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Posted: 6/16/2014 5:51:16 AM EDT
[#1]
Grew up seeing them and the Angels at the Tamiami Air Show and the Fort Lauderdale Air & Sea Show. The T-Birds rock the the F-16 just screams American awesomeness.
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Posted: 6/16/2014 6:00:43 AM EDT
[#2]
lol thunderp chikuns. One of my old supervisors was a photographer for them for years. Got to fly around with them all the time. He really enjoyed it.
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Posted: 6/16/2014 6:24:41 AM EDT
[#3]
I worked on their engines while I was in JEIM.
Watched them practiced all the time when they were at home station, against my will. Couple of maintainer friends got picked up by them. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 6:27:42 AM EDT
[#4]
I have enjoyed every show of theirs I have ever seen. My first was as a kid they were in F-100's
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Posted: 6/16/2014 6:44:06 AM EDT
[#5]
Went to see them at Fairchild a couple weeks ago. Worth every second of the 1 hour it took to get off the base.......
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Posted: 6/16/2014 6:49:52 AM EDT
[#6]
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles
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Posted: 6/16/2014 6:59:04 AM EDT
[#7]
Back in the day, when Sacramento had two Air Bases, there would be at least two airshows a summer. Blue Angels and Thunderbirds are good acts. As are the Patriots and Red Arrows..
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Posted: 6/16/2014 7:03:52 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Also got to see them in Hillsboro,Or awhile back, they were doing their turn arounds over my house. They were so low that you could hear a slight buzzing sound as they were right over the top of you, then the roar was a second or two behind them. Definitely badass!! |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 7:22:20 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Blues aren't as loud as they used to be. They must tailor their shows. At the recent St Louis Airshow the Blues had a very quiet show. Most of the Boeing employees I know even said that it had been tuned town from what they remember. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 7:32:09 AM EDT
[#10]
I saw them when they were F4 phantoms.
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Posted: 6/16/2014 7:48:17 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I saw them when they were F4 phantoms. Me, too. The smoke-belching F-4E. The vertical stab of the slot plane was black. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 7:52:24 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Blues aren't as loud as they used to be. They must tailor their shows. At the recent St Louis Airshow the Blues had a very quiet show. Most of the Boeing employees I know even said that it had been tuned town from what they remember. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Blues aren't as loud as they used to be. They must tailor their shows. At the recent St Louis Airshow the Blues had a very quiet show. Most of the Boeing employees I know even said that it had been tuned town from what they remember. I felt the same way this weekend watching the T-Birds. The show was much "quieter" than past shows, I'd bet a paycheck on it. I think that is why the recon flights on Friday were so much more impressive, they seriously were hauling ass and a large majority of the turns were right over our condo. Even my wife commented that they seemed to fly much faster the day before the actual show. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 9:41:52 AM EDT
[#13]
Time for some pics! I've always liked the solo's. Trivia: what is unusual about plane #5 (OTHER than it is flying upside down), and why is it that way?
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Posted: 6/16/2014 9:45:22 AM EDT
[#14]
Extra VHF/UHF antenna? Or is it just the angle making it to where I can't see that antenna on the other AC?
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Posted: 6/16/2014 9:46:07 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Time for some pics! I've always liked the solo's. Trivia: what is unusual about plane #5 (OTHER than it is flying upside down), and why is it that way? http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/547011031d02d219fb5fe308527fe669.jpg http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/fb9534960ce3a31a5268cdcc680eca2a.jpg The number is painted upside down for reference when it is inverted. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 9:46:52 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Time for some pics! I've always liked the solo's. Trivia: what is unusual about plane #5 (OTHER than it is flying upside down), and why is it that way? http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/547011031d02d219fb5fe308527fe669.jpg http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/fb9534960ce3a31a5268cdcc680eca2a.jpg The "5" is upside down..... errr right side up. Damn, Beat!  |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 9:49:08 AM EDT
[#17]
Went to see them in Youngstown, OH this year and they were rained out.
Couldn't make it for Sundays show.
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Posted: 6/16/2014 9:49:23 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The number is painted upside down for reference when it is inverted. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Time for some pics! I've always liked the solo's. Trivia: what is unusual about plane #5 (OTHER than it is flying upside down), and why is it that way? http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/547011031d02d219fb5fe308527fe669.jpg http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/fb9534960ce3a31a5268cdcc680eca2a.jpg The number is painted upside down for reference when it is inverted. Winna! It is marked this way because whenever a solo is flown inverted, it is ALWAYS #5. The pilot's ID on his uniform is also upside down. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 10:12:56 AM EDT
[#19]
Deleted as inappropriate.
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Posted: 6/16/2014 10:14:48 AM EDT
[#20]
Several years ago my company contracted to demo and rebuild Fire Station #1 on Eglin AFB. It is about midway down 1/19, which was just about show center. IIRC, it was the 75th anniversary of Eglin that year.
T Brids came in on Weds or Thurs (can't remember which) We knew they were due to arrive that day but didn't know when. The commercial traffic for KVPS comes in spurts about every hour there so over time, one develops an awareness of when the PAX birds should be coming/going. I remember thinking to myself that it had been an awful long time for any commercial traffic. That's about when they showed up. I remember that our max height for a crane during the job was 90' without any special process. There are some light poles right near FS#1 that appear to be 100' tall. As the TBirds were making their survey runs when they arrived that day, they were WAY below the tops of those poles. Several runs had them turning out at midfield, right over our jobsite. I swear they weren't 50' above the roof of this 18' high building. It seemed like they damn near ran through their show that day. Next morning, they were all lined up, almost directly in front of our jobsite on the transient ramp. The Pilots drove on the field just on the road adjacent to the FS. (Yes, they got out and checked tires for FOD). I get to see the Blues fairly often and think they put on a hell of a show (My dad is a retired USAF F4 driver, he even admits that the Blues do a better Demo) but that was the coolest thing I've ever seen. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 11:46:29 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Several years ago my company contracted to demo and rebuild Fire Station #1 on Eglin AFB. It is about midway down 1/19, which was just about show center. IIRC, it was the 75th anniversary of Eglin that year. T Brids came in on Weds or Thurs (can't remember which) We knew they were due to arrive that day but didn't know when. The commercial traffic for KVPS comes in spurts about every hour there so over time, one develops an awareness of when the PAX birds should be coming/going. I remember thinking to myself that it had been an awful long time for any commercial traffic. That's about when they showed up. I remember that our max height for a crane during the job was 90' without any special process. There are some light poles right near FS#1 that appear to be 100' tall. As the TBirds were making their survey runs when they arrived that day, they were WAY below the tops of those poles. Several runs had them turning out at midfield, right over our jobsite. I swear they weren't 50' above the roof of this 18' high building. It seemed like they damn near ran through their show that day. Next morning, they were all lined up, almost directly in front of our jobsite on the transient ramp. The Pilots drove on the field just on the road adjacent to the FS. (Yes, they got out and checked tires for FOD). I get to see the Blues fairly often and think they put on a hell of a show (My dad is a retired USAF F4 driver, he even admits that the Blues do a better Demo) but that was the coolest thing I've ever seen. I know exactly what you mean. Had I not gone down a few days early and seen it for myself I would not have believed it. They flew lower and faster than any "official" airshow and kept it up for quite some time. I don't use colorful language often but it was fucking awesome. That is the only proper way to sum it up 
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Posted: 6/16/2014 11:50:09 AM EDT
[#22]
Pro tip: Go by the Air Force Academy a day or two before graduation for their practice.
Last time I was there, I could have sworn they were scraping paint off the bottom on the trees. Really cool stuff. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 11:58:13 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Don't be so obtuse. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 12:27:56 PM EDT
[#24]
Yeah, the T-Birds are fun. But the most impressive F-16 display I ever saw was a pre-show practice in an F-16 was one of the test birds at Edwards AFB flown by an Edwards pilot.
I have seen aircraft coming down in a dive make their pull up and the plane be pointing upward while still travelling downward. A-10s were good for producing examples of that "compression effect". But that F-16 at Edwards was the only time I've ever seen a plane do that going upwards. He came down the runway very low at almost 500 knots and pulled an Immelmann as it went behind the big hangar. By the time he popped into view from behind the hangars the plane was pointing back in the direction he came and was still climbing from the momentum he carried into the maneuver. The plane must have climbed to about twice the altitude it was when I saw it pop into view, but I think he completed that Immelmann in well less than 1000 feet. Probably more like 700-800 feet. I can only guess the Falcon must have been pegged at maximum G for the entire maneuver. I've never seen the Thunderbirds pull that kind of maneuver. Then again they don't really push the envelope as far as going to maximum limits on the aircraft they fly. And for some odd reason, come Sunday when they had the airshow at Edwards, the F-16 did not fly that maneuver. He did a maximum G horizontal turn, which was impressive, but no maximum G Immelmann. Guess there was something said about not showing up the Thunderbirds too badly so they dropped the most impressive maneuver from the routine. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 12:39:52 PM EDT
[#25]
I have seen the BA and TBs several times over my life. I am always impressed.
Probably the coolest thing I have ever seen outside of a demo flying show was on a nearby lake many years ago now. Shaw AFB is nearby and they had a squadron of A-10s(may still, IDK). I was working at a property on the lake and noticed a couple of A-10s flying around for a while. I had a good long view over an area called Beaver Creek when one of the A-10s came down to just above water height. When he got to the bridge, he popped up to clear it and dropped back down on the other side. I didn't see him again until he climbed, but the bridge is pretty high for boat clearance. The creek channel is about 100 yards at its narrowest point. I cant help but imagine that the pilot would get in trouble for doing this, but I sure enjoyed it and obviously it has stuck with me 15+ years later. There was no one on the lake which must have been what he was checking for in his previous higher altitude fly-bys. In this pic, he was flying right to left. There is over 0.5 miles between where he went by me and the bridge. Then he went over the bridge and I lost him again down the creek channel. I was near the end of the road on the lower side of the creek east of Hwy#97. 
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Posted: 6/16/2014 12:46:37 PM EDT
[#26]
They were at the McGuire AFB airshow last month.
Didn't get to the show but they practiced over our house and then saw them get in formation and fly west a couple days after the show. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 12:58:31 PM EDT
[#27]
My cousins husband served two tours of duty as No 6 plane, his replacement got sick just before shows and he had just vacated the seat so they sent him back, last name Rogers, yes Call sign was BUCK>>
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Posted: 6/16/2014 1:00:11 PM EDT
[#28]
Live in Las Vegas. Love to watch them perform! Amazing!!
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Posted: 6/16/2014 1:03:26 PM EDT
[#29]
oklahoma gets treated twice this season. next weekend at tinker and then altus in september. hopefully i can make it to both shows.
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Posted: 6/16/2014 1:27:06 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Don't be so obtuse. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Don't be so obtuse. Every year for the air show, my old condo was in their flight line(Like they would come right off the water over my house). We'd take Friday's off for their practice and drink on the deck. The Angles one year, the Thunderbirds the next. Everyone knew the years when the Angles where flying. We'd have to replace tiles on the roofs 
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Posted: 6/16/2014 1:30:55 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I felt the same way this weekend watching the T-Birds. The show was much "quieter" than past shows, I'd bet a paycheck on it. I think that is why the recon flights on Friday were so much more impressive, they seriously were hauling ass and a large majority of the turns were right over our condo. Even my wife commented that they seemed to fly much faster the day before the actual show. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Blues aren't as loud as they used to be. They must tailor their shows. At the recent St Louis Airshow the Blues had a very quiet show. Most of the Boeing employees I know even said that it had been tuned town from what they remember. I felt the same way this weekend watching the T-Birds. The show was much "quieter" than past shows, I'd bet a paycheck on it. I think that is why the recon flights on Friday were so much more impressive, they seriously were hauling ass and a large majority of the turns were right over our condo. Even my wife commented that they seemed to fly much faster the day before the actual show. I have noticed that in the past too. Fridays are the day for hot runs. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 1:38:12 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They are not as loud as the Blue Angles I dunno, I think F-16s are louder than Hornets. Seen them both several times, but never had a dB meter with me. |
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Posted: 6/16/2014 1:47:55 PM EDT
[#33]
I'll be taking my dad and oldest son to the show at Tinker AFB this weekend...can't wait!
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Posted: 6/16/2014 2:25:18 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I dunno, I think F-16s are louder than Hornets. Seen them both several times, but never had a dB meter with me. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles I dunno, I think F-16s are louder than Hornets. Seen them both several times, but never had a dB meter with me. Typically Hornets are louder. They have two engines. Vipers are open louder at take off as they use full after burners. |
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Posted: 6/17/2014 5:32:36 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Every year for the air show, my old condo was in their flight line(Like they would come right off the water over my house). We'd take Friday's off for their practice and drink on the deck. The Angles one year, the Thunderbirds the next. Everyone knew the years when the Angles where flying. We'd have to replace tiles on the roofs Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Don't be so obtuse. Every year for the air show, my old condo was in their flight line(Like they would come right off the water over my house). We'd take Friday's off for their practice and drink on the deck. The Angles one year, the Thunderbirds the next. Everyone knew the years when the Angles where flying. We'd have to replace tiles on the roofs You didn't catch on. It's Angels, not angles.
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Posted: 6/17/2014 5:36:39 AM EDT
[#36]
there would be at least two airshows a summer.
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Posted: 6/17/2014 5:40:00 AM EDT
[#37]
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Posted: 6/17/2014 7:31:35 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Time for some pics! I've always liked the solo's. Trivia: what is unusual about plane #5 (OTHER than it is flying upside down), and why is it that way? http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/547011031d02d219fb5fe308527fe669.jpg http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/fb9534960ce3a31a5268cdcc680eca2a.jpg Top picture: Both jets are powered by F100-229's Bottom: Both jets are powered by F100-220's |
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Posted: 6/17/2014 7:41:20 AM EDT
[#39]
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Posted: 6/17/2014 7:50:43 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Da Faq? MK-82s on a T-bird? Quote HistoryKeeping up quals is my guess. |
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Posted: 6/17/2014 7:57:47 AM EDT
[#41]
I wish they were still flying F4's. This bad boy sits a few miles away from me.  |
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Posted: 6/17/2014 8:09:57 AM EDT
[#42]
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Posted: 6/17/2014 9:11:05 AM EDT
[#43]
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Posted: 6/17/2014 9:18:50 AM EDT
[#44]
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Posted: 6/17/2014 9:32:00 AM EDT
[#45]
.jpg)   |
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Posted: 6/17/2014 9:56:46 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Keeping up quals is my guess. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Keeping up quals is my guess. Tail # 81-0879 was the subject of a test in 1988. Part of the requirements of military flight demonstration aircraft is that they be capable of being returned to a military useable configuration within 72 hours. In 1988 they did a test on 81-0679 and for the remainder of her Air Force career she was known as "Warbird". They removed the smoke generators, reinstalled the gun, attached pylons and ordnance then flew operational test sorties. Repainting warbird was not required to make her usable, so he strafed and dropped bombs in Thunderbird livery. To date she is the only Thunderbird to ever have done this. 
I know it would be a PITA, but I wish the AF would go away from the plain paint schemes they have and let crews have the flexibility once again to at least paint the Wing King's aircraft in traditional schemes. Hell, go back to camo schemes instead of the current standards. The Navy does this, so we should too! 
Ellington Field (Texas ANG) painted up an F-16 for their 90th anniversary, but now they fly Predators. 
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Posted: 6/17/2014 10:25:00 AM EDT
[#47]
More Thunderbird trivia: why was the tail of aircraft #4 painted black instead of standard Thunderbird livery?
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Posted: 6/17/2014 10:27:10 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You didn't catch on. It's Angels, not angles. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
They are not as loud as the Blue Angles Don't be so obtuse. Every year for the air show, my old condo was in their flight line(Like they would come right off the water over my house). We'd take Friday's off for their practice and drink on the deck. The Angles one year, the Thunderbirds the next. Everyone knew the years when the Angles where flying. We'd have to replace tiles on the roofs You didn't catch on. It's Angels, not angles. Angles works. They are a PRECISION team, after all.
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Posted: 6/17/2014 10:30:14 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
More Thunderbird trivia: why was the tail of aircraft #4 painted black instead of standard Thunderbird livery? The J79s of the plane ahead of it made keeping the tail clean impractical. |
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Posted: 6/17/2014 10:30:44 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Time for some pics! I've always liked the solo's. Trivia: what is unusual about plane #5 (OTHER than it is flying upside down), and why is it that way? http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/547011031d02d219fb5fe308527fe669.jpg http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b516/bam_bam9/fb9534960ce3a31a5268cdcc680eca2a.jpg #5 doesn't have an Anti-Collision light. Because slot.
Fuck...it's 4 that doesn't. |
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