Not only was the flyover a touching nod to the USAF's 75th anniversary, it was also veteran pilot Steve Hinton's last heritage flight
The NFL honoured the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force before the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams took the field at SoFi Stadium on Sunday 13th February 2022, when five elite pilots took part in a pregame flyover during the closing notes of the national anthem.
As well as paying tribute to 75 years of the USAF, the flight was to be fixture-on-the-warbird-scene and veteran pilot Steve Hinton's final heritage flight. He has spent the last 25 years flying aircraft with the United States Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation team and is president of the Planes of Fame Air Museum. Hinton, who began his flight career at 17 years old, flew in the formation piloting a North American P-51D Mustang.
In an interview with American Military News, Hinton said placing his P-51 in the lead of the formation serves the practical effect of allowing the older prop aircraft to set the pace for the faster fighter jets. It also serves the aesthetic effect of showcasing the evolution of the Air Force’s airpower from its beginning to today.
Also included in the rare line-up, along with the P-51, were an A-10 Thunderbolt from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, an F-16 Fighting Falcon from Shaw Air Force Base, an F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Langley-Eustis and an F-35 Lightning from Hill Air Force Base.
