Cleveland National Air Show

The Cleveland National Air Show is an annual air show held on Labor Day weekend at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 as an indirect successor to the National Air Races. The show includes stunt airplanes, modern fighters and alternates between the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds every other year. The show typically runs from 9:00 a.m. to around 4:30 p.m. EDT. The show usually starts with smaller acts, and the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds perform last. Another regular attraction is the NASA Glenn Research Center, which usually has an exhibit located near the back of the show. There is usually some type of heritage or legacy flight, sometimes both.

There was no show in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Performers
This section is a list of all aircraft that have performed in the Cleveland National Airshow in recent history. Please note that only the acts are listed, not static displays or other ground attractions.

2023

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor
 * U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle
 * U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team
 * U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier
 * U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet
 * U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker
 * Hot Streak Jet Truck
 * C-130 Hercules

2022

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon
 * U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle
 * U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team
 * Randy Ball MiG-17F
 * Hot Streak Jet Truck
 * WWII B-25 Georgie’s Gal

2021

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * A-10C Thunderbolt II
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team
 * C-130 Hercules

2020
The 2020 Air Show was canceled due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. The action was necessary in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to comply with State, County and City Health regulations, which prohibited large events and mass gatherings.

2019

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II
 * A-10C Thunderbolt II
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team
 * C-130 Hercules
 * Lucas Oil Airshows
 * GEICO Skytypers

2018

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Jet
 * C-130 Hercules
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * Sean Tucker
 * Tiger Yak 55

2017

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * U.S. Navy Super Hornet
 * U.S. Air Force A-10
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * Ohio Air National Guard C-130
 * Nakajima B5N
 * Havilland D.H. 115 Vampire Jet
 * Vought F4U Corsair

2016

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II
 * U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * North American P-51 Mustang
 * North American B-25 Mitchell

2015

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet
 * C-130 Hercules
 * C-17 Globemaster
 * Sean Tucker
 * North American P-51 Mustang
 * North American B-25 Mitchell

2014

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * Unmanned Aircraft Systems Demonstration
 * Nasa Glenn
 * Northern Ohio Unmanned Aircraft Systems Association (NOUASA)
 * Art Nalls' Sea Harrier and L-39 Black Jet

2013
The 2013 Cleveland National Air Show was canceled due to the federal sequester.

2012

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * USMC Fat Albert (C-130 Hercules)
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * Sky Soldiers Cobra Helicopter Demonstration Team (AH-1 Cobra)
 * Sean Tucker (Oracle Challenger II)
 * Mike Goulian Aerosports
 * Jane Wicker
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * Aurora Stearman
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Yankee Lady"
 * Jim Leavelle (T-6 Texan)
 * Metro Life Flight (Eurocopter EC-145)
 * US Air Force Heritage Flight (F-22 Raptor and P-51)

2011

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * F/A-18 Hornet
 * F-4 Phantom II
 * P-51 Mustang
 * CP-140 Aurora
 * Jason Newburg- Viper Airshows
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * Jacquie B Airshows
 * Kent Pietsch Jelly Belly
 * Jim "Fang" Maroney
 * School Time Jet Bus
 * John Klatt (Staudacher S-300D)
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle"
 * Metro Life Flight Eurocopter EC-145

2010

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * USMC Fat Albert (C-130 Hercules)
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * U.S. Navy Legacy Flight
 * F-15E Strike Eagle
 * Red Eagle Air Sports (Pitts Special)
 * Gene Soucy (Grumman Ag Cat)
 * Teresa Stokes Wingwalking
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Yankee Lady"
 * Mitsubishi A6M Zero "TORA 101"
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * Mad Bomber Pyrotechnics and Wall of Fire
 * Metro Life Flight Eurocopter EC-145
 * TS-11 Iskra

2009

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * AV-8B Harrier II
 * F-15E Strike Eagle
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * USCG HH-65C Dolphin
 * C-130 Hercules
 * KC-135 Stratotanker
 * Skip Stewart (Pitts S2S)
 * Franklin's Flying Circus (Waco UPF-7)
 * John Klatt (Staudacher S-300D)
 * AH-64 Apache
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle"
 * TS-11 Iskra
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * Metro Life Flight Eurocopter EC-145
 * Shockwave Jet Truck

2008

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * F-15C Eagle
 * F-16C Fighting Falcon
 * C-130 Hercules
 * Red Star & Dragon
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Yankee Lady"
 * John Mohr Barnstorming (Stearman PT-17)
 * Silent Wings (Alisport Silent-J)
 * Nikolay Timofeev (Sukhoi Su-26)
 * Sean Tucker (Oracle Challenger II)
 * TS-11 Iskra
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * USN Legacy Flight
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76
 * Shockwave Jet Truck

2007

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * F-15E Strike Eagle
 * C-17 Globemaster III
 * F-86 Sabre
 * C-130 Hercules
 * Julie Clark T-34 Mentor
 * John Klatt (Staudacher S-300D)
 * Sean Tucker (Oracle Challenger II)
 * TS-11 Iskra
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * Shockwave Jet truck
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76

2006

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * F-22 Raptor
 * B-1 Lancer
 * F-117 Nighthawk
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * C-130 Hercules
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * The Red Knight (T-33 Shooting Star)
 * TS-11 Iskra
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * Greg Poe (Ethanoledge 540)
 * Walt Pierce
 * B-25 Mitchell "Panchito"
 * Supermarine Spitfire
 * F4U Corsair
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society

2005

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * B-1 Lancer
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * USN Legacy Flight
 * C-130 Hercules
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * Sean Tucker (Pitts SpecialI)
 * Matt Chapman (Lycoming CAP 580)
 * Michael Mancuso (Extra 300)
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Yankee Lady"
 * B-25 Mitchell "Yankee Warrior"
 * C-47 Skytrain "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society
 * Sky Busters Rocketry Club

2004

 * F-16 Fighting Falcon
 * F/A-18 Hornet
 * USAF Heritage Flight
 * USN Legacy Flight
 * P-51 Mustang
 * F4U Corsair
 * B-1 Lancer
 * C-17 Globemaster III
 * C-130 Hercules
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * B-25 Mitchell "Panchito"
 * B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle"
 * Shockwave Jet truck
 * Jim Leroy (Pitts S2S)
 * US Jet Aerobatic Team
 * Jimmy Franklin (Waco biplane)
 * Steve Coan (Windex 1200)
 * Kyle Franklin Jet Wingwalking
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society
 * Sky Busters Rocketry Club

2003

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * F-16 Fighting Falcon
 * F-14 Tomcat
 * Firebirds Delta Team
 * Debbie Gary (SF 260 Marchetti)
 * F4U Corsair
 * P-51 Mustang
 * Hawker Sea Fury
 * US Air Force Reserve Jet Cars
 * Classic Air Racers
 * P-38 Lightning
 * P-40 Warhawk
 * F6F Hellcat
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society

2002

 * U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * F-14 Tomcat
 * CF-18 Hornet
 * AeroShell Aerobatics (T-6 Texan)
 * Hispano HA-200
 * Learjet 23
 * Beech 18
 * Sukhoi Su-31
 * Shockwave Jet Truck
 * Lockheed Constellation
 * Martin 404
 * Douglas DC-3
 * Ford Tri-Motor
 * Air Racing
 * B-25 Mitchell
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society

2001

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * CF-18 Hornet
 * C-130 Hercules
 * B-1 Lancer
 * C-17 Globemaster III
 * Swift Magic aerobatic team
 * F-86 Sabre
 * MiG-15
 * Aero L-39
 * Bob & Pat Wagner (Boeing-Stearman Model 75)
 * Jim "Bulldog" Leroy (Pitts S2S)
 * Dan Buchanan ("Flying Colors" hangliding)
 * Bee Gee replica
 * Walt Linscott
 * Ian Groom (Sukhoi Su-31)
 * Cleveland Aeromodeling Society

2000

 * US Air Force Thunderbirds
 * CASPA Challenge Series
 * F-14 Tomcat
 * F-15 Eagle
 * F/A-18 Hornet
 * RAF Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
 * YAK-55
 * Greg Poe (Zivko Edge)
 * Gene Soucy (Extra 300)
 * Sean Tucker (Pitts Special)
 * Showcopters (Robinson R22)
 * Shockwave Jet truck
 * F4U Corsair
 * B-29 Superfortress "Fifi"
 * B-24 Liberator "Diamond Lil"
 * B-25 Mitchell
 * B-17 Flying Fortress

1999

 * U.S. Navy Blue Angels
 * CASPA Challenge Series
 * Sean Tucker Pitts Special
 * US Army Golden Knights
 * F-14 Tomcat
 * F-16 Fighting Falcon
 * P-51 Mustang
 * RAF Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
 * SNJ-2
 * Kyle Franklin Waco UPF-7
 * Walt Linscott YAK-55
 * Bob Correll's Kitecycle
 * Metro Life Flight Sikorsky S-76

Accidents and incidents related to air show

 * September 8, 1981: Departing Cleveland after three successful shows, a T-38 Talon from the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, ingested birds shortly after take off. The Thunderbirds Commander/Leader, Lt Col David "DL" Smith ("Thunderbird 1") and his Crew Chief, SSgt Dwight Roberts, both ejected.  However, Lt Col Smith's parachute did not open and he died upon impact with the shoreline.  SSgt Roberts survived, and was quickly retrieved from Lake Erie.
 * September 6, 2009: A TS-11 Iskra practicing for the air show made a gear up landing. The pilot was unharmed and the aircraft received only light damage to the cowling and left wing.