Thunderbirds
The US Air Force’s demonstration squadron, formed at Luke in 1953 and at Nellis since 1956, flying six red, white and blue F-16s to show what front-line fighters and their crews can do.
Thunderbirds: how the team came to be and what it flies today
The 3600th Air Demonstration Team
The Thunderbirds were activated on 25 May 1953 as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, flying the straight-winged Republic F-84G Thunderjet. The team’s name and its red, white and blue identity came from that first season. It moved to the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak in 1955 and on 1 June 1956 relocated to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, which has been its home ever since. Today it is the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron within the 57th Wing of Air Combat Command, and it carries the lineage of the 30th Bombardment Squadron, first organised in 1917.
From Thunderjets to Phantoms
In 1956 the team took the North American F-100C Super Sabre and became, by its own account, the world’s first supersonic demonstration team. A switch to the Republic F-105B Thunderchief in 1964 lasted only six shows: Captain Gene Devlin was killed at Hamilton AFB in May and the team went back to the F-100, this time the D model, until 1968. The McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II followed from 1969 to 1973. On 4 June 1972 Major Joe Howard died at the Transpo 72 show at Dulles when his Phantom’s horizontal stabiliser failed; he ejected but drifted into the fireball.
The T-38 years and the Diamond crash
The fuel crisis pushed the team into the Northrop T-38 Talon trainer from 1974. The T-38 years ended in catastrophe. On 18 January 1982, during practice at Indian Springs Auxiliary Field, Nevada, all four aircraft of the Diamond flew into the ground in a line-abreast loop, killing Major Norman Lowry, the leader, and Captains Willie Mays, Joseph Peterson and Mark Melancon. The investigation blamed a mechanical failure of the control stick actuator in the lead jet. The 1982 season was cancelled, and the team returned in 1983 on a new type.
The F-16 era
That type was the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon, flown from 1983 to 1991, followed by Block 32 F-16Cs from 1992 and Block 52 F-16C/Ds from 2009. In 1987 the Thunderbirds flew in Beijing, the first American military demonstration in a communist country. Major Nicole Malachowski became the first woman on the team, in the No. 3 slot. The F-16 era has not been free of losses: Captain Chris Stricklin ejected at Mountain Home in 2003 after a Split-S based on wrong field elevation data, and Major Stephen Del Bagno was killed on the Nevada Test and Training Range on 4 April 2018. Budget sequestration grounded the whole 2013 season.
The squadron in 2026
In 2026 the squadron flies six F-16Cs in the demonstration, with two-seat F-16Ds for familiarisation flights and spares. The team numbers roughly a dozen officers and over 130 enlisted airmen. Winter training ran across Nellis, Spaceport America, Edwards AFB and NAF El Centro, where the FAA certification for the 2026 season was given in March; more than 60 demonstrations were scheduled at over 30 locations. Lt. Col. Alexander Prevendar, the 41st commander and leader, took over from Col. Nathan Malafa on 5 December 2025 and leads the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Thunderbirds in numbers
The team
- Formation
- 6 F-16s
- Four-ship Diamond plus two solos
- Two-seat F-16Ds for spares and media flights
- About 12 officers and 130 enlisted
The team is limited to no more than 88 air demonstrations a year.
Letadlo
- Flown
- General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
- F-84G Thunderjet (1953–1954)
- F-84F Thunderstreak (1955–1956)
- F-100C Super Sabre (1956–1963)
- F-105B Thunderchief (1964)
- F-100D Super Sabre (1964–1968)
- F-4E Phantom II (1969–1973)
- T-38A Talon (1974–1982)
- F-16A (1983–1991)
- F-16C Block 32 (1992–2008)
- F-16C/D Block 52 (2009–)
Domov
- Based at
- Nellis AFB, Nevada
- Home since 1 June 1956
- 57th Wing, Air Combat Command
- Founded at Luke AFB, Arizona
The display
- Aircraft in the display
- 6
- Livery
- White with red, white and blue trim and the Thunderbird emblem on the underside
Every type Thunderbirds has flown
| Letadlo | Roky | Number | Poznámka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic F-84G Thunderjet | 1953–1954 | ||
| Republic F-84F Thunderstreak | 1955–1956 | ||
| North American F-100C Super Sabre | 1956–1963 | First supersonic demonstration team. | |
| Republic F-105B Thunderchief | 1964–1964 | Six shows only. | |
| North American F-100D Super Sabre | 1964–1968 | ||
| McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II | 1969–1973 | ||
| Northrop T-38A Talon | 1974–1982 | ||
| General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon | 1983–1991 | ||
| General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon Block 32 | 1992–2008 | ||
| General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon Block 52 | since 2009 | 8 | Six F-16Cs and two F-16Ds per Wikipedia; DVIDS cites nine F-16s for the 2026 season. |
What Thunderbirds is known for
- First supersonic military demonstration team, on the F-100C from 1956 (Wikipedia).
- First American military demonstration in a communist country, Beijing, 1987 (Wikipedia).
- 3,000th show flown in 1990; more than 300 million spectators since 1953 (Wikipedia).
- Maj. Nicole Malachowski became the first woman pilot on the team, flying No. 3 (Wikipedia).
- Lt. Col. Derek Routt and Maj. Sean Gustafson were the first Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve pilots, in 2009 (Wikipedia).
- 2026 season certified in March with more than 60 demonstrations at over 30 locations scheduled (DVIDS).
Who leads Thunderbirds
- Lt. Col. Alexander Prevendar · Commander and leader (Thunderbird 1), 2026 and 2027 seasons
Thunderbirds, year by year
3600th Air Demonstration Team activated at Luke AFB on the F-84G.
Conversion to the F-84F Thunderstreak.
Team moves to Nellis AFB and converts to the supersonic F-100C.
C-123 support aircraft hits geese near Boise; 19 of 21 aboard killed.
F-105B season ends after six shows; team returns to the F-100D.
Conversion to the F-4E Phantom II.
Fuel crisis brings the switch to the T-38A Talon.
Diamond crash at Indian Springs kills four pilots; season cancelled.
Team returns on the F-16A Fighting Falcon.
Displays in Beijing.
Conversion to the F-16C Block 32.
Conversion to the F-16C/D Block 52.
Entire season cancelled by budget sequestration.
Maj. Stephen Del Bagno killed in training over the Nevada Test and Training Range.
Lt. Col. Alexander Prevendar becomes the 41st commander.
The cost of flying this close
Display flying is among the most demanding flying there is. These are the accidents on record, with the findings as published.
Republic F-84G Thunderjet. Capt. George Kevil killed in training at Luke AFB. 1 killed.
North American F-100 Super Sabre. 1st Lt. Bob Rutte killed in training at Nellis. 1 killed.
Fairchild C-123 Provider. Team support aircraft struck a flock of geese north-west of Boise, Idaho; 19 of the 21 aboard were killed. 19 killed.
Capt. C.D. “Fish” Salmon killed in a collision at Nellis. 1 killed.
Capt. J.R. Crane killed on a solo proficiency flight at Nellis. 1 killed.
Maj. Robert Fitzgerald and Capt. George Nial killed on a training flight at Nellis. 2 killed.
Fairchild C-123 Provider. TSgt. John Lesso, a team C-123 crew member, killed while supporting the Army Golden Knights. 1 killed.
Republic F-105B Thunderchief. Capt. Gene Devlin killed at Hamilton AFB, California; the team gave up the F-105B. 1 killed.
North American F-100 Super Sabre. Maj. Frank Liethen and Capt. Robert Morgan killed in a collision at Indian Springs. 2 killed.
North American F-100 Super Sabre. Capt. Jack Thurman killed in a collision north of Nellis. 1 killed.
McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II. Maj. Joe Howard killed at Transpo 72, Dulles, after a horizontal stabiliser failure; he ejected but descended into the fireball. 1 killed.
Capt. Jerry Bolt and TSgt. Charles Lynn killed on a flight test at Nellis. 2 killed.
Capt. Charlie Carter killed after an aborted landing at Cheyenne, Wyoming. 1 killed.
Northrop T-38A Talon. Capt. David “Nick” Hauck killed at Hill AFB after an engine malfunction; he stayed with the aircraft rather than eject near the crowd. 1 killed.
Northrop T-38A Talon. Lt. Col. David Smith, the commander, killed after seagull ingestion over Cleveland; his ejection seat malfunctioned and the jet fell into Lake Erie. 1 killed.
Northrop T-38A Talon. Four-ship Diamond hit the ground at Indian Springs during a practice loop; Maj. Norman Lowry and Capts. Willie Mays, Joseph Peterson and Mark Melancon killed. Investigators blamed a control stick actuator failure in the lead jet. 4 killed.
General Dynamics F-16C. Capt. Chris Stricklin ejected safely at Mountain Home AFB after a Split-S flown on incorrect field elevation data. No fatalities.
General Dynamics F-16C. Maj. Alex Turner ejected after a flyover of the Air Force Academy graduation, Colorado Springs; a faulty throttle allowed the engine to shut down. No fatalities.
General Dynamics F-16D. Thunderbird 8 ran off a wet runway and overturned at Dayton; the pilot was injured, the passenger unhurt. No fatalities.
General Dynamics F-16C. Maj. Stephen Del Bagno, slot pilot, killed during a demonstration training flight on the Nevada Test and Training Range. 1 killed.
Everything people ask about Thunderbirds
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Around Thunderbirds
Každý fakt, ověřený
- United States Air Force Thunderbirds — Wikipedia
- Thunderbirds Welcome New Commander (DVIDS, December 2025)
- Thunderbirds Earn Final Certification for 2026 Show Season (DVIDS, March 2026)
Verified 2026-10-02.