Forum: General F-16 forum

I worked with ex-team members all over the globe, I never found your statement to be true ( its a bullshit statement to make buddy, you dont know sh*t about this team other than your narrow minded point of view in my opinion).

I am not saying there might not be the odd person (maybe one out of a hundred, if that) who falls short on occassion but I know once a Thunderbird always a Thunderbird, the pride and skilll never leaves many,

I have worked with many folks on and off the team. They normal go on in life to do well both in and out of uniform, of course you think what you wish, not that it really matters.

Anyway, TC and Roscoe, just before Gulf War one, we were tasked again, this time, it (the concept of a combat strike, leaving the team colors on the aircraft) was actually consistered, then it was knocked off ( as fast as it was conceived) and we did not have to convert back to combat operation as with Warbird Project.

It sure had many of us excited though, shame it did not happen but as you know the war was going so well for the USAF and all the Armed Forces, there was no need to go to those extremes so Airshows continued for the US until the war was over and the overseas trips began again.

Hook

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jokes81 wrote:

How come all the Thunderbird maintainers are worthless once they go back into circulation? They have all the stories of all the work they've ever done, but I've never seen it.

Probably the biggest reason is this;

You go from working as part of a "team" of individuals that love their jobs and love representing the Air Force then you go back to working with some folks that couldn't give a rat's a$$ about their job, the Air Force, or the people that they work with for that matter....

They may not be "worthless", They may be expecting you to step up and perform at a level you're not comfortable with.

Unless you experience it, it's hard to understand......

Smitty

You guys shouldn't have even 'dignified' that bullshit comment with a response.

Your right...

My old supervisor used to be a Thunderbird maintainer. They only pick the best, and after working with him for a couple of years. I fully understood why.

I'm glad the decision was made not to send a painted tbird into combat. As cool as the idea sounds, taking lives in a war is much too serious a business to even give the impression you might be showboating or otherwise not taking it seriously. Certain countries would have had a PR field day with that.

Agreed, that too was considered, it was one of many reasons the plan was never acted upon plus, those aircraft were not needed. As in conflict, many considerations are made and often not all are acted upon, this was one of them

Granted, if it were flown into combat with that paint scheme. It would make you suddenly think the Wingman was real.

Joe, I'm just stating the facts. Who wants to spend 4 years of their career doing no real maintenance? All they do is kiss a$$, wipe thier jets, and mop a floor. I have no desire, and never will. I’m happy working, yes working on the flightline. I’ve worked with many T bird alumni, everyone of them is worthless, they cry, stab people in the back, hide from work, cry, o yeah cry, do half-a$$-maintenance, break a jet and hide… I can go on for days. Bottom line I have no respect for these guys who come back and call them self’s maintainers. I give them this they have the cleanest jet on the ramp…

Agreed. It would've looked pretty neat, but you also have to figure that Maj. Tice and Capt. Nelson were both shot down in the standard gray-on-gray painted birds. A glossy red, white, and blue painted jet wouldn't have had very good odds of making it back to Nellis. Night flying and the Kuwaiti oil fires would've been that jet's only visual protection.

Yep TC, most of us debated some of the very same points, in any event, that thought was very short lived.

Hows life been, still flying your backside off?

gosmack wrote:

Granted, if it were flown into combat with that paint scheme. It would make you suddenly think the Wingman was real.

Man you have a really bad tude.....a real non team player type. That is too bad.

Purple

Yeah, but what a statement to make to our enemies...we'll fly in with flashing neon signs on the sides of our aircraft and STILL kick your a$$!!

Kind of like maternity BDU's...now that is a statement! "We're so bad we send our pregnant women to war!"

Best Regards,

Joe, you da man, I love those comments....good ones for sure

Whoa, now wait a minute. I'd go up against anyone else first before pissing off a pregnant lady! Name one guy you know who has survived that encounter.
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Forum: General F-16 forum

Thunderbird History (another piece for those care)