The United States celebrated its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, with a massive flight display over the country’s capital city, Washington DC.
Aircraft from all branches of service plus NASA took part in the “Salute to America” flyover, which lasted for several hours, even if it had to be shortened due to strong thunderstorms which formed in the evening around Washington DC.
Four privately-owned F-5 Tiger IIs (one of which was provided personally by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman) opened the show. They were followed by several jets from NASA’s fleet, including F-15D and F/A-18B aircraft which had been painted in a special 250th-anniversary livery featuring the stars and stripes.
The display continued with the US Coast Guard MH-65E Dolphin and MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters as well as a trio of fixed-wing aircraft (HC-130J, C-27J, HC-144) operated by this branch of service.
The US Army was represented by the Golden Knights parachute team, which parachuted onto the National Mall together with its US Navy counterpart, the “Leap Frogs”.
An eight-ship US Army helicopter formation, including AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks followed suit.
The US Air Force (USAF) made its appearance one hour into the show, starting with the so-called “heavies”, a mix of cargo and tanker aircraft, which included a C-17 Globemaster III, a KC-135, a KC-46 and a C-5 Galaxy aircraft.
They were then followed by gunships and special operations aircraft from the USAF’s Special Operations Command, based in Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, with two AC-130J Ghost Riders, two CV-22 Ospreys and two OA-1K light attack and surveillance aircraft.
A fighter jet formation of two F-15s and two F-16s was next to overfly the Mall, ahead of the rotorcraft of Marine Helicopter Squadron One, which is usually tasked with carrying the President and other VIPs. A VH-3 Sea King, a VH-60 White Hawk and a VH-92 Patriot helicopter took part in the display, as did UH-1N Hueys operated by the US Air Force First Helicopter Squadron from Joint Air Force Base Andrews, Maryland.
Ten more helicopters from the USMC, four MV-22s, two AH-1Z attack helicopters and two CH-53 heavy-lifters, were next in air fleet review.
The Marines air display continued with a formation of KC-130 Super Hercules, F/A-18C and F-35C fixed winged aircraft.
From around 4pm it was the turn of the US Navy, which showed up with its MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters, a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, a pair of F/-18 Super Hornets and another of F-35Cs.
The US Navy Super Hornets performed several manoeuvres and flew loops over the National Mall area, a prelude to the US Navy Blue Angels aerobatics team which was next on the program, flying six F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
The USMC demo team performed for the public next, with a MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. A USMC F-35B jet aircraft also demonstrated its capability to hover over a spot.
Shortly after, at around 6pm, all three of USAF’s strategic bomber types currently in service, the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1B Lancer and the B-2 Spirit, flew together over the National Mall.
More F-35 Lightning II fighter jets demonstrations followed, this time of the -C variant, operated by the US Navy and USMC.
The USAF Thunderbirds also came into the scene with eight F-16C Fighting Falcons. This was this aerobatic team’s first-ever performance over the nation’s capital since they were founded in 1953.
The new presidential VC-25B (a former Qatari B747-800) which days earlier had completed its first mission as Air Force One, also made a flyover at around 19.30, accompanied by four F-22 Raptor jets, just as the National Mall area was being evacuated due to the looming storms.
The adverse weather conditions meant that a significant part of the originally planned flight display, which were supposed to include a flyover of stealth aircraft, a F-22 afterburner pass and yet another parachute jump by the Golden Knights, had to be cancelled.
The National Mall reopened at 21.45, allowing for a lone B-1 bomber to make a final afterburner pass ahead of the large firework display which closed the celebratory event.
