MAY 26, 2026 – Months before a million people look up at Miami Beach, the work was already underway here.
Formation plans to coordinate. Airfield approvals to secure. Aircrew briefs to finalize. Nine aircraft from three services to bring into a single coordinated flyover. And the maintainers making sure the aircraft is ready to go. When the B-52 Stratofortress crosses show center over Miami Beach this weekend, the crowd will see an aircraft. What they will not see is the months of planning, the decades of experience, and the people who made it possible.
Active-duty Airmen from the 2nd Bomb Wing and Reserve Airmen from the 307th Bomb Wing – both based at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana – are participating in the Miami Hyundai Air and Sea Show as part of Freedom 250, a national celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The B-52 is part of a multi-aircraft formation called the Arsenal of Freedom flyover, set to kick off both show days before an estimated crowd of one million spectators. Air events run noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Lummus Park on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach.
“There is no better backdrop for this aircraft than the 250th anniversary of the country it was built to defend,” said Col. David Martinez, commander of the 307th Bomb Wing. “Showing up over Miami Beach on its 250th birthday is an honor none of us take lightly.”
Nine Aircraft, Three Services
Capt. Drew Broadbent, an active-duty pilot with more than 2,000 hours in the B-52, is serving as formation lead for the Arsenal of Freedom flyover – a role he is taking on for the first time.
“It’s my job to get nine aircraft into close formation safely and then get them over show center on time,” Broadbent said. “It’s a lot of responsibility for such a high-profile event, but it’s been a fun challenge to take on.”
The formation spans multiple aircraft types from the Air Force, Navy, and Marines – each with its own speed, handling characteristics, and restrictions.
“It’s taken a lot of coordination with aircrew from multiple services, but it’s been rewarding to watch it all come together.”
Lt. Col. Nate Barnhart, who commands the 93rd Bomb Squadron and is serving as trip lead for the Barksdale contingent, said the work behind those few minutes over the beach goes back months.
“You need to go back a few months to appreciate the amount of effort involved,” Barnhart said. “That is a colossal amount of effort that can’t be overstated.”
Broadbent said the daily partnership between the 2nd and 307th Bomb Wings is what makes an event like this work.
“We fly together every day supporting the same mission, training the next generation of B-52 aviators. That daily integration allows planning for these larger events to be essentially business as usual.”
The Aircraft Over the Beach
The B-52H Stratofortress first entered service in 1955. It has flown in every major American conflict since Vietnam, logged more missions than any other bomber in U.S. history, and is still flying combat operations today. It is also being modernized – new engines, advanced avionics, next-generation weapons systems – to remain a frontline asset into the 2050s.
Senior Master Sgt. Clarence Carmack has been maintaining B-52s for more than 41 years. He is old enough to remember the nation celebrating its bicentennial in 1976 – and has now watched it reach 250.
“I may be the only member still serving in any branch that remembers our nation’s 200th birthday,” Carmack said. “I am proud to still be serving 50 years later.”
His relationship with the aircraft spans generations of the airframe itself.
“The B-52 was over 30 years old the first time I put a wrench on it. I have done so for four decades, and it will fly at least 25 years after I put my wrench down. It’s a testament to American ingenuity and resourcefulness that we can keep a warfighting machine relevant for almost 100 years.”
Barnhart said the aircraft’s history is inseparable from the moments it creates.
“The B-52 is a piece of living history – the most famous bomber in the world. To be able to show that to the American public is amazing. What’s more amazing is when they tell a story of one of their family members who was also a B-52 aviator. Those are always special – you truly never know what kind of stories you might get to hear.”
What It Means to Show Up
“It is not lost on me that this is taking place over Memorial Day weekend – a sobering reminder of all those who have given everything for our nation so that we can do amazing and inspiring things such as this,” Broadbent said. Barnhart said he anticipates an immense sense of pride when the formation crosses show center – and what he hopes the crowd takes with them after.
“For the younger generation, you hope to inspire a love of aviation and create the desire to serve. I absolutely love hearing stories of people who pursued aviation because they went to an airshow at eight or ten years old and followed that dream. I want them to know that their military is trained and ready – and that we’re human. It lets those who aspire to serve know that we’re just like them and they can serve too.”
“The men and women representing Barksdale this weekend are your neighbors, your fellow Americans, and some of the most capable aviators and maintainers in the world,” Martinez said. “They train together, they fly together, and they bring everything they have to this mission.”
Carmack, who has spent more than four decades making sure the aircraft flies, said what happens in public matters beyond the weekend.
“The average person has no idea the amount of work and sacrifice that goes into being in the military. Their only impression is the one-on-one interactions they have with service members. What we do in public makes a difference.”
He has spent a career trying to make sure the next generation is ready to carry that forward.
“You must give the person behind you a hand up. I want to retire knowing I did what I could to ensure that my squadron, my Wing, my command, and my country have what they need so they don’t miss a beat. I hope that they strive to leave it better than they found it.”
Story by Kayla White
307th Bomb Wing