Photos by Chris Stone
Thousands attending the Miramar Air Show fought the elements Saturday while Marines put on a show of fighting an enemy at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees as the show returned a year after it was shuttered by the federal government.
This year’s show concludes from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from free to up to $250 for preferred seating.
The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team was among the performers, but one jet was grounded, apparently for a mechanical problem. Some maneuvers flown Friday weren’t seen Saturday.
“We’re excited about opening our gates and welcoming in the San Diego community, but the highlight is probably the Blue Angels,” Marine Maj. Gen. Mike Rocco told NBC7.
The show will also highlight the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs and the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute teams, base officials said.
This year’s show will also include some civilian performers.
Last year’s show was canceled one day before it was suppose to start, surprising show organizers, even Miramar’s Commanding Officer, Col. John Farnam. At the time, he said the timing could not have been worse.
Even before it was canceled, plans for the 2013 show were scaled back from its usual three-days to two after the Defense Department decided to pull the Blue Angels from the line-up due to automatic spending cuts known as “sequestration.”
Proceeds from the show go to programs that support local military families. The 2012 show netted $1.6 million in profits.
Because of the last-minute cancellation last year, Miramar was left holding the bag for more than $500,000 in contract reimbursements for performers and vendors who had already traveled to San Diego.
“Very very hot,” Navy veteran Barry Newman told CBS8, which reported that s many as 700,000 people were expected over all three days.
— City News Service contributed to this report.
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