Air show begins in wake of tragedy

It was the first day of the Arctic Thunder Air Show, and hundreds of people came to watch the planes roar and roll. But down on the tarmac, military personnel milled quietly, avoiding questions about how they felt two days after a C-17 crash that killed four airmen. This year, the show will have all its usual pageantry, patriotism and muscle. There will also be a tribute.

Today and Sunday, a memorial C-17 will sit on display, with pictures of the fallen airmen. Visitors are invited to leave flowers. The show itself is also a way to pay respect.

"It's a way to honor all the sacrifices made every day," said Col. Mark Camerer, vice wing commander at the base. "We're still going through a healing process."

Capt. Chris Perkins, an F-16 pilot, walked through the show with his wife, Alaska National Guard Capt. Maria Perkins.

"As tragic as Wednesday night was, we are all here doing our job," he said. "We take care of our own first, we make sure everybody's OK, we put our head back in the game and then we continue on with our mission."

He said the show is always a chance to show off what the military is capable of.

"I can't believe they let me (fly), much less pay me to do it," Chris Perkins said.

The F-16 Perkins flies is the best jet for "tumblin' through the sky," like in "Top Gun," he said. The F-15 is the best for dropping bombs -- it can hit 20 targets in one pass. The F-22 Raptor is the best for air-to-air combat. All of them will be on display at the show.

Dozens of planes lined the half-mile tarmac Friday. People wandered around and through them. In the cockpit of a C-130, Griffin Buss, 3, grabbed the steering wheel and pushed buttons to talk to his little sister Gracelin in the co-pilot seat.

"We're landing soon," Griffin said. "Twenty seconds until Hawaii!"

An estimated 175,000 people are projected to attend the show today and Sunday. The Blue Angels and Canadian Forces' Snowbirds will perform each day. Because the Army and Air Force are combining facilities, this is the first year Army vehicles -- including tanks and Humvees -- will be highlighted on the ground, said Capt. Brian Clark, Arctic Thunder ground director.

Maria Perkins said Elmendorf is grieving, but the air show brings people together.

"If anything, this just cements the fact that this is a family," she said.

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