COMMENTARY>>Air show tradition

by Ashley Mangin
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs volunteer

Little Rock Air Force Base’s biannual air show falls on the base’s 55th birthday this year.

In 1955, Little Rock AFB was in its infancy. Structures were still being built and aircraft squadrons were still being assigned. But on Oct. 9, 1955, the base opened with much more than a ribbon cutting.

The first-ever open house was preceded by the official flag raising in front of the headquarters building for the 825th Air Division, Little Rock AFB’s first permanent unit. A mere eight years after the Air Force was formed, Little Rock AFB opened its gates and welcomed the public to the beginning of what is now the home of C-130 Combat Airlift.

The open house was a prestigious affair, with a speech by the Secretary of the Air Force, who proclaimed Little Rock AFB as “a bulwark of peace–but a peace that means very much more than merely the absence of war.”

The Arkansas Gazette reported “the base’s big show will consist of a lineup of Air Force brass, Air Force planes and Air Force specialists.”

“[The first air show] was huge,” said Larry Wilson, First Arkansas Bank and Trust chairman, chief executive officer and president.

“It was the first time many in central Arkansas got to see the base and the airplanes. The United States Air Force now had a base in central Arkansas and was opening up their gates for all to see. It was the talk of the area.”

Even with all the planning done in 1955, officials didn’t expect 85,000 people would attend.

“No one had accurately predicted how large the crowd would be and there was little advance planning done for traffic,” said Mr. Wilson. “It was gridlock and people sat in long lines of traffic.”

A lot has changed since then, but some things remain the same.

“The air show is an opportunity for the Air Force to interact with the community,” said Cynde Maddox, 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs. “It’s a way for us to showcase the C-130 mission here on base as well as the other opportunities the Air Force has to offer.”

The air show has become a tradition at Little Rock Air Force Base, inspiring and entertaining children and adults alike.

“The men and boys looked at the airplanes, the girls looked at the Airmen and the women tried to keep track of all three,” reported the Arkansas Gazette Oct. 10, 1955.

“It was an exciting adventure for all involved,” remembered Mr. Wilson.