THUNDERBIRDS (USAF)

28th February 2009

no.1 @ RIAT 14jul07	no.2 @ RIAT 14jul07	no.3 @ RIAT 14jul07	no.4 @ RIAT 14jul07
n.5 @ RIAT 14jul07	no.6 @ RIAT 15jul07	RIAT 14jul07	RIAT 14jul07
RIAT 14jul07	RIAT 14jul07	RIAT 14jul07	RIAT 14jul07

THUNDERBIRDS
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

In 2007 the Thunderbirds made a rare visit to the UK, when they displayed at RIAT in Fairford.

The Thunderbirds are the Air Demonstration Squadron of the U.S. Air Force, based at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. The squadron tours the U.S. and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially-marked USAF jet aircraft.

Officers serve a two-year assignment with the squadron, while enlisted personnel serve three to four. Replacements must be trained for about half of the team each year, providing a constant mix of experience.

The squadron performs no more than 88 air demonstrations each year and has never canceled a demonstration due to maintenance difficulty. In addition to their air demonstration responsibilities, the Thunderbirds are part of the USAF combat force and a component of the 57th Wing. If required, the team's personnel and aircraft can be rapidly integrated into a fighter unit at Nellis AFB.

Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon 1992-2008 The block 32H/J aircraft currently assigned to the Thunderbirds were built in 1986 & 1987 and are some of the oldest operational F-16s in the Air Force. (Lockheed purchased the General Dynamics division which makes the F-16 (Fort Worth, TX) in 1993.)

Information from Wikipedia.

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