The Swiss Air Force holds its annual Axalp Air Power Demonstration at the Ebenfluh firing range located at an elevation of 7614 feet in the Swiss Alps. Aircraft perform maneuvers like inverted flying and simulated carrier landings, and F/A-18 Hornets shoot live ammunition at targets just 250 meters from spectators using their 20mm cannons, allowing attendees to see and hear close-up attack runs. The high elevation air show provides excellent photography opportunities to see aircraft formations and condensation cloud formations around jets.

1. AIR SHOW IN THE SWISS ALPS

3. The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike
fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets

4. The Swiss Air Force’s Axalp Air Power Demonstration held annually, is not just an air show; it is an
experience at 7614 feet (2321m) .

5. The Ebenfluh firing range is found at the top of Axalphorn Mountain in Switzerland’s
Bernese Oberland region.

6. The Ebenfluh Firing Range is at 7614 feet (2321m) and requires quite a climb to get there.

7. Axalp offers some extraordinary opportunities for truly stunning photography

13. Some aircraft in the Swiss Air Force have the inside of the engine exhaust ports painted yellow making it
appear that the after-burners are on.

15. A so-called “dirty pass” flying low and slow with landing gear down

16. The extra heavy landing gear of the F/A-18 Hornet allows for ‘aircraft carrier’ landings

19. Inverted !

23. Flying down the range corridor with guns armed!

24. Guns Blazing!
If the audio timing is right you’ll hear the gun sound

25. The beauty of watching the Axalp airshow is that it takes place at the Ebenfluh firing range which
allows you to see and hear live firing. Mounted in the nose of each F/A-18, is General Electric's 20
mm M61A1 Vulcan six-barrel rotary cannon.

26. Two of the four targets (#1 and 4) are situated only about 250 meters below the spectators. Seeing
and hearing those attack flights of each individual fighter hitting their targets close-up is an
awesome experience.

27. Aircraft fly through the gap between the control tower and the Tshingle, firing 20mm rounds at a pair
of targets.During this time the path between the two locations is closed for safety reasons.

28. In the nose of the F/A-18 Hornet is an M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannon,a six-barreled, air-cooled,
electrically fired Gatling-style gun with an extremely high rate of fire.

29. M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon is capable of shooting 6000rds/min

32. For those who make the assent, they are rewarded with some of the best aviation photography
available, second only to the back seat of another jet.

37. Yes ,there are trees down there…….. and a lake !

40. Conditions were perfect to see many subsonic condensation clouds forming around the aircraft

43. Subsonic condensation cloud formation demonstrating the “Prandtl-Glauert Singularity”

44. END
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Swiss Air Force F/A-18C Hornet provided the “Shot Of The Day”!