week previously but not flown. Other notable no shows included the EA-18G Growler and C-5M Galaxy.
The crowd line configuration of the event was instantly recognisable to anyone that has visited a US show before. Whilst entry is free, unless you want to pay for a view you are restricted to the very ends of the crowd line. The view then progressively increases in price by grandstand and enclosure until the VIP areas are found at crowd centre and many of these areas can be purchased on the day. This perhaps also stemmed my biggest criticism of the event, the commentary and crowd centre layout. Not only was the constant overly patriotic conversation between the commentators and air boss Rob Reider, Matt Jolley and Ric Peterson tiresome after a single day of the show, some of the comments made were also quite controversial including claims that the Rolls-Royce Merlin was not a very good engine until the US redesigned it. The main issue, however, was their location which was in front of the crowd at crowd centre in an overly large walled marquee. This marquee was large enough that it obstructed the view for many that had paid big bucks for the best views - especially of the MAGTF demonstration - where all the pyrotechnics and wall of fire occurred directly opposite the commentators! Ruining it for many. Why the commentary area couldn't have been in line with the crowd, or on a platform overlooking it (as is the case at Wings Over Houston) I will never know.
Issues on the ground aside, the flying display itself was of a high standard and one of the best I have seen in the US for a while. The typical flying circus of displays that can by found at US shows wasn't anywhere to be seen and the civilian displays that did take to the sky were appropriate to the themes including the pair of T-33 Shootings Stars known as the Ace Makers, the Red White and Blue Pitts 'Folds of Honor' of Ed Hamill and the purple P-51D 'Plum Crazy' flown by aviation STEM legend Vicky Benzing to name but a few. The stars of the show however were easily the five military displays that were attending - anyone who goes to the US knows that this is unusual for any show even DoD events. Kicking things off every day was the USMC's own Osprey solo display team that kept the crowd entertained whilst the opening ceremony was prepared. The opening ceremony each day would consist of a variety of speeches from senior officers and other dignitaries for example, the Mayor of San Diego prior to the singing of the national anthem. Adding to the patriotism was the addition of the superb USMC Mounted Colour Guard on their wonderfully maintained horses and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band. The home team from the 3rd MAW were also heavily involved in the flying display with the inclusion of the west coast F-35B solo display flown by VMFAT-502 from MCAS Yuma. Whilst the solo did emphasise the rather large turning circle of the F-35B, there is no getting over that the sheer noise of one of these aircraft in the hover is nothing short of bone rattling.
Of course, an airshow at Miramar would not be the same without its one unique item. The Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration, known as the MAGTF (pronounced and shouted loudly as MAGTAFFFF) Demo! A full-on maritime combat assault against a land based target utilising the full range of capabilities of the 3rd MAW both in the air and on the ground. The assault begins with reconnaissance from assets such as the F-35 followed by airstrikes from a mixed force of F-35 and F-18 Hornet units paving the way for the ground assault. Launching the ground assault was a mixed fleet of KC-130J Super Hercules, CH-53E Super Stallions, MV-22B Ospreys and UH-1Y Venoms, all under escort from a flight of AH-1Z Vipers whilst troops and vehicles are dropped onto the airfield. A short combat sequence follows as the Marines advance under constant close range airstrikes with pyrotechnics until the target is taken. The demo ends with a massed flypast by all the air assets that took part. This year, recognising the legacy F-18 is starting to be replaced, these took centre stage with no less than four taking part. Also recognising that the F-35B already had its own display slot, a pair of - arguably better looking - F-35Cs also took part in the demo. It's just a shame there are no longer any AV-8B Harriers left on the West Coast.
Joining the flying display from the US Air Force was a welcome appearance (for a Brit anyway) of the highly sought after F-22A Raptor demonstration team together with the Heritage Flight. Now performing with a helping of flares, the Raptor did not disappoint and flew a typically aggressive display emphasising the aircraft's impressive manoeuvrability. Whilst the flares did highlight how quickly the aircraft slowed or changed direction (with launched flares overtaking the airframe) during some stages of the display, they were used so sparingly that they didn't really add much dynamically. The Heritage Flight had also been billed to be a P-38 Lightning however shortly before the show, a welcome alternative was announced in the form of the world's only airworthy P-51A Mustang from nearby Planes of Fame at Chino. Not only was this a welcome addition for the international visitor, the P-51A is a rare aircraft for any Heritage Flight appearance. Other USAF flying participants included flypasts by a KC-135 and a U-2, the latter occurring on an overcast morning above the cloud so was more of a “noisepast” as it wasn't visible!
The show finale, as ever, was left to the delightful US Navy Blue Angels - now re-equipped with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. This, if anything, has enhanced their display which is a masterpiece of close formation flying mixed with action, there's a reason why many consider them the best display team in North America. Their display timed perfectly to a specifically chosen backing track rapidly becomes a party whilst their commentator smoothly and calmly talks the crowd through the display whilst having to ignore children and even big children trying to get his attention and break his ice-cold performance. It is a display that is long overdue to visit the UK - 32 years (in 2024) is too long between visits.
MCAS Miramar 2024 was all in all a good show, marred in places through poor site layout however, this was not the first MAGTF I had seen and this spectacle more than made up for this frustration. Whilst it was no where near the scale of my first in 2010 this was certainly the best MAGTF demo I have seen for a long time. The heavy military flying display presence also gave the show a shine unlike many others in the US benefit from. Whilst this show was prior to the elections, it was clear at this event things were on the change. As with a few other shows this year, non-US citizens had to be biometrically screened and wear a lanyard to show they weren't American. I can't say I agree with this, and I hope it is a practice that ends soon. Whilst I won't be visiting another US show for a while now, at least for four years, if you do want to visit a US show from the UK - you cannot go wrong with MCAS Miramar.
Semper Fi Marines.