F-16 Viper team to fly in for 2018 Space Coast Warbird Airshow in Titusville

TITUSVILLE — The Air Force's F-16 Viper Demonstration Team should soar into Titusville about 11:30 a.m. Thursday in advance of this weekend's Space Coast Warbird Airshow.

The 41st annual military- and veteran-centric event takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Space Coast Regional Airport.

The headliner: Tora! Tora! Tora!, an action show that simulates the Pearl Harbor attack featuring fiery explosions and replica Japanese Zeros.

“It’s a large reenactment group. They’re bringing eight aircraft that have been rebuilt and painted to look like Japanese Zeros, and they’re going to stage a reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor,” said Bob Boswell, air show director.

“If you’ve never seen this, you’re going to be amazed at the pyrotechnics that are involved, with all the airplanes in the air, whirling around,” Boswell said.

Later, the air show will feature a reenactment of the daring 1942 Doolittle bombing raid on Tokyo. Air Force Lt Col. James Doolittle led 16 B-25 bombers during the secret carrier-based mission.

Doolittle’s copilot, retired Lt. Col. Richard Cole — the sole surviving member of the raid at age 102 — will sign autographs during the show.

Waving a copy of the flight schedule, Boswell said the aerobatic lineup features “a gaggle of airplanes.” Attractions include warbird and helicopter rides, the C-17 Globemaster III, C-5M Super Galaxy, a heritage flight featuring an F-16 Viper and P-51 Mustang side-by-side, and a simulated World War I dogfight between the Red Baron and a Sopwith Camel — plus the Homewrecker Ford F-650 turbo-jet truck.

Monday, volunteers started moving vintage airplanes from the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum hangars to prepare for event staging. Organizers are arranging a walkable array of 75 military aircraft and about a dozen helicopters, including a Black Hawk, Cobra, Huey and Korean War-era M.A.S.H. chopper.

“Most of them will be open to the public to go through the aircraft, to talk with the crew, get their picture taken,” said Boswell, who boasts 46 years of military and commercial piloting experience.

The Space Coast Warbird Airshow commemorates the men and women who served in the Pacific theater during World War II, said Laura Kelly, air show spokeswoman. 

"It seems like World War II, for me, wasn't that long ago. But you talk to a kid, and they don't know hardly anything about what happened in World War II," Kelly said.

"This kind of opens up their eyes when they come in to what did go on, to what happened. We had two fronts going at the same time. Everybody was committed during that war to securing the freedoms that we have," she said.

The show serves as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. Officials hope to build a future hangar to house more military aircraft, Boswell said.

Air show details

The Space Coast Warbird Airshow takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville. Parking is free.

Gates open Friday at noon, and the air show starts about 3 p.m. A twilight air show concludes with fireworks and a "wall of fire," and gates close at 7:30 p.m.

Gates open Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m., and the air show starts about 12:30 p.m. Gates close at 3:30 p.m.

Advance tickets: Adults cost $20 and children ages 5 to 12 cost $5. Visit valiantaircommand.com.

Day of event: Adults cost $25 and children ages 5 to 12 cost $10. 

Prohibited items include coolers, firearms, large umbrellas and pets. The Warbird Air Museum will close to the public during the air show.

Neale is South Brevard watchdog reporter.

Contact Neale at 321-242-3638

or rneale@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @RickNeale1

Support local journalism: Sign up for a digital subscription to get breaking news, in-depth coverage and all the local news from floridatoday.com. Get the first month free and then pay just $4.99 per month for a year. Sign up on this link: floridatoday.com/digitalunlimited