The United States Marine Corps F-35B DEMO Team is comprised of active-duty Naval Aviators flying the F-35B Lightning II and the maintainers who keep the aircraft flying. The F-35B is the world’s first short-takeoff, vertical landing, or “STOVL,” 5^th generation fighter. The aerial demonstration showcases the aircraft’s performance in both its conventional and STOVL modes of flight.

The team has two components, representing the East Coast and the West Coast. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501), also known as the “Warlords,” are stationed in Beaufort, South Carolina. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 502 (VMFAT-502), also known as the “Flying Nightmares,” are stationed in Miramar, California. These two components allow for a combined area of responsibility, ensuring that the F-35B DEMO Team can support aerial demonstrations, flyovers, and static displays at events nationwide. Both VMFAT-501 and VMFAT-502 are the Marine Corps’ F-35B Fleet Replacement Squadrons, tasked with conducting core introduction Fighter/Attack training to produce capable pilots and maintainers ready to serve in the Fleet.

In 2023, the USMC F-35B DEMO Team will be performing at some of the largest air shows in the country, as well as supporting a number of shows at military bases and official functions.

The Navy Legacy Flight Foundation program matches today’s frontline military fighters with their predecessors in close flight maneuvers at air shows nationwide. USN F/A-18F “Rhino” fighters, E/A-18G “Growler” Electronic Countermeasure aircraft, and F-35C Lightning II fly on the wings of World War II, Korean and Vietnam era fighters in an amazing tribute to Naval Aviators both past and present.

The U.S. Navy’s TACDEMO teams from VFA-106, VFA-122, and VAQ-129 are the U.S. Navy’s Legacy Flight teammates. These talented active-duty aviators fly the dynamic Super Hornet tactical demonstrations that precede our Navy Legacy flights. Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA 122), also known as the “Flying Eagles,” are the West Coast team and Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the “Gladiators,” are the East Coast team. Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129), also known as the “Vikings,” are the EA-18G team. Also joining the Legacy Flight program is the Carrier Variant F-35C Lightning II.

Starting in 2022, all types of the U.S. Navy training aircraft will also be doing static demonstrations at air shows and performing Legacy Flights with the fighters and legacy warbird aircraft.

The Navy approves a select group of civilian pilots to fly their warbirds in formation with the TACDEMO and F-35C aircraft. Intensive training and preparation are the focus of a week-long mission each spring to prepare the pilots for safe and enjoyable demonstrations all over the U.S.

A Coast Guard search and rescue demonstration is provided by an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter and qualified aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. The aircrew consists of two pilots, one flight mechanic and a rescue swimmer. Depending on the nature of distress, the rescue swimmer can deploy via freefall or hoist to provide assistance. These dedicated professionals assume the watch 24 hours a day, 365 days a year standing true to the Coast Guard’s motto “Semper Paratus,” which means “Always Ready.” The Sikorsky built helicopter is a twin-engine, single main rotor, MEDEVAC-capable search and rescue (SAR) helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard. It is the Coast Guard’s Medium Range Recovery helicopter, operating at 9 air stations throughout the United States. It has an average cruising speed of 125 KIAS, a range of 300 nautical miles, and an endurance of approximately 6 hours.

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, Ariz. The unit adopted the name “Thunderbirds,” influenced in part by the strong Native American culture and folklore from the southwestern United States where Luke Air Force Base is located.

Seven officers and 22 enlisted were selected for the first demonstration team.  Major Dick Catledge, a training squadron commander at Luke AFB, was chosen as the team’s leader.  Twins Bill and Buck Pattillo were selected and flew the left and right wing, respectively.  The Pattillos, both captains, were ideal choices as both had flown with a demonstration team for the previous three years.  For the difficult position of slot, the position sandwiched between both wingmen and behind the leader, Capt. Bob Kanaga was selected.  The spare pilot was Capt. Bob McCormick. Like the Pattillo brothers, he also had demonstration team experience.  First Lieutenant Aubry Brown served as the maintenance officer for the team.  Lieutenant Brown, along with Master Sgt. Earl Young, selected 21 enlisted men to help maintain the team’s aircraft.  Captain Bill Brock was the final officer selected for the team. He served as the information officer and team narrator.

From these humble beginnings and this group of men, the Air Force Thunderbird legend was born.

The team flew and maintained the F-84G Thunderjet.  The straight-wing configuration of the F-84G was considered well suited for aerobatic and demonstration maneuvers, though the aircraft could not exceed the speed of sound.

A series of formation aerobatics, lasting a total of 15 minutes, comprised the original demonstration. The “solo” was not originally incorporated into the demonstration, however, as the season progressed, the team took opportunities to perform “solo” maneuvers with a spare aircraft.

Always trying to display the most advanced fighters of the age, the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak became the team’s new aircraft in 1955.

After one season in the F-84F Thunderstreak, the Thunderbirds traded aircraft again and became the world’s first supersonic aerial demonstration team as it transitioned to the F-100C Super Sabre in 1956. That same year, to simplify logistics and maintenance for the aircraft, the Thunderbirds moved to Nellis AFB, Nev.  Although never a regular part of the show, the solo would fly supersonic at the request of an air show sponsor in 1956. Eventually, the Federal Aviation Administration banned all supersonic flight at air shows, and consequently, today’s sequence is entirely subsonic.

Nearly forgotten, the F-105B Thunderchief performed only six shows between April 26 and May 9, 1964. Following an unfortunate accident in the F-105, the team transitioned back to the Super Sabre following the incident and the F-100 remained with the team for nearly 13 years.

The Thunderbirds started the 1969 training season still in the F-100Ds, but in the spring of 1969, received the first of the new McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom IIs and began the team’s conversion.

The F-4’s conversion was the most extensive in the team’s history.  Among several other modifications, the paint scheme changed due to the variations in chemicals, which allows paint used on the F-4 to resist heat and friction at Mach II speeds.  As a result, the white paint base was developed and remains a part of today’s Thunderbird aircraft design.

In 1974, a spreading fuel crisis inspired a new aircraft for the team, the T-38A Talon. Although the Talon did not fulfill the Thunderbirds tradition of flying front-line jet fighters, it did demonstrate the capabilities of a prominent Air Force aircraft.

Remaining true to its character to showcase the latest advancement in America’s fighter technology, the first red, white and blue F-16A assigned to the Thunderbirds was delivered to Nellis AFB on Jun. 22, 1982.  Due to the conversion to the new aircraft, there were no official shows flown in 1982. The team flew the F-16 during the 1983 show season; making it the team’s ninth aircraft and once again returning to flying a front-line fighter.

In 1997, the Thunderbirds performed 57 demonstrations for more than 12 million people in the spirit and theme of the Air Force’s 50th anniversary. The year was memorialized with the Thunderbirds Delta pictured on the official Air Force 50th Anniversary U.S. Postal stamp. On Sept. 18, 1997, the United States Postal Service had official unveilings of the stamp in both the Pentagon and the Thunderbird hangar.

The Thunderbirds made television history in 2003 while celebrating their 50th Anniversary. The commander/leader started the Coca-Cola 600 by broadcasting live from Thunderbirds No. 1 as he said, “Gentlemen, start your engines.”

In 2007, the Thunderbirds visited Europe for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001 with the European Goodwill Tour. The trip included shows in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, France, United Kingdom, and for the first time in Thunderbirds history, Ireland.

The team took its fifth Far East tour during the 2009 show season.  The team’s tour included visits to Hawaii, Australia, Thailand, Guam, Malaysia, Japan and Korea. The team performed more than 70 shows in 22 states and Puerto Rico in 2009.

The team’s 59th show season included stops in Alaska and Canada, plus dozens more.

In 2013, the team flew only 2 demonstrations after leaders throughout the DOD were forced to make several tough, but necessary decisions to accommodate sequestration. The jets did not fly for the rest of that season, but despite flying limitations, the team exceled by interacting with more than 10,000 students and continuing to share the Air Force message.

The Thunderbirds have the honor of representing nearly 700,000 active duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and civilian Airmen across America and deployed around the world. Millions of people have witnessed the Thunderbirds demonstrations, and in turn, they’ve seen the pride, professionalism and dedication of hundreds of thousands of Airmen serving at home and abroad. Each year brings another opportunity for the team to represent those who deserve the most credit: the everyday, hard-working Airmen voluntarily serving America and defending freedom.

For over fifty-six years members of the U. S. Army Parachute Team have been marking the milestones of achievement and an evolution of excellence serving as “Ambassadors” of the Army’s only official Demonstration team. The Golden Knights portray the image of being the most formidable parachuting competitors and demonstrators in the world today. If you mention the name “Golden Knights” to someone today in any of the fifty states, and most likely what comes to mind is a phenomenal demonstration they watched in past years at an air show or sporting event. But if you mention it to a sport parachutist, they will most probably think of the competitors they jumped against or heard about in parachute meets across the country or abroad.

TEAM HISTORY

The Strategic Army Command Parachute Team, or STRAC, was formed in 1959 by nineteen “Airborne” Soldiers from various military units. Brigadier General Joseph Stilwell Jr. was responsible for gathering these Soldiers with the original intent to compete during the Cold War effort. This new U.S. All-Army team swept the international competition circuit, in what was then the Soviet dominated sport

of skydiving. Later that year, on November 1st, this newly formed team performed their first demonstration in Danville, Virginia.

In 1961, the Department of Defense announced on June 15th, that the STRAC team would become the United States Army Parachute Team. The team is one

of three authorized DoD aerial demonstration teams, along with the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels.

On October 15, 1962 the team earned the nickname the “Golden Knights” on the competition field of battle. Golden, signifying the gold medals the team had won; Knights, proving that they were world champions and the fact that the Team had “conquered the skies.”