Day 2 of the 2023 Thunder Over Michigan airshow dawned bright and clear; displaying a beautiful sunrise on my drive to the Willow Run Airport. I eagerly anticipated seeing some fantastic aircraft and aerial displays. This year’s airshow split the day into morning and afternoon shows, and since each show featured similar displays, and with temperatures soaring, I opted to cut the adventure short and leave after the morning show. While the day opened promising good things, leaving early meant I did miss the tragic crash of the MiG-23UB Flogger late in the afternoon. Fortunately for everyone involved the pilots ejected safely and there were no injuries on the ground.
One of my childhood memories from the early 1960’s was the poem ‘High Flight’ written by John Magee being used by our local Minnesota TV station for their midnight sign-off along with what would now be some low-tech imagery of jet fighters. It’s hard to believe but there was a time we did not have television 24/7; but I digress. I have to believe that staying up late to watch Johnny Carson and then the sign-off is in part, what inspired my love of flight and aircraft. I had a framed copy of High Flight hanging in my office through most of my career.
But up until last Sunday I don’t think I’ve ever seen the embodiment of the poem into real life. That is until I watched in awe as the F-22A Raptor took to the sky. This US Air Force 5th generation aircraft soared and danced effortlessly through the sky; moving from low and slow to straight vertical like a rocket, and then appearing to float in midair. It’s no wonder this fighter is considered one of the most feared in the world.
The stealth design is extremely interesting. The surface has been designed for low visibility to radar and other electronic systems, and reportedly has a reduced visibility to the naked eye. I was fascinated by this aspect as I found it difficult at times to hold a good focus on the plane in flight using my camera’s autofocus system, capturing more fuzzy images than usual. The paint scheme actually changed colors as the light hit it from different angles. I hope you enjoy some of my favorite shots of this incredible aircraft.
Although not quite as impressive in capability as the Raptor, another highlight of the airshow was the CT-133 Silver Star. This Canadian jet trainer is a variant of the P-80 Shooting Star, the first jet fighter aircraft to enter operational service with the US Army Air Forces at the end of WWII. After the war, the Shooting Star was used by the USAF and saw extensive combat during the Korean Conflict. The P-80 has long been a favorite of mine and it was great to see it flying over Willow Run. The Shooting Star has been featured in numerous movies over the years but the one that stuck with me was the 1955 horror classic ‘Tarantula’ where a squadron of P-80s destroyed the giant spider – check it out!
I opened this journal entry with the unfortunate crash of the MiG-23 Flogger, so I’ll come full circle with this very interesting aircraft I had the opportunity to see fly in the morning show. This 3rd generation Soviet Union produced variable sweep wing aircraft is capable of configuration for either fighter or bomber modes, but was used primarily in the fighter role. It is the most produced variable sweep wing plane in history, with many advanced technologies for its start in 1969; it is still flown by some countries. It’s been said that the design was essentially a copy of the USAF F-111 Aardvark fighter/bomber that first entered service in 1967, but the F-111 was heavier and not as agile. Enjoy the images on the ramp where we could actually walk right up to the plane, and the MiG-23 being escorted by two USAF 5th generation F-35A Lightning II fighters in the air.
I want to close this journal entry with the morning show Heritage Flight featuring the P-51 Mustang, the ultimate prop driven air superiority fighter aircraft from WWII alongside the F-22 Raptor, the ultimate jet air superiority fighter of today. If you enjoyed this Journal entry, please drop me a comment below, feel free to share with your friends, and check out my website Terrance Alexander Photography.
Terrance Alexander