TAMPA, Fla. — It was quite the sight for Tampa Bay Friday as a KC-135 refueler from MacDill Air Force Base performed a flyover around 12 of the area's hospitals.
The flyover was a way to salute front-line medical workers who have been working tirelessly in the fight against coronavirus. But, people still came out and appreciated the plane as it flew over
The flyover didn't go quite as planned. One of the planes had a mechanical issue, so the flyover consisted of one aircraft instead of two.
The plane took off from MacDill Air Force Base just before 9:30 a.m.
It made its way to Sarasota where about 100 people lined the streets to cheer on the plane. Some medical workers could be seen yelling and waving as it passed by.
The plane looped its way back to Tampa and flew over hospitals there. It did a quick flyover for those in the medical field in St. Pete and the North Tampa area before landing again at the base.
“This community goes out of their way to honor our sacrifices,” Col Stephen Snelson, 6 Air Refueling Wing commander, said. “This is an honor for us to be able to display our gratitude to these warriors who protect our base and this community from this horrible virus.”
Last Friday, the Blue Angels flew over Jacksonville and Miami as a way to thank those in the medical field.
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