For the 2012 Airpower Over the Midwest Air Show, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, were the main headliners. It's been six years since the Thunderbirds were at Scott AFB and all the spectators were in great anticipation to watch them perform.

Joining the Air Force's high-powered, precision performance team were the U.S. Special Operations Command's Para-Commandos, who jumped from a Navy C-2A Greyhound. For Saturday, there was a special fly-by of the B-2 Spirit of St. Louis. For both days the C-40, KC-135 and the C-21, all based at Scott flew by with one pass from right to left. A couple of more would have been better. Other performers included the MiG-17F, Herb and Ditto T-28, TF-33 Shooting Star, Geico Extra 300S, Vanguard R-3 Team, (3) Schweizer SGM 2-37 motorized gliders and the Tuskegee T-6 flown expertly by Bill Shepherd. On Saturday the Thunderbirds air display went off without a hitch, but on Sunday #4 (the two-seater F-16D that flew with the carrier pod) developed mechanical troubles just shortly after take off and had to land causing a delay in the flight display. However within 30 minutes an alternative standby aircraft took off and joined the rest of the Thunderbirds, thus they delivered their standard low show performance due to the low ceiling. After the Thunderbirds display on both days the Jazz Air Force Band of Mid-America performed from 4 p.m. until closing time of 5 p.m.

The 2012 air show marks the 95th Anniversary of Scott AFB. What started as a humble aviation station pre-World War II has blossomed during the years with a variety of missions to include flying training, radio operations, aeromedical evacuations. Now the 375th AMW supports 30 tenant units that include major commands for the Army and Air Force as well as the DoD.

Coming to the Scott AFB to see an air show is always a very pleasant experience. The organizers and all the volunteers are very friendly, helpful and showing warm mid-western hospitality. For 2012 due to budget cutbacks in the Air Force, the actual air show and static aircraft on display were not the usual that were in the past. However, it is the overall experience that counts at an air show and Scott AFB always delivers. You want to come back show after show!

The air show is a free event, but buying food can be quite expensive: $4.00 a hotdog, $7.00 for a sausage on a bun, $7.00 for French fries, and $4.00 for a medium sized lemonade. There was no beer tent, and the selection of vendors was less than previous years. Sanitation facilities we very well dispersed, thus there were no long line ups, nor one had to walk ½ mile to the nearest one, which is quite common at most air shows. Parking was free and there were also shuttle buses available. The weather was not ideal; dark grayish skies and a bit of humidity too, luckily it did not rained.

Some of the aircraft and performers present were:

• USAF Thunderbirds
• B-2 flyby on Saturday
• U.S. Special Operations Command's Para-Commandos
• C-2A Greyhound
• MiG-17F
• TF-33 Shooting Star
• Geico Extra 300S
• Tuskegee T-6
• Tuskegee Schweizer SGM 2-37 motorized gliders
• C-40
• KC-153R
• C-21
• T-28
  

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.