Thu, Dec 28, 2023
The 2023 Tinker Air Show Drew An Estimated 301,000 People
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform at the massive annual Tinker Air Force Base Air Show June 28-29, 2025.
The announcement was made several days back during the 2023 ICAS Convention at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support officers, three civilians and more than 130 enlisted personnel performing in 25 career fields. It was 2014 when the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds last captivated audiences in the sky at the then named ‘Star Spangled Air Show’ at Tinker.
The announcement comes after a large turn out for the 2023 Tinker Air Show, where an estimated 301,000 people gathered to attend in July. The Tinker Air Show returned after COVID-19 precautions forced the cancellation of the 2021 air show.
A Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the solo aircraft highlight the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The pilots perform approximately 30 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including ground and air, runs about an hour and fifteen minutes.
The Thunderbirds were officially activated June 1, 1953, as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke AFB, Ariz. Their first aircraft was the straight-winged F-84G Thunderjet, a combat fighter-bomber that had seen action in Korea. Early in 1955, the team transitioned to the swept-winged F-84F Thunderstreak. Plans are still underway for the upcoming air show and more announcements are expected.
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