Thunderbirds to take center stage at Luke Days 2024

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE ARIZ, AZ, UNITED STATES

12.12.2023

Story by Airman 1st Class Katelynn Jackson 

56th Fighter Wing

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform at Luke Air Force Base for the 2024 Luke Days air show March 23-24, 2024.

The announcement was made Tuesday during the 2023 ICAS Convention at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, a convention for air show professionals sharing information, insight and ideas to apply to future shows nationwide.

The Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support officers, three civilians and more than 130 enlisted personnel performing in 25 career fields.
 
After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the Luke Days air show is making a highly anticipated return. Luke AFB is planning to showcase the base to an audience of up to 300,000 people per day in the West Valley of Phoenix.

The Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the solo aircraft highlight the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The pilots perform approximately 30 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including ground and air, runs about an hour and fifteen minutes.
 
The Thunderbirds were officially activated June 1, 1953, as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke AFB. Their first aircraft was the straight-winged F-84G Thunderjet, a combat fighter-bomber that had seen action in Korea. Early in 1955 the team transitioned to the swept-winged F-84F Thunderstreak.

Plans are still underway for the upcoming air show. Visit the official Luke Days website for all of the latest information and air show updates.

• Date Taken: 12.12.2023
• Date Posted: 12.13.2023 13:14
• Story ID: 459776
• Location: LUKE AIR FORCE BASE ARIZ, AZ, US