Deputy Mike Higgins, the event’s organiser, made the announcement Tuesday – just hours before it had been due to arrive.
According to the St Helier politician, the United States Air Force plane, which is normally stationed in Louisiana but is currently based at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, needed a new part and would not be able to take off until after 6pm.
In a statement, Deputy Higgins, said: ‘Parts had been ordered from the United States but will not arrive at their base until at least 6pm tonight [11SEP] and therefore they will be unable to undertake the flyby. They send their apologies to the Island and hope they can assist us next year.
‘The Jersey Air Display team are disappointed but we all know from experience that complicated military jets do break down and that it is also the nature of the air displays.
‘We hope however that people will turn out today and attend our static display at the airport from 2pm tomorrow until 7.30pm with last entry at 7pm and come and watch the flying display on Thursday afternoon which will feature a beach landing by the Antonov AN-2, a Korean War dog fight between the North American F-86 fighter jet and a Mikoyan Mig 15 jet over the bay.’
Deputy Higgins added that there would also be a number of other interesting parts of the display, including a number of paratroopers being dropped out the back of a Nord Noratlas – the only aircraft of its type still flying.
‘There will also be the classic Swedish J 29 Tunnan, J-35 Draken and J-37 Viggen jet displays, the British Airways Airbus A319 in British European Airways colours and the Breitling Jet finale,’ he said.
‘I can say without hesitation that the Breitling Jets are as good as the Red Arrows – I know both teams well. The Reds, the Patrouille de France and the Italian Frecce Tricolori have all flown with the Breitling Jets and consider them their equals.’
