Dakota Thunder     Ellsworth Air Force Base Open House 

Story by LtCol George A. Larson, USAF (Ret.) 

   On June 23, 2007, Ellsworth Air Force Base held its annual open house “Dakota Thunder,” referred to this year as “bomber heritage day” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  More than 14,000 visitors arrived at Ellsworth’s flight, clearing through base security personnel check point, in 99 degree temperatures with reflected temperatures of 105 to 110 degrees off the tarmac.  Most of the crowd brought their own lawn chairs, positioning themselves under the wings of the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress (flown in from 5^th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota), five Boeing, North America  B-1B Lancers (28^th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB) and one Boeing RC-135 (electronics surveillance aircraft) from the 55^th Wing, Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

   Flight demonstrations began with two Ellsworth B-1Bs taking-off, performing a low-level fly-by and close air support flight profile.  One of the spectacular  aerial demonstrations of the day was carried out by one World War II fighter, the North American P-51 Mustang and current Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt (nicknamed “Warthog”).  The P-51, nicknamed “Gunfighter” is based out of the Great Plains Wing, Commemorative Air Force (CAF), Council Bluffs, Iowa, flown by United States Air Force General Reg Urschler (Ret.).  The P-51 was considered by many pilots the hottest fighter of WWII.  During an interview, one-on-one with General Urschler, 29 June 1991 at Council Bluffs: “There’s nothing quite like flying a P-51.  If you don’t, there’s no way you can understand it.  The majority of the “Gunfighter’s air time is spent re-enacting WWII battle scenes at air shows throughout the country.  We’re trying to educate people as to what transpired and why it transpired.  We’re also trying to prevent it from happening again.”

   Two A-10s were at Ellsworth, one of which flew in companion with the P-51 in a “heritage flight”, both flying side-by-side during a low-altitude fly-by over the runway in front of the crowd.  The A-10 was piloted by Rapid City, South Dakota native, Major Brian Willitis.  He  has flown the A-10 for ten years, including combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.  He travels from February to November, flying thirty air shows each year, demonstrating the tactical capabilities of the A-10.

   In a first, any time at an air show, creating a thunder of their own, a B-52H (Minot AFB), a Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit (509^th BW, Whiteman AFB, Missouri) and an Ellsworth B-1B flew down the runway, high above the crowd.  The announcer from the 28^th BW Public Affairs. “In every conflict since the Vietnam War, the B-52 has served America proudly.  Today the B-52H can deploy a dizzying array of nuclear and conventional weapons including air launched cruise missiles (ALCMs),  With a massive payload capacity, the B-52H’s international range allows it to support any U.S. combat operation in the world.  On its left wing, piloted by Captain Billy Hepler, America’s most technological advanced aircraft, the B-2 Spirit delta wing bomber assigned to the 509^th BW from Whiteman AFB.  At an individual production cost of two billion dollars, its stealth allows it to penetrate sophisticated enemy air defenses with a large variety of precision guided munitions, nuclear and conventional.  On the right wing of the B-52H the B-1B, piloted by Major Sloan Hollis, 28^th BW.  It was originally designed to penetrate enemy defenses at low-altitude and high-speed, using terrain following radar to skim above the ground as low as 250 feet.  Designed as a nuclear penetrating bomber, it has been adapted and now performs a new mission as close air support for U.S. combat troops delivering prevision guided conventional munitions.”

      Other aircraft on display included a T-1 Jayhawk, T-37 Tweet and T-38 Talon trainers; F-16 Fighting Falcon high performance multi role fighter and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the South Dakota Army National Guard, based at Rapid City Regional Airport.  The Black Hawk is assigned to an aerial medical evacuation unit, but due to its location in the Black Hills of South Dakota, during the hot and dry summer months, it is used as a water carrier to fight forest fires, dumping water onto hot spots in rugged terrain not reachable by ground crews.

   Inside one B-1B maintenance hangar displays were set by the United States Marine Corps, providing camouflage face paintings for excited kids around a desert sand paint Humvee.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration had a large display touting its many space and other aviation related interests/programs.  Nearby was a Civil Air Patrol single engine aircraft with cadets handing out information on their program as well as information on the USAF Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The Air Force brought in a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor flight simulator which drew long lines all day during the open house. Even with the extreme temperatures on the flight lines long lines extended underneath each B-1B, shading those waiting to view the cockpit of the bomber.  Even though there were fewer military aircraft at Ellsworth’s open house a large draw was the fly-in of over one hundred civilian aircraft, many from the Flying Farmers association, parked behind the B-1B maintenance hangars.  Even with the hot temperatures “Dakota Thunder” was a large draw for the local community.