U.S. AIR FORCE AIR DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON "THUNDERBIRDS"

Mission

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, "Thunderbirds," perform precision aerial maneuvers to exhibit the capabilities of modern high-performance aircraft to people throughout the world. The squadron exhibits the professional qualities of Air Force people who fly, maintain and support these aircraft.

The squadron objectives are :
To support U.S. Air Force recruiting and retention programs
To reinforce public confidence in the Air Force and demonstrate to the public the professional competence of Air Force personnel
To strengthen morale and esprit de corps among Air Force personnel
To support Air Force community relations and people-to-people programs
To represent the United States and its armed forces to foreign nations and project international goodwill

The Team

The Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit comprised of eight pilots (six are demonstration pilots), four support officers, approximately 120 Active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve enlisted people, and four civilians performing in more than 27 different career fields. A Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of six aircraft, performing formation flying and solo routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the solos highlight the maximum capabilities of the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon. The pilots perform approximately 40 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including ground and air, runs about one hour. The demonstration season lasts from March to November, with the winter months used for training new pilots. Officers serve a two-year assignment with the squadron, while the enlisted corps serves three to four. Nearly a third of all personnel are replaced each year, providing a constant mix of experience levels. The squadron performs no more than 88 air demonstrations each year and has never canceled a performance due to maintenance difficulty. Since the unit’s inception in 1953, more than 315 million people in all 50 states and 60 foreign countries have witnessed the red, white, and blue jets in more than 3,850 official aerial demonstrations.

Thunderbird History

The Thunderbirds were officially activated May 25, 1953, as the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The Korean War was the first time the U.S. used jet aircraft in combat and the mission of the 3600th was to show the American public the safety and reliability of the new technology of the time.

F-84

The unit’s first aircraft was the straight-winged F-84G Thunderjet, a combat-proven fighter-bomber that had seen extensive action in the Korean War. Early in 1955, the Thunderbirds transitioned to the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak. In their first three years with the F-84, the team performed for more than nine million spectators in 222 shows that included tours of Central and South America.

F-100

In 1956, the team moved to its current home at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. At the same time, the Thunderbirds traded the veteran F-84 for the world’s first supersonic fighter, the F-100 Super Sabre — the aerial platform that would serve the Thunderbirds for 13 years. The F-100 years were memorable. More than 1,100 demonstrations were flown in the "C" and "D" models of the aircraft, thrilling millions of spectators in the United States, and giving people in the Far East, Europe and North Africa their first glimpse at the Thunderbirds. In the middle of the F-100 era, the team changed briefly to the F-105B Thunderchief. After only six shows in 1964, the Thunderbirds transitioned to the F-100D, a jet that was capable of air refueling.

F-4

From 1969 to 1973, the Thunderbirds flew the Air Force’s frontline fighter of the time, the F-4E Phantom II. In five seasons, the team performed more than 500 demonstrations while traveling to 30 of the 50 states, Canada, Central America, and Europe.

T-38

In 1974, the Thunderbirds converted to the T-38A Talon, the world’s first supersonic trainer aircraft. The T-38 was more fuel efficient and less costly to maintain than the larger F-4. The team flew nearly 600 demonstrations during eight seasons with the Talon. During the nation¡¦s Bicentennial year (1976), the Thunderbirds performed a flyover at the opening of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

F-16

Early in 1983, the Thunderbirds reinstituted their traditional role of demonstrating the Air Force’s frontline fighter capabilities. Transitioning to the F-16A Fighting Falcon allowed the team to demonstrate the very latest in fighter technology. More than 16.5 million spectators throughout 33 states saw the Thunderbirds during their inaugural season in the F-16. In 1986, the team participated in the rededication of the Statue of Liberty on the 4th of July. The following year, the Thunderbirds became the first U.S. demonstration squadron to perform in a communist country, as the team visited China. In 1992, the Thunderbirds transitioned to the F-16C. The squadron was the last active-duty unit to convert to the upgraded model. The 1994 demonstration season proudly ushered in the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron’s fifth decade. The Thunderbirds flew 67 air demonstrations in front of more than 6 million people, surpassing the 275 million mark for attendance. America¡¦s ¡§Ambassadors in Blue¡¨ visited Europe in 1996. During the 30-day deployment, the team visited nine countries, including Romania, Slovenia, and Bulgaria, nations once shrouded behind the Iron Curtain. Upon returning from Europe, the team deployed to Atlanta, Georgia in July to fly over the opening ceremonies of the Centennial Olympics. The aerial event was seen by an estimated 3.8 billion people worldwide. On November 10, the squadron surpassed another milestone, flying its 1,000th air demonstration in the F-16. In 1999, the team celebrated its 46th Anniversary. More than 6.5 million people in 28 states and Canada saw a Thunderbird air demonstration, bringing the team’s total crowd count to more than 310 million. On New Year¡¦s Day 2000, the team ushered in the new millennium by performing fly-bys at the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, Calif. The team also returned to Europe for the first time since 1996 and added a new flag to the flag panel, the Czech Republic. In March 2001, the first Air Force Reservist was assigned to active duty with the Thunderbirds, making it a total force team. In October 2002, the Thunderbirds broadcasted an official air demonstration live on the internet for the first time, which included cockpit footage from the video Datalink system installed in the jets. 2003 marked the team¡¦s 50th anniversary. That same year, the Thunderbirds made television and NASCAR history while the diamond formation conducted the opening ceremony flyby for the Coca Cola 600. From the cockpit of Thunderbird #1, the commander/leader was televised to millions nation-wide starting the race by saying the most famous words in motor sports, Gentlemen start your engines.