The U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight

The U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight (HF) program presents the evolution of USAF air power by flying today’s state-of-the-art fighter aircraft in close formation with vintage fighter aircraft.

The 2024 Wings Over Batavia Air Show will feature a 2-ship formation featuring the U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team escorting the WWII-era P-51 Mustang.

The F-16C Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in more than 30 years of operations including air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. Only four USAF units operate the C model: 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. (three squadrons); 169th Fighter Wing, Joint National Guard Base McEntire, S.C. (one squadron); 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany (one squadron); and 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan (two squadrons).

The modern jets will be flying with the P-51 Mustang "Bald Eagle", a long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber that was first used in World War II and then the Korean War. Built by North

American Aviation, the P-51 was used to escort U.S. Air Force bombers over Germany which helped ensure Allied air superiority in 1944. The aircraft was also in service with Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean and Italian theaters and saw some service against the Japanese.

Until jet fighters took over, the P-51 Mustang was the main fighter of the United Nations at the start of the Korean War. The P-51 then became a specialized fighter- bomber. The plane remained in service to some air forces until the early 1980s but many were converted for civilian use – especially air racing and for flying as historic warbird aircraft at air shows.

A Heritage Flight (HF) performance involves current USAF fighters piloted by Air Combat Command trained military HF pilots and flown with historical warbirds piloted by trained and certified civilian HF pilots. The F-16 will be piloted by Capt. Taylor "FEMA" Hiester and the P-51 will be piloted by Jim Beasley Jr..