On July 4, 2026, a series of flyovers took place over the National Mall to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary. Due west, almost directly under the flight path of over 20 formations of incoming aircraft lies our neighborhood in north Arlington, Virginia. With timely precision and spacing, wave after wave flew overhead for nearly seven hours until inclement weather caused schedule changes and a few missed photo opportunities.
In the group formation photos that follow, the name of the lead aircraft is given first. The position of the wing aircraft are described from the perspective of the lead.. As a formation flys toward the ground observer (incoming), the right wing aircraft appears on the left side of the photo. As the formation flys away (outgoing), the right wing aircraft appears on the right side of the photo.
NASA Flyover: Incoming. Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters.
NASA Flyover: Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters.
NASA Fleet: Incoming. McDonnell Douglas F-18B Hornet (lead), Northrop T-38 Talon (right wing, on the left), McDonnell Douglas F-15 (left wing, on the right). Note: In formation photos, the position of the wing aircraft are described from the perspective of the lead aircraft. As the formation flys toward the ground observer (incoming), the right wing aircraft appears on the left side of the photo. As the formation flys away (outgoing), the right wing aircraft appears on the right side of the photo.
NASA Fleet: McDonnell Douglas F-18B Hornet with special 250th American flag paint scheme.
NASA Fleet: McDonnell Douglas F-15 with special 250th American flag paint scheme.
NASA Fleet: Northrop T-38 Talon trainer.
NASA Fleet: Outgoijng. McDonnell Douglas F-18B Hornet (lead), McDonnell Douglas F-15 (left wing), Northrop T-38 Talon trainer (right wing).
U.S. Coast Guard Helo Flyover: Sikorsky MH-60T Jayhawk (lead), Eurocopter MH-65E Dolphin (left and right wings).
U.S. Coast Guard Helo Flyover: Eurocopter MH-65E Dolphin search and rescue helicopter.
U.S. Coast Guary Fixed Wing Flyover: Lockheed Martin HC-130J Super Hercules (lead), EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry (left wing), Alenia HC-27 Spartan (right wing).
U.S. Coast Guary Fixed Wing: Incoming. Lockheed Martin HC-130J Super Hercules long-range surveillance and search-and-rescue.
U.S. Coast Guary Fixed Wing: Outgoing. Lockheed Martin HC-130J Super Hercules long-range surveillance and search-and-rescue.
U.S. Coast Guary Fixed Wing Flyover: EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry medium-range surveillance and transport.
U.S. Coast Guary Fixed Wing Flyover: Alenia HC-27 Spartan medium-range surveillance and transport.
U.S. Army Helo Flyover: Incoming first diamond formation. Boeing CH-47 Chinook (lead), Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks (left and right wings), Boeing AH-64 Apache (trail).
U.S. Army Helo Flyover: Boeing CH-47 Chinook transport (lead of two diamond formations). Note soldiers' feet dangling from the rear cargo ramp.
U.S. Army Helo Flyover: Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
U.S. Army Helo Flyover: Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
U.S. Army Helo Flyover: Outgoing second diamond formation. Boeing CH-47 Chinook (lead), Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks (left and right wings), Boeing AH-64 Apache (trail).
U.S. Air Force Heavies Fleet: Incoming. Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport.
U.S. Air Force Heavies Fleet: Outgoing. Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport.
U.S. Air Force Heavies Fleet: Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker.
U.S. Air Force Heavies Fleet: Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
U.S. Air Force Heavies Fleet: Incoming. Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy transport.
U.S. Air Force Heavies Fleet: Outgoing. Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy transport.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Fleet Review: Incoming. Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship (lead), OA-1K Skyraider IIs (right wings, on the left), Bell Boeing CV-22B Ospreys (left wings, on the right).
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Fleet: Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider gunship.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Fleet: Bell Boeing CV-22B Osprey.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Fleet: OA-1K Skyraider II.
U.S. Air Force Fighter Fleet: Incoming. F-15E Strike Eagles (right wing, on the left), General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons (left wing, on the right).
U.S. Air Force Fighter Fleet: F-15E Strike Eagle.
U.S. Air Force Fighter Fleet: General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.
U.S. Air Force Fighter Fleet: Outgoing. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons (left wing), McDonnell F15E Strike Eagles (right wing).
U.S. Executive Rotary Wing (Marine One): Incoming. Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King (lead), Sikorsky VH-92A Patriot (right wing, on the left), Sikorsky VH-60N White Hawk (left wing, on the right).
U.S. Executive Rotary Wing (Marine One): Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King.
U.S. Executive Rotary Wing (Marine One): Sikorsky VH-60N White Hawk.
U.S. Executive Rotary Wing (Marine One): Sikorsky VH-92A Patriot.
U.S. Executive Rotary Wing (Marine One): Sikorsky VH-60N White Hawk (left wing), Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King (lead).
U.S. Executive Rotary Wing: Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, 1st Helicopter Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
U.S. Marine Corp Rotary Fleet: This 10 aircraft V-formation flew so close to the ground that just the rotors of a Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift transport helicopter remain visibile along the roofline of a neighbor's house. Following are a Bell AH-1Z Viper twin-engine attack helicopter and a Bell UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter.
U.S. Marine Corps Rotary Fleet: Bell UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter, Bell–Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport.
U.S. Marine Corps Rotary Fleet: Bell–Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport.
U.S. Marine Corps Fixed Wing Fleet: Incoming. Lockheed KC-130J Hercules aerial refueler (lead), Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs (right wing, on the left), McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets (left wing, on the right).
U.S. Marine Corps Fixed Wing Fleet: Lockheed KC-130J Hercules aerial refueler (lead).
U.S. Marine Corps Fixed Wing Fleet: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.
U.S. Marine Corps Fixed Wing Fleet: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
U.S. Marine Corps Fixed Wing Fleet: Lockheed KC-130J Hercules aerial refuler (trail).
U.S. Navy Rotary Fleet: Sikorsky MH-60 Seahawk multi-mission helicopters.
U.S. Navy Rotary Fleet: Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk multi-mission helicopter.
U.S. Navy Rotary Fleet: Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk surveillance helicopter with underside radar dome.
U.S. Navy Fixed Wing: Incoming. Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
U.S. Navy Fixed Wing: Outgoing. Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
U.S. Navy Fighters: Incoming. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets (lead and trail), Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (left and right wings).
U.S. Navy Fighters: Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter/attack aircraft.
U.S. Navy Fighters: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
U.S. Navy Fighters: Outgoing. Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets (lead and trail), Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs (left and right wings).
U.S. Navy Blue Angels: Incoming. Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets.
A250-052 U.S. Navy Blue Angels: Outgoing. Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets.
A250-058U.S. Navy Blue Angels: Outgoing. Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets.
U.S. Marine Corps Osprey Demontration: Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey medium lift tiltrotor.
U.S. Air Force Tri-Bomber Formation: Incoming. Northrup B-2 Spirit stealth bomber (lead), Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bomber (left wing, on the right).
U.S. Air Force Tri-Bomber Formation: Incoming Northrup B-2 Spirit stealth bomber (lead), Rockwell B-1 Lancer heavy bomber (right wing, on the left), Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bomber (left wing, on the right).
U.S. Air Force Tri-Bomber Formation: Northrup B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
U.S. Air Force Tri-Bomber Formation: Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bomber.
U.S. Air Force Tri-Bomber Formation: Rockwell B-1 Lancer heavy bomber.
U.S. Air Force Tri-Bomber Formation: Outgoing. Northrup B-2 Spirit stealth bomber (lead), Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bomber (left wing), Rockwell B-1 Lancer heavy bomber (right wing).
Huge 1 Flyover: Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport.
Huge 1 Flyover: Boeing KC-46A Pegasus Tanker.
Huge 1 Flyover: Incoming. Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Huge 1 Flyover: Outgoing. Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Boeing F-18F Super Hornet (lead and first wave), Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter (second wave), and Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (tail).
