Lt. Col. Prevendar Tags in as Thunderbird 1 for 2026-2027 Show Seasons

The US Air Force’s Thunderbirds demonstration team closed out the 2025 show season with an abrupt shift in plans, announcing a last-second change to their 2026-2027 Commander and Thunderbird 1 pilot. As expected, no drama was acknowledged…just “unique team requirements” that led them to reverse the earlier selection and install Lt. Col. Alexander “Knight” Prevendar as the next Commander/Leader.

Back in April, the Thunderbirds had named Lt. Col. Daniel “Rage” Trueblood for the job. Trueblood, commander of the 77th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, is a highly experienced F-16 pilot with more than 2,900 flight hours across the Viper, T-38, and T-6. His record includes deployments supporting Enduring Freedom, Atlantic Resolve, Freedom Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, and Dynamic Force Employment missions throughout the Indo-Pacific.

The team’s updated choice, however, introduces Lt. Col. Prevendar as the new Thunderbird 1 for the 2026-2027 seasons. Prevendar comes from the Ninth Air Force, where he served as Chief of the Commander’s Action Group at Shaw AFB. His experience in the service totals more than 3,300 flight hours and 1,000 combat hours, and his operational background covers Inherent Resolve, Spartan Shield, Freedom’s Sentinel, Resolute Support, Prosperity Guardian, Rough Rider, and Midnight Hammer.

Thunderbird officials explained the swap with a brief statement: “Based on unique team requirements to fill the role of Thunderbird 1, the Commander/Leader of the Thunderbirds, ACC leadership made a personnel change. The team remains postured for a safe and effective 2026 show season.”

Other 2026-2027 selections include Maj. Samuel “RaZZ” Larson as Thunderbird 8, Maj. Megan “CASTRO” Berberich as Thunderbird 9, Capt. Susan “Fuego” McLeod as Thunderbird 11, and Capt. Hannah Durbin as Thunderbird 12. Larson arrives with demonstration experience already in hand, having led the F-22 Raptor Demo Team from 2022 through 2024.

FMI: www.af.mil