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Thousands hit the Jersey Shore for annual Atlantic City Airshow

Thousands hit the Jersey Shore for the 2023 Atlantic City Air Show
Thousands hit the Jersey Shore for the 2023 Atlantic City Air Show 01:58

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Hundreds of thousands of people packed the beach Wednesday to watch dozens of planes zip and zoom over Atlantic City for the city's annual airshow.

This year marks 20 years since the airshow first took to the skies.

As he snaps photos of planes zipping by him, Matt Mancini isn't just aiming his camera, he's aiming for a goal.

RELATED: Atlantic City Airshow 2023: What you need to know

"I wanna fly the F18 Super Hornet for the U.S. Navy," Mancini said. 

Until then, he's getting a snapshot of what it would be like to fly these planes at this year's Atlantic City Airshow.

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"I love it," Mancini said. "This is my first one I've been to. I've been planning to come here for about six months, so it's definitely really cool to see all of it."

The air show is just as cool for kids as it is for adults who've ridden in some of these planes like Army veteran Michael Brown.

"You say to yourself, 'Wow. Wow.' You do. Each individual branch says that about something that the other branch would do," Brown said. 

RELATED: U.S. Air Force's Thunderbirds arrive at Jersey Shore ahead of Atlantic City Airshow

Brown says it warms his heart to see so many kids out here enjoying the air show.

"I think it's important to have the kids out here to see that what basically the military is about," Brown said. "We're a family and you get to see all the toys each branch has."

The planes are expensive toys Mancini may one day fly.

"On the ground, probably the speed and the sound, so that's probably one of the coolest things," Mancini said. 

In a few years, maybe he'll be the one with the birds eye view on the air show, but for now, he'll settle for the beach view.

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