VALDOSTA, Ga. — The F-22 Raptor skyrocketed up into the sky angling in maneuvers that wowed the crowd at the 2019 Thunder Over South Georgia air show. 

Moody Air Force Base hosted the show Saturday, Nov. 2, as the Air Force welcomed thousands of guests to the base.

An announcer called the Raptor the most feared aircraft as it flew over the base showcasing a few of its capabilities.

Other planes took to the sky to exhibit their fast speed, their strong ability to make sharp turns and flips easily and some flew in dedication to the Armed Forces.

While the Navy Blue Angels concluded the show, the roster of performers included the U.S. Air Force A-10C, Thunderbolt II Demo Team, Franklin’s Flying Circus, Smoke-N-Thunder, Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue and A-29 Flyby.

Demonstrations of the T-33, T-6 and BDG were also given.

Jeremy Holt performed in an aircraft named Pegasus that he constructed himself, the announcer said.

A lengthy simulation of a combat search and rescue featured a pilot whose plane had been “shot down” by enemies.

During the simulation, his fellow airmen acted as protection by securing parameters in the sky and holding off attacks while a para-rescue team flew in to get him to safety.

Though the Smoke-N-Thunder performance never soared through the sky, a semi-truck blazed across the ground at a fast pace shooting fire leaving a trail of smoke in its path.

The Wings of Blue divers jumped from a plane with bombs of colored smoke creating patterns high up in the air before landing on foot.

A single jumper paid tribute to the United States with a flag presentation.

Watching it all nearby on a picnic blanket were Lindy Browning and her son, 4-year-old Elijah Browning, and Kelly Davis and her son, 3-year-old Grey Davis.

Kelly Davis, a Valdosta resident, hopes she’s raising a future airman as she said her son loves airplanes.

Though it was their first time attending, the show was not a first for Lindy Browning and her son.

“We come all the time because my dad’s friends used to be stationed here and so we’ve come ever since,” Lindy Browning said.

Similar to Grey Davis, young Elijah Browning’s favorite portion of the entire event were the planes.

Air show guests could also visit the grounded planes on display such as Kermit, an aircraft utilized by the Hurricane Hunters for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The plane has been flown through several storms such as Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Katrina, and more recently, Hurricane Dorian, according to NOAA personnel.

Other agencies, such as the Georgia State Patrol and the Museum of Flight, brought aircrafts, as well.

Peter O’Hare, a chief warrant officer 5 for the Marine Corps, was one of the Museum of Flight’s volunteers allowing guests to view combat aircrafts that flew in the Vietnam and Korean wars. They are two T-28s and one C-45.

The Museum of Flight traveled from Rome, Ga., to be a part of the show.

O’Hare said to fly the veteran planes, it takes 28 hours of maintenance for one hour of flight.

“It took us a little less than two hours to fly here,” he said. “To do that, there’s … maintenance involved, hours of preparation. We usually prepare about three full days of maintenance … pre-flight before the airplanes actually come.”

Other sights included gun displays near tents where airmen sleep while deployed. Veteran Steven Foster with his daughter, Ashley, and her Great Dane, Apollo, viewed this display. 

Foster finished his service as staff sergeant in the National Guard in Jacksonville, Fla. He served at Moody as an avionics sensor technician. He served 14 years total in the military.

After traveling from Orlando, Fla., for the air show, he said it felt good to attend the event as a community member post-military.

“I’m still doing avionics,” he said. “I’m still doing what I love just in a civilian manner.”