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The Thunderbirds began performing 50 years ago this month.They still thrill the crowds.
Thunderbirds at 50
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 2003 1AIR FORCE Magazine / June 20031
Based at Nellis AFB, Nev., the US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron—betterknown as the Thunderbirds—fly F-16C Fighting Falcons. The T-birds haveperformed spectacular aerial maneuvers for more than 300 million spectatorsaround the world.
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Photography by Erik Hildebrandt, TSgt. Kevin Gruenwald, and SSgt.Sean M. White, with additional photos from Marty Winter
The Thunderbirds began performing 50 years ago this month.They still thrill the crowds.
Thunderbirds at 50
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 2003 1AIR FORCE Magazine / June 20031
Based at Nellis AFB, Nev., the US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron—betterknown as the Thunderbirds—fly F-16C Fighting Falcons. The T-birds haveperformed spectacular aerial maneuvers for more than 300 million spectatorsaround the world.
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by
Eri
k H
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eb
ran
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Photography by Erik Hildebrandt, TSgt. Kevin Gruenwald, and SSgt.Sean M. White, with additional photos from Marty Winter
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 200364
The Thunderbirds began performingin air shows in June 1953, havingbeen activated only two weeksearlier at Luke AFB, Ariz., as the3600th Air Demonstration Unit. Theirpurpose: To serve as “ambassadorsin blue,” supporting the Air Force’srecruiting efforts and demonstratingboth the professionalism of USAFpersonnel and the power of the high-performance jets that were at thetime new to the American public.
Above, Thunderbirds in their currentaircraft, F-16s, create a mirror-imageeffect in a “Calypso Pass.” At right,SSgt. Jason Owens cleans a wing.Such attention to all aspects ofmaintenance is one reason the teamcan safely perform the kind ofprecise maneuvers shown at farright.
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In an August 1953 photo (above), theThunderbirds fly Republic AviationF-84G Thunderjets, the first aircrafttype used for their demonstrations.In 1955, they transitioned to theswept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak(left). By that time, they had alreadytaken their precision flying beyondthe US to South America and CentralAmerica. The “smoke” trailing fromthe F-84s helped spectators followthe path of the aircraft as theyperformed. Today, the aircraftgenerate the contrail by pumping aparaffin-based oil into the exhaustnozzle, where it instantly vaporizes.
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 2003 65
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At left, a rare color photo of theThunderbirds flying F-105Bs. Theteam flew this aircraft for only sixshows in 1964 before it made thetransition to the F-100D. During the13 years that they flew F-100 C and Dmodels, the Thunderbirds traveled toAsia, Europe, and Africa.
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 2003 1AIR FORCE Magazine / June 20031
The first supersonic jet fighter, theNorth American F-100 Super Sabrebecame the third aerial platform forthe Thunderbirds. The T-birds adoptedit in 1956. That year, the team alsomoved to its current home at Nellis,where it is part of the 57th Wing.
Below, F-4Es head into a “Line-abreast Loop.” Phantom IIs werefront-line fighters in Vietnam when theThunderbirds began using them in1969. The Phantom was the first andonly aircraft type to be flownconcurrently by the Thunderbirds andthe Navy’s aerial demonstration team,the Blue Angels.
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At left, a rare color photo of theThunderbirds flying F-105Bs. Theteam flew this aircraft for only sixshows in 1964 before it made thetransition to the F-100D. During the13 years that they flew F-100 C and Dmodels, the Thunderbirds traveled toAsia, Europe, and Africa.
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 2003 1AIR FORCE Magazine / June 20031
The first supersonic jet fighter, theNorth American F-100 Super Sabrebecame the third aerial platform forthe Thunderbirds. The T-birds adoptedit in 1956. That year, the team alsomoved to its current home at Nellis,where it is part of the 57th Wing.
Below, F-4Es head into a “Line-abreast Loop.” Phantom IIs werefront-line fighters in Vietnam when theThunderbirds began using them in1969. The Phantom was the first andonly aircraft type to be flownconcurrently by the Thunderbirds andthe Navy’s aerial demonstration team,the Blue Angels.
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AIR FORCE Magazine / June 200366
In the 1974 air show season and foreight years thereafter, the team flewthe T-38 Talons shown here. Theworld’s first supersonic trainer wasfuel-efficient, less costly to maintain,and sleek. The Thunderbird versionhad a red-and-blue striped paintscheme, called a winged stinger, onthe belly.
The 1974 season was short—35 showsin four months. Today, the Thunder-birds perform in 88 shows from Marchto November.
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Above, a crew chief works on a T-birdF-16. At right, crew chief SSgt.Blaine Edinger signals to an air showcrowd that the engines will start inone minute.
Named for the half-eagle, half-hawkbird of North American legend, theThunderbirds have for a half-centurydemonstrated the precision of USAFpilots and aircraft.
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The arrival of F-16As (left) in 1983marked a return to the T-bird role ofdemonstrating front-line fighters.They were replaced by C models in1992.
Pilots of the current F-16Cs (onfacing page) carry out approximately30 maneuvers while demonstratingformation flying and solo routines.The Thunderbirds team includeseight pilots, some 130 enlistedpeople, four support officers, andthree civilians. Officers serve two-year tours with the squadron, whileenlisted personnel serve three tofour years. All airmen are selectedthrough competition. Pilots need aminimum of 1,000 hours of militaryjet experience to apply for the teamand then complete 120 trainingflights. Ground crews undergorigorous screening and a 21-daytraining program.
AIR FORCE Magazine / June 2003 67
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