History

In 1947, while the jet age was still in its infancy, military aviation was hurtled into the future with the creation of the U.S. Air Force as a separate service. Just six years later, on May 25, 1953, the Air Force’s official air demonstration team, designated the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit, was activated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

The name “Thunderbirds” was soon adopted by the unit; influenced in part by the strong Indian culture and folklore of the southwestern United States where Luke is located. Indian legend speaks of the Thunderbird with great fear and respect. To some it was a giant eagle … others envisioned a hawk. When it took to the skies, the earth trembled from the thunder of its great wings. From its eyes shot bolts of lightning. Nothing in nature could challenge the bird of thunder, the story said, and no man could stand against its might. The story of the Thunderbird was repeated, voice-by-voice, across the generations, until at last, it assumed the immortality of legend. A more appropriate name couldn't have been selected, as it is with the same commanding presence the Thunderbirds took to the skies.

The first aircraft selected for the new demonstration team was the straight wing F-84G Thunderjet built by Republic Aviation. Their straight wing configuration was considered well suited for aerobatic maneuvers, and although the aircraft could not exceed the speed of sound, like some military aircraft, it easily met the needs of a demonstration aircraft.

The original demonstration sequence consisted of a series of formation aerobatics lasting 15 minutes. The spare pilot took-off a few minutes in advance of the Diamond to run a weather check, advise of any encroaching traffic, reiterate the location of obstructions and then landed to be used as a spare aircraft. As the season progressed, the opportunity was utilized to perform ‘solo’ maneuvers with the spare aircraft while the Diamond burned off fuel and repositioned out of sight of the crowd.

The ensuing 30 years saw the Thunderbirds transition to five more aircraft, the F-84F Thunderstreak (1955), F-100 Super Sabre (1956), F-105B Thunderchief (1964), F-4E Phantom II (1969), and the T-38A Talon (1974).

In 1983, the team returned to the tradition of flying a premier fighter aircraft; transitioning to the General Dynamics, later Lockheed Martin’s, F-16A Fighting Falcon. To ready the F-16 involved removing the radar and internally mounted 20mm cannon and installing a smoke-generating system.

Remaining true to its character to showcase the latest advancement in America’s fighter technology, in 1992 the team transitioned to Lockheed Martin’s advanced F-16C, the team’s ninth aircraft. With the team’s last demonstration in the F-16A, the Thunderbirds were the last active duty unit to use the A model.

The C model looks similar to its predecessor, but has upgraded avionics and radar systems, making it superior to the A model. A true multi-role fighter, the F-16C has an unequaled record in actual air-to-air combat. Additionally, it is the only fighter to win both of the Air Force’s premier competitions - Gunsmoke, air-to-ground and William Tell, air superiority.

The F-16 has remained the choice of the Thunderbirds for the last 20 years, the longest performance era of any one aircraft. It is a stellar performer for the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force and the 24 other nations whose boundaries it patrols and defends.