Page 8 - Desert Lightning News Air Show Edition: Aviation Nation, April 5 – 6, 2025

8 April 5-6, 2025 www.nellis.af.mil
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The Thunderbirds made television history in 2003 while celebrating their 50th anniversary. The commander/ leader started the Coca-Cola 600 by broadcasting live from Thunderbird No. 1 as he said, “Gentlemen, start your engines.”
In 2007, the Thunderbirds visited Europe for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, with the European Goodwill Tour. The trip included shows in Po- land, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom — and for the first time in Thunderbird history — Ireland.
In 2009, the Thunderbirds traveled back to the Pacific Rim, performing in locations like Malaysia, Guam, Australia, Korea and Japan. The team performed more than 70 shows in 22 states and Puerto Rico.
Spending more than 250 days on the road representing Airmen, millions of people have witnessed the Thunderbird demonstrations. In turn, they’ve seen the pride, professionalism and dedica- tion of hundreds of thousands of Air- men serving at home and abroad. Each year brings another opportunity for the team to represent those who deserve the most credit: the everyday, hard- working Airmen voluntarily serving America and defending freedom.
ThuNdErbirdS, from Page 6 __
normally reserved for the 20mm can-
world’s first supersonic trainer. The T-38 non, and the painting of the aircraft in
was more fuel efficient and less costly to The squadron performs approxi-
Thunderbird colors.
maintain than the larger F-4.
mately 75 demonstrations each year and
Early in 1983, the Thunderbirds rein- has never canceled a demonstration due
History
stituted their traditional role of demon- to maintenance difficulty. More than
The Thunderbirds were officially
strating the Air Force’s front-line fighter 300 million people in all 50 states and
activated June 1, 1953, as the 3600th
capabilities. Transition to the F-16A al- 58 foreign countries have seen the red,
Air Demonstration Team at Luke AFB,
lowed the team to retain manpower and white and blue jets in more than 4,000
Ariz. Their first aircraft was the straight-
fuel efficiency while demonstrating to aerial demonstrations.
winged F-84G Thunderjet, a combat
spectators the latest in fighter technology. In addition to their responsibilities
fighter-bomber that had seen action
In 1986, the Thunderbirds participat- as the official U.S. Air Force aerial dem-
in Korea. Early in 1955 the team tran-
ed in the rededication flyby of the Statue onstration team, the Thunderbirds are
sitioned to the swept-winged F-84F
of Liberty and in September, another part of our combat force. If required,
Thunderstreak.
milestone was attained when the team the team’s personnel and aircraft can
In June 1956, the team moved to its
went over the 200 million mark for total be rapidly integrated into a fighter unit
current home at Nellis. At the same time
attendance.
at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Since the
the Thunderbirds traded the veteran F-84
The largest crowd, 2.25 million people, aircraft are only slightly modified, they
for the world’s first supersonic fighter, the
to see a performance was at Coney can be made combat-ready in less than
F-100 Super Sabre — an aerial platform
Island, N.Y., July 4, 1987. The 1987 Far 72 hours.
that would serve the Thunderbirds for 13
East tour marked their debut in Beijing, years. More than 1,000 demonstrations
China — the first American military F-16 Fighting Falcon
were flown in the Super Sabre, thrill-
demonstration performance in a com- The Lockheed Martin (formerly
ing spectators around the world. The
munist country.
General Dynamics) F-16 represents the
team changed brief ly to the Republic
Operation Desert Storm canceled the full range of capabilities possessed by
F-105 Thunderchief. The Thunderbirds
1990 European tour and the season was the Air Force’s tactical fighters. This
returned to the F-100 in 1964 after only
shortened. The team converted to the highly maneuverable multi-role fighter
six shows, due to an extensive modi-
F-16C in 1992, bringing the F-16A era has proven to be one of the world’s best
fication that became necessary on all
to an end.
precision tactical bombers and air-to-air
Thunderchiefs.
In July 1996, the team participated in combat aircraft. The only modifications
From 1969 to 1973, the Thunderbirds
opening ceremonies of the Centennial needed to prepare the aircraft for its
flew the Air Force’s front-line fighter, the
Olympics held in Atlanta which were air demonstration role are installing a
F-4E Phantom. In 1974, the Thunder-
viewed by an estimated 3.5 billion people smoke-generating system in the space
birds converted to the T-38 Talon, the
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