Thursday, June 8, 2017

USAF Thunderbirds Arrive at Scott AFB Prior to Centennial Airshow

By Carmelo Turdo
The USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team arrived at Scott AFB today to meet base command and media representatives prior to this weekend's Centennial Airshow celebration.  The base is celebrating its 100th year of service to the nation with a series of events in 2017, including the upcoming world-class airshow featuring military and civilian aerial entertainers. The USAF Thunderbirds, a hometown favorite dating back many decades, flew in today in their characteristic tight formation, splitting up to rehearse some of their signature maneuvers before parking in front of the waiting local media.  The Aero Experience and members of the Missouri Aviation Historical Society were there among the media to greet the crews and record the arrival.



















Colonel Laura Lenderman, Commander of the 375th Air Mobility Wing, Scott Air Force Base, was there to meet the Thunderbirds and the media representatives.  She is pictured here with Thunderbird Leader, Lt. Colonel Jason Heard, enlisted Thunderbirds members, and the base Public Affairs staff. 




 Other aircraft also arrived at Scott AFB today, including the F-35A Lightning II, C-17A Globemaster III, C-5M Super Galaxy, KC-135R Stratotanker, members of the Tora! Tora! Tora! team and a T-38 Talon supersonic trainer.



 






 

A media flight was given to Fox 2 News reporter Ayesha Khan by Thunderbird 7, Lt. Colonel Kevin Walsh, in the team's two-seat F-16D.  Following the ground preparations and startup, the jet rocketed straight up and out of sight for the flight of a lifetime!  
















The Aero Experience will have much more coverage of the Scott AFB Centennial Airshow in the coming days.  We wish to thank Colonel Lenderman and the Scott AFB Public Affairs staff for their excellent coordination of our visit and superb access for today's coverage.

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