2003 Wheels & Wings Airshow & Car Show, Millville, NJ
17-18 May 2003

Despite unusually cold and damp conditions for mid May, nearly 92,000 airshow fans flocked to the Millville Airport in Millville, NJ on 17-18 May 2003 to see New Jersey's Largest Celebration of the Centennial of Powered Flight.  Headlining the event were the USN Blue Angels and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.

While weather conditions were right at minimums on Saturday, all performers with the exception of the USAF F-117 Stealth Fighter and the Canadian Forces Skyhawks were able to perform.   On Sunday the weather conditions were greatly improved and all scheduled aircraft with the exception of the F-117 were able to perform.   The F-117 was weathered in at Andrews AFB for the weekend and was not able to make any of their scheduled performances.

On Saturday, we were pleased to have Kevin Russo perform in his SNJ-6, Charles Lynch in the CJ-6, the Firebirds Delta Team, Split Image Aerobatic Team, USAF C-5, KC-10, C-141 flybys, USCG HH-65B Dauphin SAR Demo, Allen Smith's L-39C Albatross Flybys, Sean Carroll's YAK 9 Aerobatic Display, Chuck Lischer's Marchetti Aerobatics, Eric Beard's Russian Thunder YAK 54, the USN Blue Angels, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, and a warbird flight consisting of a B-25, TBM, P-47, P-51, SNJ, UC-78, T-34, CJ-6, and YAK-9.  The USAF also provided a Heritage Flight with Jim Beasley Jr.'s P-51 Mustang and the USAF A-10 East Coast Demonstration Team.   While weather conditions were not ideal, we were pleased that we were able to fly for the over 28,000 airshow fans that turned out for the Saturday airshow.

On Sunday the weather was greatly improved.   Along with additional static display aircraft in attendance, the show started off with the New Jersey debut for the Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Team.   Following the Skyhawks was Ed Campbell in the Firebirds SU-29, Kevin Russo in his SNJ, the Firebirds 2-ship Extra 300 demonstration, and Millville's own Split Image Aerobatic Team.   We also had great performances by Allen Smith in his L-39C Albatross, Sean Carroll in the YAK 9, Chuck Lischer in the Marchetti, and Eric Beard in the Russian Thunder YAK 54.     The USCG provided  a short SAR Demo around noon and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds took to the air and performed their high show for the Millville audience.   The USAF A-10 East Coast Demonstration team performed and also flew a Heritage flight with Jim Beasley Jr.'s -51 Mustang.    Military flybys by the McGuire AFB KC-10 and C-141 were also very well received.   The remainder of the afternoon showcased the Firebirds Delta Aerobatic Team, the full show of the Canadian Skyhawks Parachute Team, warbird flights, a JATO performance by the USN Blue Angels, and the low show of the USN Blue Angels.   Over 7-1/2 hours of flying were accomplished on Sunday in front of over 64,000 airshow fans breaking the two day record for attendance of 90,000 set in 2002 with the USAF Thunderbirds.

2003 Static Display Listing

The military was well represented in the static display with an F/A-18E Super Hornet, two Canadian Forces Helicopters, an EA-6B Prowler, numerous T-45C Goshawks, KC-130T Hercules, T-34C Mentors, an F/A-18D Hornet, T-37B Tweet, a pair of SH-60B Seahawks, and a UC-12B Huron.   The FAA had a wonderful exhibit of their Convair 440, LearJet 60, and KingAir 300.

The Garden State 50s, provided car show fans with a great collection of classic cars, PT Cruisers, Mustangs, and hot rods while the Armed Forces recruiters were scattered throughout the display with aircraft engines, simulators, Humvees, and numerous other displays.

We were pleased to see the Air Victory Museum, American Helicopter Museum, the William J. Hughes Technical Center, and numerous other agencies in attendance during this year's airshow.    

We would like to thank the Millville Army Air Field Museum and all of their volunteers for their great works as well as the folks at Big Sky Aviation, the NJ Academy of Aviation Science, Dallas AirMotive, the DRBA, Millville Airport, City of Millville, Millville Jet Center, Star Aero, and the numerous hotels and rental car agencies that made the event a great success.

We would also like to thank the tens of thousands of airshow fans that attended in not so great weather conditions.    Hopefully in 2004 we'll have better weather.    The lessons learned from previous events and the 2003 event will make the 2004 airshow event better and one that everyone will look forward to next year.

Variety was the key to the success of the 2003 Wheels & Wings Airshow and Car Show and we will once again be at Millville in 2004 as the next edition of the airshow will be in the skies above southern New Jersey.

(Snowbirds and Blue Angels Photos courtesy of Dariusz Jezewsk)