2011 MCAS Beaufort Airshow. This was my first time attending an MCAS Beaufort Airshow and I came away very impressed. In addition to the Blue Angels, the show featured demonstrations by Marine combined air and ground forces, Viper East, Heritage Flight and Legacy Flight. The show also included the Army's Golden Knights as well as a B-2 Spirit flyover. Civilian performers were well represented by Mike Goulian, Chuck Arron & the Red Bull helicopter, Red Eagle Air Sports, Patty Wagstaff and the Geico SkyTypers. The CAF Dixie Wing brought a marvelous selection of classic WWII aircraft and the show announcing was handled by Rob Reider. A wide array of aircraft were on static display to entertain the guests in between flying performances. From a photography standpoint, the lighting was decent at the beginning of the show and ended up excellent by the time the Blues flew. Low passes are a challenge as the combination of heat haze and the distance from the crowd conspired to make clear images difficult to capture. Higher passes were a bit easier but a 200mm or longer lens was necessary for most of the formations and my 400mm was not enough for solo performers. Even the Harrier filled less than 50% of the frame at 400mm. Attendance was quite good, estimated to be between 60,000 and 80,000 on Saturday, April 30th. My hats off the the Marines as there was good organization, sufficient seating and plenty of food choices for the attendees. My daughter and I had a great weekend and I look forward to the next MCAS Beaufort Airshow.

Photos were taken with Nikon DSLR bodies and lenses. All photographs by Chris Buff of Aviationbuff Photography, located in Suwanee, Georgia USA.