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US Air Force Thunderbirds - very cool pictures!



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Poll
Who do you prefer?
USAF Thunderbirds
36%
 36%  [ 8 ]
USN Blue Angels
22%
 22%  [ 5 ]
Both
9%
 9%  [ 2 ]
Think they're both better at different things
31%
 31%  [ 7 ]
Total Votes : 22


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tbirdsftw
PostPosted: Jun 08, 2012 - 05:50 AM Reply with quote Back to top
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It's insane how fast and close these guys fly!! One shows them when they fly as close as 18 inches!!

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Lightndattic
PostPosted: Jun 08, 2012 - 03:49 PM Reply with quote Back to top
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Ah yes... I remember being this excited about the T-birds and B A. Then I lost my first tooth.

Seriously though they're both great to see, but just for a change of pace, I actually like the Snowbirds better. True, they don't do the higher speed passes, but there's just so much more they can do with the extra aircraft. They just appear more graceful to me.

That's the main reason I think a combined T-birds/BA team with 9 aircraft could be better than 2 6 plane teams. You'd get all the speed passes combined with the larger group performance of the Snowbirds or Red Arrows. Even better if they're both flying F-35's at the time.

I'd love to see the Red Arrows some time, but missed them last time they were in the states.
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stereospace
PostPosted: Jun 09, 2012 - 12:18 AM Reply with quote Back to top
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I'm not as sophisticated and worldly as some so I still get excited at the T-Birds. Thanks for links. The shot over the Grand Canyon is spectacular.
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tbirdsftw
PostPosted: Jun 09, 2012 - 04:28 PM Reply with quote Back to top
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Lightndattic wrote:
Ah [Link pending approval] I remember being this excited about the T-birds and B A. Then I lost my first tooth.

Seriously though they're both great to see, but just for a change of pace, I actually like the Snowbirds better. True, they don't do the higher speed passes, but there's just so much more they can do with the extra aircraft. They just appear more graceful to me.

That's the main reason I think a combined T-birds/BA team with 9 aircraft could be better than 2 6 plane teams. You'd get all the speed passes combined with the larger group performance of the Snowbirds or Red Arrows. Even better if they're both flying F-35's at the time.

I'd love to see the Red Arrows some time, but missed them last time they were in the states.


Yea I've gotta say snowbirds and red arrows put on one hell of a show. With restrictions now-days the [Link pending approval] Jet Teams can barely compete. Blue Angels fly their signature 18 inch wingtip to canopy separation at 350 mph (relatively slow) while the Thunderbirds I found out fly 18 inch *Fuselage* to canopy separation during the arrowhead loop, at 500+ mph. I know because I asked the Tbirds and it says on wikipedia. Anyways I love all air teams.

Here's a crazy late 70's Tbird link:
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tbirdsftw
PostPosted: Jun 10, 2012 - 04:51 AM Reply with quote Back to top
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Just saw Blue Angels today and to be honest I was a little disappointed, they weren't nearly as loud as the Thunderbirds, they missed show center numerous times, flew slow, and #6 had to land early. So somewhat disappointed, yea they flew their close formation at 18 inches at 350 mph, Thunderbirds 90% of the time are NEVER slower than 500 mph. They were still cool just I wasn't as inspired/impressed as have been in the past. Probably because in the past I have't seen the Thunderbirds. Now I've seen both, and your gonna wanna see the Tbirds.
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That_Engine_Guy
PostPosted: Jun 10, 2012 - 06:33 AM Reply with quote Back to top
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The Thunderbird's show is 100% better now with the PW-229 powered Block 52s. The vertical formation flying is awesome! (something they could never do with the PW-200 or PW-220)

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lumpulus
PostPosted: Jun 12, 2012 - 01:51 AM Reply with quote Back to top
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tbirdsftw wrote:

Here's a crazy late 70's Tbird link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwLrGshMQlw


That is a great video...I saw them back then when they came to Vermont with the F-100s, and saw them when they had F-4a as well.

To me, the aerobatices are OK, it's the NOISE that I go for. I LOVE it when the ground shakes. Best pass I ever saw was at Westover when a B-1 doing a low, slow flyby, went to A/B at show center. Thunderous!
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southernphantom
PostPosted: Jun 13, 2012 - 05:34 AM Reply with quote Back to top
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I'm personally a Strike Eagle guy, but that demo team got axed. At least I got the opportunity to see one of the last Beagle flight demos Cool Cool

I personally see the Blue Angels as being more of a precision-flying team, while the TBirds are for loud and proud high-speed passes. You know, I wonder if the USAF could pay Tracor/BAe to pull enhanced SLEPs on some QF-4s, given them to the TBirds...for extra noise... Wink Wink
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flighthawk128
PostPosted: Jun 29, 2012 - 11:02 PM Reply with quote Back to top
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I'm Canadian, so being patriotic, Snowbirds for me.
But Blue Angels were the first demo team I ever saw, so they got my vote.
F-18's are just so graceful when in formation.
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