Wednesday, July 13, 2011

MetLife Blimp “Snoopy Two” and QF-4 Phantom to Appear at Next Weekend’s Air Show

Dayton, Ohio – The Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger announced today the addition of some rather unique static display aircraft that will participate in the 2011 Show on July 23rd and 24th.  Heading the list of unusual static aircraft will be the MetLife Blimp “Snoopy Two” and a USAF QF-4 Phantom fighter jet.  The 37th annual event will take place at the Dayton International Airport.  

While MetLife Blimps are more commonly seen at high profile sporting and special events, “Snoopy Two” will be on the ground at the Vectren Dayton Air Show following its coverage of the MetLife Scramble for Charity in Springboro, Ohio.  Traveling more than 60,000 miles in a year, “Snoopy Two” comes to the Show with a crew of 14 including two pilots, radio technicians, electronic engineers, mechanics and riggers.  At 128 feet long and 45 feet high, the MetLife “Snoopy Two” will be easy to spot on the Air Show grounds. 

The powerful Vietnam-era F-4 Phantom fighter jet recently received a “modern military makeover” to become a USAF QF-4, and the 2011 Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger will host the legendary Phantom as a static display.  The “Q” in the new name refers to a drone conversion which means the aircraft can fly manned or unmanned.  Used by the Air Force as a full scale aerial target, the QF-4 Phantom is used for non-lethal missile tests, radar and other defensive testing as well as training targets for Navy and Air Force missile shoots.  Coming to Dayton from the 82 Aerial Target Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, the QF-4 Phantom will be a special attraction for Air Show spectators. 

Joining these two impressive aircraft as static displays will be a wide variety of aircraft of every shape and size.  The Show recently announced the rare appearance of the NASA Super Guppy as a static display along with the large, sleek B-1B Bomber.  Those large aircraft will also appear with front-line fighter jet aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and utility helicopters.  Dayton Air Show fans will enjoy getting up close views of all these aircraft as well as enjoy speaking with the men and women that bring these displays to the Show. 

“These unique aircraft are great additions to an already fabulous show,” stated Michael Emoff, Chairman of the USATS Board of Trustees, producers of the annual air show.      

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the Vectren Dayton Air Show along with first time appearances by the Red Bull Helicopter flown by Chuck Aaron along with an industry first, an all-women wing walking routine called Tombstone Riders.  Rounding out the line-up will be crowd favorite, Tora Tora Tora, an eight-plane emotional reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor complete with pyrotechnics; the all-American US Army Golden Knight Parachute Team; air show legendary pilot Sean D. Tucker; School Time the jet-powered school bus and single-ship military jet fighter demonstrations by the USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II and the US Navy F-18 Super Hornet. 

Specialty seating options are selling quickly.  A variety of those ticket packages are on sale through the show’s web site, www.daytonairshow.com.  Popular areas such as the Blue Sky Chalet and LaRosa’s Pavilion are filling up fast.  Families will also enjoy the superb value of the PNC Family 4-Pack.  Visit the show’s website for further information. 

On sale now at over 100 Kroger stores in the Dayton-Cincinnati region are discount advance general admission tickets good for either Saturday or Sunday admission.  Patrons will enjoy a $3 savings for adult, senior citizen and child tickets purchased at Kroger.  This means that advance adult tickets are available for $17 while senior citizen and child advance tickets are $12 at Kroger, the exclusive advance ticket outlet of the Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger. 

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Founded in 1975, the Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger is one of America’s premier air shows.  The Air Show showcases world-class aerobatic champions, military jet demonstrations and entertainment for the whole family celebrating Dayton’s aviation heritage as home of the Wright Brothers, National Museum of the US Air Force and Wright-Patterson AFB.  For more information, visit www.daytonairshow.com.


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