OKC VeloCity | Tinker Air Show returns July 1-2
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Tinker Air Show returns

By Kelly Dexter / Lifestyle / June 20, 2023

After a four-year hiatus, the Tinker Air Show is back. This year’s event, held at Tinker Air Force Base July 1-2, features dozens of aerial performers, including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Aviation enthusiasts can also explore dozens of display aircraft on the ground. The popular event was last held in 2019 due to the pandemic.  

The theme for this year’s show, “STEM Takes Flight,” recognizes the science, technology, engineering and mathematics achievements that make flight possible. It also highlights the importance of cultivating a strong workforce skilled in those fields. The Greater Oklahoma City area is home to nearly 300 aerospace firms. Combined, those firms produce $11.6 billion in goods and services.  

“Tinker Air Show is our way of giving back to our community and saying 'thank you' for all the continued support of Tinker Air Force Base and our warfighters,” said Col. Kyle Moats, commander of the 72nd Operations Support Squadron. “The Tinker Air Show offers something for all ages, and our hope is that young people will see what we do and be inspired to come serve either as a uniformed member of the Armed Forces or as a civilian in a rewarding and fulfilling STEM career here at Tinker Air Force Base.” 

Scheduled performers include: 

  • U.S. Navy Blue Angels’ Fat Albert C-130J Super Hercules 
  • U.S. Air Force Wings of Blue parachute team 
  • F-35A demonstration  
  • C-17 Globemaster III demonstration
  •  Tora Tora Tora, a World War II reenactment 
  • Kent Pietsch’s Piper Cub Jelly Belly 
  • Matt Younkin’s Twin Beech 18 
  • Adam Baker’s Extra 330  
  • Greg Colyer’s T-33A Shooting Star 

Ground display aircraft include: 

  • E-3 Sentry AWACS 
  • U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury 
  • B-1B Lancer 
  • B-2 Spirit 
  • B-52H Stratofortress 
  • KC-46A Pegasus 
  • KC-135 Stratotanker 
  • T-38 Talon 
  • XQ-58A Valkyrie 

The Tinker Air Show includes dozens of family-friendly activities in the STEM City hangar. Northrop Grumman’s booth offers battery-operated snap circuits for children to create lights on a circuit board. Pratt & Whitney will have one of their F-135 engines (at one-quarter scale) on display and use balloons to teach children how to create thrust.  

Admission is free. Attendees are encouraged to come early. Gates are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both July 1 and July 2. Visit the Tinker website for more information, including a list of prohibited items. The air show will also be livestreamed on Tinker’s Facebook page.