Thunder over the Boardwalk
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Thunder Over the Boardwalk (also known as the Atlantic City Airshow) is an annual
airshow An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are exhibited. They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground. The largest air show m ...
held over the Atlantic City boardwalk every summer. Since 2003, it has set the bar for beachfront airshows across the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and is currently one of the largest airshows in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. What sets it apart, aside from being a beach show, is the fact that it usually occurs on a Wednesday. It takes place along the beaches of
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
, in front of the world-famous
boardwalk A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...
, with the
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
s in the background. Flybys and demonstrations as high as and as low as over the water in front of the Atlantic City skyline. It is produced by a joint venture of the Atlantic City
Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...
, the
New Jersey Air National Guard The New Jersey Air National Guard (NJ ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New Jersey, United States of America. It is, along with the New Jersey Army National Guard, an element of the New Jersey National Guard. As state militia units, the ...
's
177th Fighter Wing The 177th Fighter Wing (177 FW) is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard, stationed at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command ...
,
The Borgata Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is a hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. The casino hotel features 2,798 rooms and is the largest hotel in New Jersey. Borgata ...
Hotel Casino & Spa, David Schultz Airshows, ''
The Press of Atlantic City ''The Press of Atlantic City'' is the fourth-largest daily newspaper in New Jersey. Originally based in Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The newspaper designated market runs from Ware ...
'' and WOND-AM. In 2020, the airshow had its first cancellation in its history due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


About

The airshow itself primarily showcases military aviation, with demonstrations from the
USAF Thunderbirds The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron ("Thunderbirds") is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force The Thunderbirds are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Created in 1953, the USAF Th ...
,
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
Blue Angels The Blue Angels is a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy.
, US Army Golden Knights, as well as demonstrations from current
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
and Navy aircraft, such as the
A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
,
AV-8B Harrier The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft that constitutes the second generation of the Harrier family, capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). The aircraft is primari ...
,
F-14 Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experi ...
,
F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
,
F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without rely ...
,
F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
, and the
F/A-18F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
. Military flybys over the four years of the airshow have included the
B-2 Spirit The Northrop (later Northrop Grumman) B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy strategic bomber, featuring low-observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses. A subsonic flying ...
,
C-5 Galaxy The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy intercontinental-ran ...
,
C-17 Globemaster III The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
,
C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
,
C-141 Starlifter The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of th ...
,
F-22 Raptor The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
,
KC-10 Extender The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American aerial refueling tanker aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Advanced Tanker Cargo A ...
,
KC-135 Stratotanker The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...
, and the
P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner.William J Hughes Technical Center at
Atlantic City International Airport Atlantic City International Airport is a shared civil-military airport northwest of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in Egg Harbor Township, the Pomona section of Galloway Township and in Hamilton Township. The airport is accessible via Exit 9 on ...
has showcased its
Convair 440 The Convair CV-240 is an American airliner that Convair manufactured from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement for the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. Featuring a more modern design with cabin pressurization, the 240 series made some inroa ...
,
Boeing 727-100 The Boeing 727 is an American Narrow-body aircraft, narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. After the heavy Boeing 707, 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter f ...
, and
Gulfstream The Gulf Stream is a warm Atlantic Ocean current. Gulf Stream or Gulfstream may also refer to: Places *Gulf Stream, Florida, a town in the United States Art, entertainment, and media *''Gulf Stream Magazine'', a literary magazine at Florida Intern ...
in the show as well. The
New Jersey State Police The New Jersey State Police (NJSP) is the official state police force of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a general-powers police agency with statewide jurisdiction, designated by troop sectors. History As with other state police organization ...
have also shown its
Bell 206 The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- and twin-engined helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec, plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter progra ...
and
Sikorsky S-76 The Sikorsky S-76 is a medium-size commercial utility helicopter designed and produced by the American helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft. It is the company's first helicopter specifically developed for the civilian market. The S-76 w ...
helicopters in the airshows. Show center is marked in front of
Boardwalk Hall Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, formerly known as the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, is a multi-purpose arena in Atlantic City in Atlantic County, New Jersey. It was Atlantic City's primary convention center until the opening of the Atlanti ...
(Florida Avenue) and the beach. Aircraft staging for the airshow is done at Atlantic City International Airport and at
McGuire AFB McGuire AFB/McGuire, the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, approximately south-southeast of Trenton. McGuire is under the ju ...
, both of which are off-limits to the public. The USAF Heritage Flight and the US Navy Legacy Flight have also performed at the show.


Announcers

The announcers for the Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow have included Gordon Bowman-Jones (2003 and 2005), Howdy McCann (2004 and 2006) and
Pinky Kravitz Seymour "Pinky" Kravitz (July 11, 1927 – October 31, 2015) was an Atlantic City, New Jersey based American radio broadcaster and print journalist. He was known simply as "Pinky," and he reportedly refused to answer to his given name. Kravitz was ...
(2003-2014).


Shows


2003

The first show took place on August 27, 2003, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight. Headlining the show were the Thunderbirds and the Golden Knights. The show also featured demonstrations from the A-10, F-14, F-15, and F-16, all jam packed into a five and a half hour flying display. The weather was not very favorable, as it was hazy for the entire day.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcons (Four-Ship formation) :111th Fighter Wing-A-10 Thunderbolt II (Four-Ship formation) :118th Fighter Wing-A-10 Thunderbolt II (Two-Ship Demonstration/Flybys) :A-10 Thunderbolt II East Coast Demo Team :C-17 Globemaster III 2-Ship Flybys :C-141B Starlifter Flyby :EC-130E Command Solo Flyby :F-14 Tomcat Demonstration :F-15 Eagle East Coast Demo Team :F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team :HC-130J Hercules Flyby :HH-65 Dauphin 2-Ship demonstration :HU-25 Guardian Flyby :KC-10 Extender Flybys :KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby :KC-135E and 4x F-16 NJ ANG Refueling demonstration :The Horsemen - Jim Beasley and Ed Shipley :Ed Shipley F-86 Sabre Demonstration :Collings Foundation B-17G Flying Fortress flyby :USAF Heritage Flight


2004

The 2004 show was held on August 18, and featured the same four demonstrations, as it would be the last time an F-14 Tomcat would fly over Atlantic City, along with the last airshow appearance of a C-141B Starlifter from
McGuire AFB McGuire AFB/McGuire, the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, approximately south-southeast of Trenton. McGuire is under the ju ...
, as the type was being withdrawn from active duty service. The skies were about the same as they were in 2003, and all of the performers were able to put on their best shows for over 350,000 airshow fans and beach-goers.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :A-10 Thunderbolt II East Coast Demo Team :C-17 Globemaster III Demonstration :F-14 Tomcat Demonstration :F-15 Eagle East Coast Demo Team :F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team :HH-60 Jayhawk SAR Demonstration :HH-65B Dauphin SAR Demonstration :MH-60S Knighthawk Demonstration :C-5 Galaxy Flyby :C-130E Hercules Flyby (two-ship) :C-141B Starlifter Flyby :177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcons (four-ship formation) :HC-130 Hercules Flyby :KC-10 Extender Flyby :KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby :KC-135E & F-16 Refueling Pass :P-3C Orion Flyby :S-3 Viking Flyby :The Starfighters :Vulture Formation Team :Jim Beasley Jr.-P-51 Mustang :FAA Tech Center Aircraft Flyby :Horizon Blue Cross Blimp :Yellow Book Pitts :USAF Heritage Flight


2005

The 2005 show was held on August 31, and featured the Thunderbirds once again, but the show was threatened by bad weather inland (caused by the remnants of
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
), which kept many of the performers from showing up, including
Dale Snodgrass Dale Snodgrass (May 13, 1949 – July 24, 2021) was a United States Navy United States Naval Aviator, aviator and air show performer who according to the ''The Spokesman-Review, Spokane Spokesman-Review'' was considered one of the greatest fighte ...
. High winds curtailed the Golden Knights and Black Daggers from jumping and caused sea spray coming off the ocean to ruin any chances of photographers getting decent pictures. The show was still a success, with over 200,000 people attending.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :US Army SOC Black Daggers :177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcons :A-10 Thunderbolt II East Coast Demo Team :AETC Flyby-Two T-1A Jayhawks and T-38 Talon :AV-8B Harrier Demonstration :C-5B Galaxy Flyby :C-130 Hercules Flyby :CH-146 Griffon Demonstration :Connecticut ANG A-10 Warthog Flyby :F-15 Eagle West Coast Demo Team :HC-130H Hercules Flyby :KC-10 Extender Flyby :KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby :KC-135E & F-16 Refueling Pass :USCG Search and Rescue Demonstration (two HH-65s) :Dale Snodgrass :Kirby Chambliss :Michael Hunter :John Klatt :NJSP S-76+ Demonstration/Flybys :Horizon Blue Cross Blimp :FAA Technical Center (Convair 580 & Boeing 727-25C Flybys) :Missing Man Formation (The Vultures)


2006

In December 2005, the Thunderbirds announced they were returning to Atlantic City for the fourth installment of the show. In February 2006, the
Blue Angels The Blue Angels is a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy.
announced they had a show site listed as "TBA" for August 23 - the same date as the Atlantic City show. In March, it was formally announced that the Blue Angels would be joining the Thunderbirds for the 2006 show. Joining the Blues and Birds were a slew of performers making their Atlantic City debut, including Sean Tucker, the new F-15E Strike Eagle Demonstration Team, the B-2 Spirit, the
F-4 Phantom The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
, and the F-22 Raptor. The weather had turned out to be fantastic, with over 600,000 people attending the airshow, making the 2006 airshow one of the largest events ever held in Atlantic City up until that time. All of the pieces of the puzzle had fit together nicely and both jet teams held their annual reunion at Atlantic City.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Navy Blue Angels :US Army Golden Knights :177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcon :B-2 Spirit Flyby :C-17 Globemaster III Flyby :F-15E Strike Eagle Demo Team :F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team :F-22 Raptor Flybys :HH-65 Dauphin & HH-60 Jayhawk SAR Demonstration :HU-25 Guardian Flyby :KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby :KC-10 Extender Flyby :P-3C Orion Flyby :QF-4E Phantom II Demonstration/Flybys :Sean Tucker :Michael Hunter :Jim Beasley Jr.-P-51 Mustang :GEICO Sktypers :USAF Heritage Flight :FAA Tech Center (Global 5000 and Boeing 727 Flybys) :New Jersey State Police (S-76 SWAT Demo) Flybys


2007


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :A-10 Thunderbolt II Flyby :AV-8B Harrier Demonstration :B-2 Spirit Flyby :C-5 Galaxy Flyby :C-17 Globemaster III Flyby :Ch-46 Sea Knight Flyby :EC-130J Command Solo Flyby :F-16 Fighting Falcon (Four Ship Formation) :F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demonstration Team :F/A-18C Hornet Demonstration-VFA-106 :KC-135E Stratotanker Flyby :USCG Search & Rescue Demonstration :Matt Chapman :Michael Mancuso :Rob Holland :Horsemen Mustang Demonstration :GEICO Skytypers :Red Stars Formation Team :USAF Heritage Flight :FAA William J Hughes Tech Center (Global 5000 Flyby) :New Jersey State Police (S-76 and Bell 206 SWAT Demonstration) Flybys :Horizon Blue Cross Blimp


2008


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :106th Rescue Wing-HC-130P & HH-60G :177th Fighter Wing F-16 Fighting Falcons :C-17 Globemaster III Flyby-Dover AFB :C-17 Globemaster III Flyby-McGuire AFB :CH-46 Sea Knight Flyby :EC-130J Command Solo Flyby :F-15E Strike Eagle Demo Team :F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team :F/A-18F Super Hornet Demonstration-VFA-106 :HH-65 Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demo :KC-10 Extender Flyby :KC-135 Stratotanker Flyby :MH-53E Sea Dragon Fly :Matt Chapman :Tim Weber :Greg Poe :Ed Hamill :Red Eagles :Josh Wilson-Yak-50 :Jim Beasley Jr. (P-51 Demo) :Lee Lauderback (P-51 in HF) :Northeast Raiders Formation :NJ State Police Bell 206 & S-76 Flybys :FAA Tech Center DC-3, Global Express Flybys :USAF Heritage Flight :US Navy Legacy Flight


2009

The show was held on Wednesday, August 19. It debuted the Flightline Club which provided public seating on the beach and also featured
a la carte A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name ...
food and beverage service. The weather had turned out to be fantastic, with over 750,000 people attending the airshow, making it one of the largest events ever held in Atlantic City. The schedule included the USAF Heritage Flight featuring the
F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
,
A-10 The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republi ...
and 2
P-51 The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
s and the US Navy Legacy Flight featuring
F/A-18F The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
and
F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contract ...
.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :1st Fighter Wing-F-22 Raptors (Four Ship) :106th Rescue Wing Combat Search & Rescue Demonstration :108th Air Refueling Wing-KC-135R Stratotanker :177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcons :NJ ANG Refueling Pass- KC-135R & F-16s :514th Air Mobility Wing-C-17 Globemaster III :514th Air Mobility Wing-KC-10 Extender :914th Airlift Wing-C-130 Hercules (two) :A-10 Thunderbolt II East Coast Demo Team :CH-46 Sea Knight (HMM-774) :E-2C Hawkeye Flyby (VAW-120) :F-16 Fighting Falcon East Coast Demo Team :F/A-18F Super Hornet Demonstration - VFA-106 :USCG Search & Rescue Demonstration :Rob Holland :Tim Weber :Josh Wilson :KYW-3 Chopper 3 :Red Eagle Aerobatic Team :New Jersey State Police Flybys :The Horsemen :FAA Tech Center Flybys - Global Express :US Navy Legacy Flight :USAF Heritage Flight


2010

The 2010 show was held on Wednesday, August 25 – 100 years after Atlantic City and
Asbury Park Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188
hosted New Jersey's very first airshows. According to the
New Jersey State Police The New Jersey State Police (NJSP) is the official state police force of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a general-powers police agency with statewide jurisdiction, designated by troop sectors. History As with other state police organization ...
there were over 750,000 people in attendance.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :Brazilian
Smoke Squadron The Aerial Demonstration Squadron ( pt, Esquadrão de Demonstração Aérea), popularly known as Smoke Squadron (Portuguese: ''Esquadrilha da Fumaça'') is the Brazilian Air Force's air demonstration squadron. History Its first display was on ...
:Rob Holland MX2 :USMC
Harrier jump jet The Harrier, informally referred to as the Harrier jump jet, is a family of jet-powered attack aircraft capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing operations (V/STOL). Named after a bird of prey, it was originally developed by British ma ...
:Tom Duffy's
B-25 The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in e ...
Flybys :U.S. Navy
F/A-18F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
:Jim Beasley Jr.
P-51 The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
:USAF
A-10A Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twinjet, twin-turbofan, straight wing, straight-wing, Subsonic aircraft, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Aircraft, Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force ...
Demo Team :USAF
F-16 Viper The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
Demonstration Team :USCG Search & Rescue demonstration :Military Flybys (KC-135, F-16, C-17, KC-10, and many more) :FAA William J Hughes Technical Center aircraft flybys :USN
E-2C Hawkeye The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable tactical Airborne early warning and control, airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed duri ...
demonstration


2011

The show was held on Wednesday, August 17.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team (Flag Jump w/US National Anthem followed by Mass Show) :Canadian Skyhawks Parachute Team (Full Show w/ Canadian National Anthem) :USAF-ANG 177th FW F-16 Fighting Falcon (4-ship flyby) :USAF-ANG 108th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker :New Jersey Air National Guard (KC-135 & F-16s composite flyby) :Heavy Metal Jet Team L-39C :USAF-ANG 166th AW, C-130H Hercules (2-ship flyby) :NJ State Police Aviation Unit :MedEVAC 5 Helicopter flybys :Jim Beasley Jr. Spitfire MK18 :GEICO Skytypers :USCG MH-65C Search & Rescue :USAF 514th AMW, C-17A Globemaster III :US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet :Tom Duffy F4U Corsair :USMC HMM-774 CH-46E Seaknight :USAF-ANG 103rd RQS (HC-130 & HH-60G para-rescue demonstration) :USAF-ANG 106th RQS HC-130H Hercules :Jim Beasley P-51D Mustang :USAF A-10C Thunderbolt II :USAF Heritage Flight :GEICO SNJ-2 vs. GEICO SpeedBoat race :Heavy Metal Jet Team :Kendal Simpson Pitts Model 12


2012

The 2012 show was held on Friday, August 17. This was the first year the show was held on a weekend. Early attendance estimates were for 1 million people.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :7th Bomb Wing B-1B Lancer Flyby :106th Rescue Wing-HC-130H :143rd Airlift Wing-C-130J-30 Hercules :166th Airlift Wing-C-130H Hercules :177th Fighter Wing-F-16 Fighting Falcons :305th AMW/514th AMW-C-17 Globemaster III :2 QF-4E Phantom :SH-60B Seahawk :USCG Search & Rescue Demonstrations (MH-65s) :USCG HC-130J Hercules :Black Diamond Jet Team :Hawker Beechcraft Texan II :GEICO Skytypers :Northeast Raiders :Red Eagle Airsports :Andrew McKenna (T-6) :Jim Beasley Jr. (Spitfire & P-51) :USAF Heritage Flight :FAA William J Hughes Tech Center (Convair 580 & Global 5000) :New Jersey State Police (AW139, Bell 206,S-76)


2013

In 2013, the show returned to a Wednesday but it was held in June instead of its traditional month of August. This year, spending cuts by the United States federal government due to
budget sequestration Budget sequestration is a provision of United States law that causes an across-the-board reduction in certain kinds of spending included in the federal budget. Sequestration involves setting a hard cap on the amount of government spending with ...
forced the US military to cancel all appearances at airshows, including this show. As a result, there were no US military flybys, jet demonstration teams, parachute teams, or solo demonstrations by select fighters. While many airshows elsewhere were canceled due to the absence of US military support, Atlantic City organizers decided the show was going to be held regardless. At the same time, they had a challenge: more commercial acts meant that organizers were looking for more donations to cover the costs of this airshow. Overall, they still managed to put on a good show even without the US military to provide the "thunder" that gave this airshow its name.


2014

The show returned to its traditional month of August. It was held on Wednesday, August 13. With the end of sequestration, US military participants returned to the show.


Performers

:USAF Thunderbirds :US Army Golden Knights :USMC Harrier demonstration :Andrew McKenna P-51 :USCG Search & Rescue :Jim Beasley Jr. Spitfire :Jason Flood Pitts S1S :Jack Kelly 1951 Bell 47 Helicopter Model D1 :
AtlantiCare AtlantiCare is a health system based in Atlantic County, serving southeastern New Jersey. An integrated system of services, it includes AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, the AtlantiCare Foundation, AtlantiCare Physician Group and AtlantiCare Hea ...
Medical Helo :MidAtlantic MedEvac Helo :
6ABC ABC 6 or 6abc may refer to one of the following television stations in the United States: Current affiliates * KAAL in Austin/Rochester, Minnesota *KIVI-TV in Nampa/Boise, Idaho *KSVI in Billings, Montana * KWNB-TV in McCook, Nebraska **Satellite o ...
News Chopper :USMC AV-8B Harrier II :Geico Skytypers (6-ship) & Geico Speedboat race :Warrior Aviation L-39 :Raiders Demonstration Team :FAA Flybys :Andrew McKenna P-51 & Jim Beasley Jr. Spitfire (2-ship routine) :Rob Holland MX-2 Aerobatics (World Unlimited Aerobatic Champion)


2015

The show was held on Wednesday, September 2. The Blue Angels were the first announced participant.
The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...
was delivered by
Lee Greenwood Melvin Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He also plays the saxophone. Active since 1962, he has released more than 20 major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the ''Billboa ...
.


Performers

:USN Blue Angels :Jim Beasley III – J3 Cub :LUCAS Oil Skydivers Flag Jump :Mike Wiskus – LUCAS Oil Pitts :GEICO Skytypers :Jim Beasley Jr. – SNJ Texan :Jack Kelly – Bell 47D1 Helicopter :AtlantiCare Medical Helicopter :MidAtlantic MedEvac Helicopter :Chopper 6 (WPVI – Channel 6 ABC) :New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit :Raiders Aerobatic Demonstration Team :Jim Beasley – P-51D Mustang :USAF F-22 Raptor :USAF Heritage Flight (F-22 & P-51) :GEICO Skytypers vs. Miss GEICO Speedboat Race :Matt Chapman Embry Riddle CAP580 :USCG Search & Rescue Demonstration :Mike Wiskus – LUCAS Oil Pitts :USN Blue Angels – C-130T Hercules


2020

The airshow was canceled for 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


2022

The show was held on Wednesday, August 24.


Performers

:U.S. Army Golden Knights Flag Jump with National Anthem :U.S. Army Golden Knights Mass Exit Show :N.J. Air National Guard 177th FW F-16 Flyby :N.J. Air National Guard 108th WG KC-135 Flyby :NBC 10 Helicopter Flybys :N.J. Air National Guard Composite Wing Flyby (KC-135 & 2 F-16s) :Chris Thomas SNJ-2 Aerobatics :U.S. Navy MH-53 Super Stallions Flyover :U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III Demonstration :Medical Helicopter Flybys :N.J. State Police Flybys :552nd Air Control Wing E-3C Sentry Flyby :N.J. Air National Guard UH-60 SPIES/FRIES Demonstration :552nd Air Command Wing E-3C Sentry Flyby :1st HS, UH-1N Twin Huey (2-ship) Flyby :FAA William J. Hughes Aircraft Flybys (2-passes) :Jim Beasley Jr./Ed Shipley Ti-6 (2-ship) Demo :U.S. Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demonstration :Paul Dougherty Eagle Aerobatics :Full Throttle Formation Team :Army Golden Knights Parachute Demonstration :Jim Beasley Jr. P-51 Mustang Demonstration :U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demonstration :U.S. Navy Legacy Flight F/A-18 & FG-1D Corsair :U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Enlistment Ceremony :U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds


Photographic challenges

For a photographer, Thunder Over the Boardwalk presents a challenging set of circumstances to get the best shot. The show takes place over the Atlantic Ocean, which means that one is facing the sun all morning and into the afternoon. Getting decent pictures of the aircraft as they pass by the casinos is not difficult at all, as well as getting pictures of the Golden Knights as they land, with the casinos in the background. Photographers on the beach at show center cannot get that many pictures of aircraft when they are at show left because the Pier at Caesars juts out into the ocean about and is a virtual obstruction either way. Because of the pier, aircraft are forced to fly almost half a mile away from the shore line for safety reasons.


See also

*
List of air shows This is a list of air shows throughout the world. Major air shows ; Abbotsford International Airshow: Canada's largest airshow ;Aero India: A biennial air show held in Bangalore, India, at the Yelahanka Air Force Station. It was first held ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thunder Over The Boardwalk Air shows in the United States Atlantic City, New Jersey Tourist attractions in Atlantic County, New Jersey Annual events in New Jersey Aviation in New Jersey