“Thunderbolts and lightning - very very frightening me” – Queen

  There was no lightning in the Saturday skies over Willow Run, MI, but there were Thunderbolts.

  This year marked the year of the P-47 Thunderbolt or Jug at Thunder over Michigan. Six Thunderbolts were invited to this year’s show, but due to last minute mechanical problems two could not make the journey to the Detroit area.

  Kevin Walsh and everyone from the Yankee Air Force Museum out did themselves with another great collection of aircraft on the ground and in the skies.

  Just some of the aircraft there were two B-24 Liberators representing the history of the Willow Run airport. There were four B-17s, a gaggle of Texans, SNJs and Harvards, as well as the US Navy Legacy Flight with the F-18C Hornet and a T-2C Buckeye. Representing the US Air Force was by the East Coast F-16 Demo Team. From the Cold War Era was a MiG 17 and MiG 21.

  Rob Reider was there commentating the view in the sky. On the ground was the WWII re-enactment. Air cover was provided by the four Jugs. Prior to the re-enactment troops were deployed from a pair of C-47s.

  From down the road in Battle Creek, the modern day Thunderbolt was proudly displayed. And from Bagotville, QC a CF-18 came in for the weekend. A work in progress, Kansan was display. A first for the show, some of the outdoor static aircraft from the museum were open for the public to view inside.