The USAF Thunderbirds lead the French Air Force Patrouille de France jet team down the beach in Ocean City, Md., June 12. This was the French team's first air show performance on its America 250 tour. This joint formation was the only time the two teams flew together. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
The Thunderbirds arrive at NASA Wallops Island in Virginia June 11. The team was based at the airfield for its Ocean City weekend show.
Thunderbird No. 5 lands in front of the iconic satellite dishes at NASA Wallops Island.
Pilots from the Patrouille de France cover their years while the Thunderbirds F-16s taxied in at Wallops Island. The French team arrived the day before.
The Patrouille de France pilots, in the light blue flight suits, greet the Thunderbirds pilots when they arrived.
The arrival at Wallops Island gave pilots from both teams time to mingle before their weekend performances over the beach.
Shown are (l-r) Capt. Jean-Charles, Patrouille de France; Lt. Col. Alex Prevendar, Thunderbirds; and Commandant Brice Beaudouin, Patrouille de France, in front of the Thunderbird commander's jet.
The No. 5 solo pilots from both teams speak to the media at Wallops Island. Capt. Cedric, left, and Maj. Laney Schol.
The lineup of six of the 10 Patrouiile de France Alpha Jets at Wallops Island. All of the French jets have special tail markings commemorating America 250 and each is named for an American. The No. 6 jet is named for World War I fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker.
Gen. Pierre Gaudilliere was one of the high-ranking French Air Force officers who accompanied the team to the U.S.
Lt. Col. Tyler Keener, left, walks down the ramp with his French counterpart, Capt. Jayson.
A French Air Force A400 leads the Patrouille de France in a formation to open their performance in Ocean City, Md. The large transport plane is supporting the team's visit to the U.S.
The Patrouille De France performs a burst with smoke in the colors of the French flag as the finale.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter performs a rescue demonstration over the Ocean City beach.
A USAF F-35 pops a flair during its performance June 13.
The USAF Thunderbirds lead the French Air Force Patrouille de France jet team down the beach in Ocean City, Md., June 12. This was the French team's first air show performance on its America 250 tour. This joint formation was the only time the two teams flew together. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
The Thunderbirds arrive at NASA Wallops Island in Virginia June 11. The team was based at the airfield for its Ocean City weekend show.
Thunderbird No. 5 lands in front of the iconic satellite dishes at NASA Wallops Island.
Pilots from the Patrouille de France cover their years while the Thunderbirds F-16s taxied in at Wallops Island. The French team arrived the day before.
The Patrouille de France pilots, in the light blue flight suits, greet the Thunderbirds pilots when they arrived.
The arrival at Wallops Island gave pilots from both teams time to mingle before their weekend performances over the beach.
Shown are (l-r) Capt. Jean-Charles, Patrouille de France; Lt. Col. Alex Prevendar, Thunderbirds; and Commandant Brice Beaudouin, Patrouille de France, in front of the Thunderbird commander's jet.
The No. 5 solo pilots from both teams speak to the media at Wallops Island. Capt. Cedric, left, and Maj. Laney Schol.
The lineup of six of the 10 Patrouiile de France Alpha Jets at Wallops Island. All of the French jets have special tail markings commemorating America 250 and each is named for an American. The No. 6 jet is named for World War I fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker.
Gen. Pierre Gaudilliere was one of the high-ranking French Air Force officers who accompanied the team to the U.S.
Lt. Col. Tyler Keener, left, walks down the ramp with his French counterpart, Capt. Jayson.
A French Air Force A400 leads the Patrouille de France in a formation to open their performance in Ocean City, Md. The large transport plane is supporting the team's visit to the U.S.
The Patrouille De France performs a burst with smoke in the colors of the French flag as the finale.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter performs a rescue demonstration over the Ocean City beach.
A USAF F-35 pops a flair during its performance June 13.
The annual Ocean City Air Show added Le Touche Francaise, the French touch, to this year's performances over the beach June 12-14.
The French Air Force Demonstration Team, Patrouille de France, flew its first shows of its current America 250 Tour, which will culminate with a flyover of Washington, D.C., on the Fourth of July.
The team's 10 Alpha Jets have special tail markings in honor of the tour. Each jet is named for an American who had influence on France, including George Washington, Ben Franklin and World War I fighter ace Eddie Rickenbacker.
Gen. Pierre Gaudilliere, who is leading the mission to America, said the tributes are a great honor.
"When America joined [World War I] in 1917, you already had American airmen volunteering to join the French Army Corps at that time. They actually died for the sake of Europe, so we will never forget that," Gaudilliere said.
The Patrouille de France joined the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds for a joint formation flyby June 12, the only time the teams were scheduled to appear together.
The French team made fuel stops in Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and Canada before arriving in New York. They flew over Independence Hall in Philadelphia before landing at NASA Wallops Island in Virginia.
The Thunderbirds arrived June 10.
Both pilot groups had time to mingle and show off each other's jets.
"We're all aviators; we all love flying. What's really unique about this weekend is we get to share it with our counterparts," said Lt. Col. Alex Prevendar, Thunderbird commander, while standing in front of the No. 1 F-16. "I think it's a message of inspiration, what can be done when people from diverse backgrounds come together to showcase something amazing and beautiful."
The Ocean City Air Show also had performances by the World War II B-25 bomber "Panchito" based at Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown and a rescue demonstration by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter out of Cape May, N.J.
The USAF Thunderbirds lead the French Air Force Patrouille de France jet team down the beach in Ocean City, Md., June 12. This was the French team's first air show performance on its America 250 tour. This joint formation was the only time the two teams flew together. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
The Thunderbirds arrive at NASA Wallops Island in Virginia June 11. The team was based at the airfield for its Ocean City weekend show.
Thunderbird No. 5 lands in front of the iconic satellite dishes at NASA Wallops Island.
Pilots from the Patrouille de France cover their years while the Thunderbirds F-16s taxied in at Wallops Island. The French team arrived the day before.
The Patrouille de France pilots, in the light blue flight suits, greet the Thunderbirds pilots when they arrived.
The arrival at Wallops Island gave pilots from both teams time to mingle before their weekend performances over the beach.
Shown are (l-r) Capt. Jean-Charles, Patrouille de France; Lt. Col. Alex Prevendar, Thunderbirds; and Commandant Brice Beaudouin, Patrouille de France, in front of the Thunderbird commander's jet.
The No. 5 solo pilots from both teams speak to the media at Wallops Island. Capt. Cedric, left, and Maj. Laney Schol.
The lineup of six of the 10 Patrouiile de France Alpha Jets at Wallops Island. All of the French jets have special tail markings commemorating America 250 and each is named for an American. The No. 6 jet is named for World War I fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker.
Gen. Pierre Gaudilliere was one of the high-ranking French Air Force officers who accompanied the team to the U.S.
Lt. Col. Tyler Keener, left, walks down the ramp with his French counterpart, Capt. Jayson.
A French Air Force A400 leads the Patrouille de France in a formation to open their performance in Ocean City, Md. The large transport plane is supporting the team's visit to the U.S.
The Patrouille De France performs a burst with smoke in the colors of the French flag as the finale.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter performs a rescue demonstration over the Ocean City beach.
A USAF F-35 pops a flair during its performance June 13.Event Details :
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