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HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Thousands of people stood from their camp chairs, phones held aloft, to capture a photo of a B2 stealth bomber before it disappeared Saturday — no more than a sliver in the sky.
Thousands more walked along the tarmac, getting up close to massive planes — like the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy — and mingling with military personnel. A steady stream of Reagan-era rock and country hits played in the background.
This year's Warriors Over The Wasatch show at Hill Air Force Base put world-class military power on display Saturday and will again, on Sunday.
"There's nothing like seeing our military in action … and I just appreciate their service," said Lisa Bell, who was attending the show for the first time. "I'm proud to be an American."
The base estimates half a million attendees over the two days. In previous years, people had to wait in lines up to two hours long to get through security. This time around, the process was smoother — most people could just walk right in.
The U.S. Air Force pulls out all the stops for this show — from mid-morning to late afternoon on both days, pilots fly side-by-side, flip into loop-de-loops and twist into barrel rolls in the sky. They also show off pyrotechnics from the Firewalkers International and Tora Tora Tora pyro teams.
"We hope that the audience just feels really patriotic, and just sees what we do … and feels more confident in what we do," said Samantha Jackson, aircrew flight equipment technician for the F-35 Lightning II demonstration team.
Jackson was born and raised in North Ogden and grew up coming to Hill Air Force Base shows. She's excited to be back in her hometown, to show her community what's possible.
"I came from here, and here I am — doing something awesome, something great," she said, adding that all of the flight hours, practice and training are worth it when little girls come up to her after the show and tell her, "I want to be just like you."
Jackson's team, led by Capt. Melanie "Mach" Kluesner, was one of the show's most anticipated performances. People in the crowd were also excited to see the ever-popular Thunderbirds. U.S. Air Force member Mark Ninal says he's seen the impact of those flight crews firsthand.
"I remember folks seeing the Thunderbirds — some folks get emotional and everything," Ninal said. "I think it's in appreciation of what it takes to maintain the freedom we have."
Ninal admits he first enlisted in the country's Air Force because he needed a job post-9/11. But, after being deployed overseas, he felt a "sense of service," he said.
Now, his daughter is also in the Air Force. One of the reasons she joined was because of the air shows she saw on base in Yokota, Japan, as a child.
For many members of the service, air shows spurred a lifelong interest in the military.
"I came here when I was like five, saw the air show and thought, 'That's what I'm going to do,'" Braxton Borders said. And he did — today he's in the U.S. Army National Guard, flying an Apache helicopter.
"Staying motivated is the biggest thing," he said. "People tell you you're not smart enough, but you've just got to stay motivated."
Recruitment is a big reason the base puts on air shows, said Nathan Poblete, public affairs officer for the 388th Fighter Wing stationed at Hill Air Force Base.
"Lots of current military members have attended one of these events," Poblete said. "It's really a full circle moment for a lot of us service members. … At the end of the day … it does impact generations."
The base utilizes the shows to get kids involved with STEM City, introducing them to the science and technology fields using a hangar filled with interactive exhibits like video games, drones, robots, virtual reality, welding simulators and more.
"We're just trying to inspire people, show people that they, too, can do this," Jackson said.
