2004 Wheels & Wings Airshow & Car Show, Millville, NJ
30 April (Night Show!)  & 1-2 May 2004
(Photos courtesy of Kevin Grantham)


Variety was the key to success as the 2004 Wheels & Wings Airshow and Car Show thundered into the Millville Airport on 30 April through 2 May 2004.   The weather over the three days varied about as much as the aircraft and displays as there was a little bit of everything with the weather and the aircraft, classic cars, and exhibits to suit just about everyone's taste.

Starting off the weekend's festivities was the first ever night show in New Jersey, as Dallas Airmotive presented "Light the Night."    Over 15,000 folks turned out for this great event on Friday event that featured teaser routines from all of the civilian performers with great twilight aerobatics by the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, the Freefall Adventures Parachute Team, and a awesome pyrotechnic aerobatic display by Eric Beard in the Russian Thunder YAK 54.    The night concluded with what many are considering to be the best ever fireworks display in New Jersey history as well over 800 shells were fired in a 20 minute span.    The folks that came out to this event saw a quick peak at what over 90,000+ would see over the weekend.   Along with the USAF Thunderbird pilots and the USAF F-15 West Coast Demo Team, there was something for everyone to see, enjoy, and talk about at the first ever "Light the Night" airshow.

Saturday's airshow kicked off what was a fantastic array of flying.   After an emotional ceremony commemorating the service and the lives of three of the areas servicemen that have fallen in the past year, the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team opened the airshow with a missing man formation then started into their routine with a short 8 minute teaser.     With direct cross winds to the active runway at Millville, but under sunny skies, the performances were enjoyed by all.    They included full demonstrations by Drew Hurley in the Yak 55, Split Image's formation and opposing maneuvers performances, Chuck Lischer, the US Air Force Reserve Above and Beyond Jet Car, the Hawaiian Jet Fire Truck, Eric Beard, Allen Smith, Kevin Russo, and the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team.     The flying also included a warbird flight consisting of a P-51 Mustang, T-6 Texan, a pair of B-25 Mitchells, a pair of T-28 Trojans, and a P-47 Thunderbolt.

It was the first time in NJ airshow history that two jet vehicles participated in the same event.    They were also joined by the Pychogang Extreme Motorcycle Club along with nearly a thousand classic cars, hot rods, and PT Cruisers to round out a great airshow and car show at the Millville Airport.   Military demonstrations included a flyby from three C-130 Hercules, a KC-135 Stratotanker, and a C-5B Galaxy as well as a late afternoon flyby from a Coast Guard HH-65B Dauphin from Atlantic city, NJ.   The F-15 Eagle West Coast Demonstration Team from Eglin AFB performed a wonderful single ship demonstration of the power of the F-15 and then formed up with Ed Shipley in the P-51D Mustang for the USAF Heritage Flight.    The show concluded with the USAF Thunderbirds arriving overhead from Atlantic City.

Despite the gusty winds, Millville put well over 6 hours of flying into the air without interruption to the satisfaction of tens of thousands.

Sunday started very badly weatherwise.    Many doubted that anything would fly in the early hours as blowing fog, drizzle, and low clouds kept some fly-ins out of the airshow as well as force low show performances from Drew Hurley and Kevin Russo.    Miraculously the clouds parted and allowed for all of the flying to go forward as planned and on schedule duplicating the wonderful airshow that was the day previous.     Both jet vehicles performed as did the motorcycles.   The airshow was even run ahead of schedule so that the Psychogang Extreme Motorcycle Club could do a performance right in front of the Thunderbirds prior to their demonstration time on Sunday.

Listing of Static Display Aircraft

The static display of the airshow featured a great variety of aircraft as well.   From B-25s to a Canadian CF-18, to a Ohio Air National Guard C-130 to numerous Navy Trainers there was something for everyone to enjoy.    The display also featured numerous Yankee Air Force, Commemorative Air Force, and Mid Atlantic Air Museum aircraft and exhibits from the Air Victory Museum and American helicopter Museum as well.   The FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center was also present with their Convair 340, KingAir 300, and LearJet.  

Plans are already underway for a 2005 event at the Millville Airport.   Check back soon for details as we start planning for the next installment of the largest airshow and car show in New Jersey!