- Yes
- No
Howdy everyone! I’d like to make a suggestion for a semi-historical skin for the F-5E in the US TT.
The Thunderbirds are the USAF air demonstration team. It was created in 1953 and is the world’s 3rd oldest air demonstration team. In 1974, during the oil crises of 1973, they adopted the T-38 Talon which was more economical than the F4 Phantom they were using. Now I know that we do not have the T-38 in game, however it is the cousin of the F-5 series that is found in game. Now back to the Thunder birds. The T-38 flew with the Thunder birds for about 8 years and preformed dozens of times in front of crowds of thousands of spectators. The transition from the F-4 to the T-38 saw the No.4 aircrafts tail livery change from black to white and shiny like the rest of the demonstration team. This was because the T-38 was a much more maneuverable aircraft and caused a shift in the Thunderbirds performance routine ending the era of the black tail for the No.4 aircraft. On January 18th, 1982, tragedy would strike the Thunderbirds flight team, as 4 pilots would lose their lives while preforming a diamond loop in a pre-season practice. These pilots were Major Norman L. Lowry, Captain Willie Mays, Captain Joseph N. “Pete” Peterson, and Captain Mark Melancon. This tragedy would lead to the team being grounded for the rest of the year and would lead to them giving up their T-38’s for new F-16A’s and later F-16C’s.
Thunder birds in formation. Aircraft No.'s 1-5
Another formation of the Thunder birds. Aircraft No.'s 1-5
Thunder birds aircraft No.1 parked next to a Blue Angel aircraft No.1
Thunder bird T-38’s in diamond formation.