Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show and Open House

  • Published
  • By U.S. Air National Guard story by Staff Sgt. Victoria Nelson
  • 157 ARW

Preparations are underway at Pease Air National Guard Base to welcome the public to its first open house and air show in more than a decade.

The Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show and Open House is scheduled for Sept. 11  - 12, 2021. It is free and open to the public. However, parking passes are required and must be reserved online in advance. Free parking is available but space is limited.

"Attendees will get the chance to see Air Force demonstrations teams, our newest fleet of tankers, and interactive groundbreaking aviation displays and STEM exhibits, just to name a few," said 2nd Lt. Kirsten Arends, the air show event planner.

The list of performers include; the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the F-35A Lightning II, U.S. Special Operations Para-Commandos, the T-33 Shooting Star, P-51 Mustang, and civilian performers Rob Holland, Mike Wiskus and the Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Car.

Guests will experience some of the most elite and modern fifth generation aerial demonstrations and have a chance to learn more about the military personnel and equipment the 157th Air Refueling Wing uses to carry out the missions here.

Among other commemorations, the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show will be honoring the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with a memorial ceremony and fly-over. The air show will also celebrate local community support by renaming the new fleet of KC-46 Pegasus tankers after the 10 counties of New Hampshire at a naming ceremony on Sept. 12.

Other military and civilian exhibitors will have their equipment and skills on display as well as live-action STEM demonstrations from multiple science, technology, engineering and math programs from the seacoast.

There will also be dozens of static aircraft and military equipment displays, allowing the public to get a close-up view of the tools service members use every day. Some of these displays include:

  • The New England Patriots Boeing 767
  • A-10 Thunderbolt, Moody Air Force Base
  • F-35 Lightning II, Vermont Air National Guard
  • F-15 Eagle, Barnes Air National Guard Base
  • C-5 Galaxy, Westover Air Reserve Base
  • C-130J Super Hercules, Rhode Island Air National Guard
  • T-6 Texan II, Naval Air Station Pensacola
  • UH-60 Army Blackhawk, New Hampshire Army National Guard
  • KC-135 Stratotanker, Mildenhall, England

According to Col. John Pogorek, 157th Air Refueling Wing commander, the air show is a rare opportunity to invite the public inside the gates of New Hampshire’s only Air National Guard Base and a time for the wing to show off its unique mission sets.

“The Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show is our way of saying thank you for all of the support this community has provided to the Airmen of the 157th Air Refueling Wing over the years,” said Pogorek.

For more information about the Air Show visit:  ThunderOverNewHampshire.com