Air show is memorial to armed services

A BT-13 Vultee is seen coming in for a landing during Columbia's 2015 Salute to Veterans event.
A BT-13 Vultee is seen coming in for a landing during Columbia's 2015 Salute to Veterans event.

Look out below, because the 30th Annual Memorial Day Weekend Salute to Veterans Airshow in Columbia will fill the sky with historic airplanes and awe-inspiring aerial feats, including teams of sky divers.

The free Memorial Day weekend event will take place 9 a.m.-4 p.m. May 26-27 at Columbia Regional Airport. Headlining the event, the U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Tactical will appear above Columbia after an eight-year hiatus, along with the U.S. Army Black Daggers and the Skyhawks Canadian Armed Forces parachute teams.

It is not a typical airshow.

Mary Posner, the daughter of a veteran, founded the event in 1989, organizing parades, air shows, educational programs and other attractions on Memorial Day weekend to recognize, honor and thank all veterans of the armed services living and dead, as well as raise funds to construct permanent memorials in their honor.

This year, the U.S. Air Force Wings of Blue Skydiving Team will make their airshow debut. Also appearing will be the T-6 "Radial Velocity" Reno Racer, winner of the National Championship Air Races, 19 planes from the WWI Kansas City Dawn Patrol, and the MU Joint Services Drill Team.

Other demonstrations will include the WWI Curtiss Jenny 100th anniversary flight and a Heritage Flight with a Curtiss P-40N Warhawk. Aerial acrobatics will be performed by the WWII de Havilland Vampire, Lockheed T-33 'Shooting Star,' 1948 AD-1 Skyraider and the Trojan Phlyers T-28 aerobatic demonstration team.

USN VP-30 P-8 Poseidon static display will be available for tours for the first time, joining the USN VP-30 P-3C Orion display tour as well as many other static displays.

The newest Air Force recruiting asset, Air Force Special Ops Air Commando Experience, will be on site for those interested in learning more about joining the Air Force.

A 9 a.m. Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Boone County Courthouse. An hour later, the 30th Annual Salute To Veterans Parade will set off from downtown Columbia and end at Columbia College R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium.