JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- The U.S. Air Force will participate in the 2018 Warbirds Over Wanaka (WOW) International Airshow at the Wanaka Airport, Luggate, New Zealand, March 31 – April 1, 2018.
The biennial event is the largest ‘Warbird’ Airshow in the Southern Hemisphere; this year will mark the 30th anniversary since its inception in 1988.
WOW Airshow 18 will feature aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and French Air Force from New Caledonia, in addition to U.S. Air Force assets.
Approximately 45 U.S. Air Force personnel will participate in the airshow. This year’s event will showcase Pacific Air Forces F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
The 2008 iteration marked the debut of U.S. Air Force aircraft participating in the airshow with the inclusion of a New York Air National Guard LC-130 Polar Hercules aircraft static display. The U.S. LC-130 aircraft returned as a static display for the 2010 WOW airshow.
In 2016, the U.S. provided its first aerial display with the C-17 Globemaster III Aerial Demonstration Team.
The airshow is expected to host approximately 50,000 visitors this year.