OCEAN CITY – The OC Air Show confirmed this week its headline act in 2012, the US Air Force Thunderbirds, but also reported the 2013 show will feature the US Navy Blue Angels.
Although the US Air Force Thunderbirds revealed their 2012 schedule last week, announcing a return to Ocean City for next summer’s show scheduled for June 9-10, Bryan Lilley, president of the OC Air Show, still had some big news to share this week during Tuesday afternoon’s Mayor and Council meeting.
“We were able to keep it under wraps and I am pleased to announce here for the first time … the US Navy Blue Angels demonstration team will headline the 2013 OC Air Show,” he said. “This is very significant because this is the first time the US Navy Blue Angels will perform at the OC Air Show.”
Lilley added it is quite an accomplishment to have secured a major jet team for 2012 and 2013 considering OC Air Show is only four years old.
Next summer will be the fifth anniversary edition of the OC Air Show. The Thunderbirds, U.S. Air Force’s elite aerial demonstration team, will be headlining the big event, along with a full line up of military and civilian performers including the Black Diamond Jet Team. This will be the first time the OC Air Show has featured two jet demonstration teams at the event. The Thunderbirds last appeared at the OC Air Show in 2010.
The Black Diamond Jet Team will be a new performance coming to Ocean City in 2012 as well as Mike Goulian, a former Red Bull air racer, and the aerobatic team Mike Wiskus and the Lucas Oil Pitts.
Returning this year will be the GEICO Skytypers Airshow Team, which is a flight squadron of six vintage WWII airplanes; the Navy Seals Leapfrogs, which consists of jumpers leaping out of an aircraft; and Rob Holland, who just returned won the 2011 Freestyle Aerobatic World Championship in Italy.