PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — About 35,000 spectators showed up for first of a two-day air show, featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease.

Foster’s Daily Democrat says many people attending the show were pleasantly surprised to not have to sit in traffic to get into Saturday’s show at the New Hampshire Air National Guard Base.

The Service Credit Union Boston-Portsmouth Air Show featured parachute demonstrations, military planes on exhibit and show headliner Thunderbirds, who were back at Pease for the first time in 25 years. Among their maneuvers was the “Knife Edge Pass” where two F-16’s sped past each other at 500 mph, barely missing the other plane.

In Maine, the Navy’s Blue Angels and other airborne acrobats return for Brunswick Landing’s first civilian air show Aug. 26-28.


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