Friends and Neighbors Day: Saturday, August 08, 1993

In 1993, there were no marquee performers at the Grand Fork Air Force Base open house. But it was still a fun day in the sun. I brought along my co-pilot: Bob Nelson, my other friend: Vic, and my sister. The Security Demonstration by the 319th Security Forces Squadron was the highlight of the show. It involved a NDANG F–16A ‘Falcon’ fly-by, their B–1B ‘Lancer’ bomber, a UH–1 ‘Huey’ helicopter, BearCat armored car, lots of blanks and plenty of Pyrotechnics.
The FA–18C and F–16C performed aerial demonstrations. I enjoyed the B–1B bomb loading demonstration. I should have taken more interest in the static displays but I was busy joking with my friends.

Airfield Assault DemonstrationThe 319th Security Forces Squadron simulates an airfield assault, The Pyro was from a simulated bombing run by the NDANG F-16 'Falcon' and GFAFB B-1B 'Lancer' on Sunday, August 8, 1993 at the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Photographs

See the Full Gallery or the Gallery Slideshow for more photos from ‘Family and Neighbors Day’ at the Grand Forks Air Force Base: 61 in total with detailed photo/airplane descriptions. Each aircraft link goes to its first photo in the gallery. The numbered footnote links go to where I found information for the photo descriptions.. usually Wikipedia if missing.

Bob Nelson’s photos (Color Print CN105–107) are copyright 1993, 2018; used with permission. My photos are color print film. © 1993, 2019.

Aircraft On Display

• A–4 ‘Skyhawk’ Navy Attack Fighter. 1
• B–1B ‘Lancer’ Bomber. GF AF86–0112. The ‘Vanna’ or ‘Black Widow’. 1, 2, 3
• B–53H ‘Stratofortress’. Two bombers on display. 1
• C–5A ‘Galaxy’ Cargo Aircraft. 1
• C–40 ‘Clipper’ USAF version of the Boeing 737–700C airline transport. 1
• CF–114 ‘Tutor’, a Canadian built trainer, also used by the Snow Birds. 1
• C–130 ‘Hercules’ Cargo Aircraft. 1
• C–141 ‘Starlifter’ Cargo Aircraft. 1
• CT–142 ‘Dash 8’, Canadian Forces navigation trainer for ACSO and AESOP. 1
• F–16A ‘Falcon’ Fighter, (Block 15P) 82–1012 NDANG “Happy Hooligans” (178th FS). 1, 2
• F–16C ‘Falcon’ Fighter, SW AF90–738, AF90–767 “Hooters” Shaw Air Force Base. Sumter, SC. 1
• FA–18C ‘Hornet’ Attack Fighter, Navy/Marine 300. NJ=VFA–125 “Rough Raiders” of NAS Lemoore, CA. 1
• FA–18D ‘Hornet’ Attack Fighter,Flown by Lt AP Monson ‘Swandog’. 1
• KC–135R ‘Stratotanker’ Cargo Refueling Aircraft, AMC 71486. 1
• T–38 ‘Talon’ Trainer. 1
• UH–1 ‘Huey’ Helicopter. 1
• BearCat by Lenco. An armored truck with top mounted machine gun used by the 319th Security Forces Squadron. 1

Timeline

We didn’t arrive until almost noon and left around 4 pm.

09:30 to 09:45 Two B–1s and one KC–135 launch.
09:45 to 10:15 Canadian Forces Bagpiper Band plays.
10:20 to 10:40 Working dog demonstration.
10:20 to 11:40 USAF Band plays.
10:40 to 11:00 Square dancing demonstration.
11:00 to 11:20 Model aircraft demonstration.
11:20 to 11:40 Aerobics demonstration.
11:45 to 12:05 T–38 flybys.
12:10 to 12:30 FA–18 ‘Hornet’ aerial demonstration.
12:35 to 12:40 Helicopter takeoff.
12:45 to 01:10 KC–135 flybys.
01:15 to 02:00 Airfield assault demonstration by the 319th Security Forces Squadron.
02:00 to 02:20 B–1B ‘Lancer’ bomb-loading demonstration.
02:20 to 02:40 B–1B ‘Lancer’ flybys.
02:43 to 03:18 F–16C ‘Falcon’ flying demonstration by the 363rd TFW. Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) by Sumter, SC.
03:30 to 04:00 Canadian Forces Bagpiper Band plays.
04:00 to 04:20 Working dog demo.

1993 GFAFB MapThis was my hand-drawn map from the 1993 GFAFB airshow. In 2019 I updated some of the aircraft and text that were too hard to read and made the whole thing tighter.