Wayne Walden
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:30 pm

 Twenty three cadets from the Paducah Tilghman High School (PTHS) Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) unit recently attended the Millington Air Show which was held at the Naval Air Station in Millington, TN, just north of Memphis, on Saturday, September 17, 2011.

The NJROTC cadets observed flight demonstrations by various aircraft from World War II vintage planes to today’s high performance jets.  Included were bi-planes, World War II F-4 Corsair fighters, Vietnam era F-4 Phantom jets, modern Air Force F-16 and Navy F-18 fighters, and a B-2 stealth bomber.

Aerobatic planes conducted shows throughout the day and included a wing walker, standing on the outside of the plane during its performance. Many Air Force and Navy planes were available for tour by the approximately 20,000 air show attendees.

The Millington Air Show’s main event was a performance by the U.S. Navy’s “Blue Angels” flight demonstration team.  The Blue Angels, flying advanced F-18 Hornet jets and based in Pensacola, FL, thrilled onlookers with their precision maneuvers and death-defying stunts.

The award winning PTHS NJROTC unit is in its 11th year.