Thunderbirds are Go!

 Las Vegas Nevada- Nellis Aviation Nation 2009 was the homecoming and year’s finale for the USAF Thunderbirds season. This year as each year was an incredible success with over 130,000 people showing up for the two day spectacle. On hand with the Thunderbirds are the only 4 ship private aerial teams the Patriots, flying the l-39 single engine jet. The team members fly around their full time jobs to entertain thousands and this year they did just that! Flying within a few feet of each other and doing amazing opposing routines and solo’s, they really put on a great show.

Starting off the show was the Nellis jets: The A-10 Warthog, F-22Raptor, F-15Eagle and an F-16 Falcon ail together in formation. The Dutch showed up and did a Maximum take off and turn F-16 demo right after the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo showing off it‘s power and abilities. The A-10 showed off its stuff doing amazing barrel rolls and split -s maneuvers proving it can evade ground threats. We also got some really good pyro effects on the ground exploding on cue simulating the A-10’s mighty 30mm canon putting on target over 3900 rounds/minute. World War II era B-25 Mitchell bombers came out showing their grace with the Horseman P-51 demo team, the only P-51 demo team doing precision formation flying with the unmistakable sound of Rolls Royce Merlin engines. The Korean War re-enactment was carried out with the North American F-86 Super Saber and the Russian Mig 15 recounting the Mig-Alley day’s of the 1950’s. A T-6 and a pair of Sky raiders were out next re-enacting the Vietnam era air war Rescue Techniques. Bill Reesman in his Mig-17 put on a full after burner show with flames trialing  and later went up against the Air Force Reserve in their 6000 lb thrust Jet car to see who was fastest, the Jet car can pull 4.5 g’s going from 0-400mph then pull 11.5 negative g’s when the twin chutes deploy– it was a split decision for the weekend. The heritage flight was also a show stopper with some very rare aircraft in formation at the same time. The F-4 Phantom, P-38 Lightning, F-86 Super Saber and the A-10; seeing all these in the air together is pretty special.

After all is said and done it still comes down to the show stopper the USAF Thunderbirds. Doing amazing aerial feats that are hard to match or equal. I’ve been to dozens of T-bird shows since I was a kid and the part that always gets the crowd is the sneak pass. I know it’s coming but a lot people around me and especially the kids have no clue what is about to rock their world! Flying in from show left at about 120ft off the deck is #6 coming in full afterburner while the crowd is being lulled into a peaceful trance from the 4-ship waltz just out in front. Coming at you full bore #6 is already rocketing bye then the sound and shockwave knock you into the next world-- what was that!! When the roar dies down the crowd of 100,000 cheers in complete dis-belief and awe of what just happened. What a show!!

Michael Darcy