Living next door to an operational airfield has it's perks when the airshow comes around we got our on display over the back garden.

Not my normal bird in flight shot however I thought it was worth sharing this photo of the Thunderbirds at one of the premier airshows in north America. Yes, I am a nature and wildlife lover but to be honest I've always been drawn to power and speed beginning with horses then muscle cars, NASCAR and air shows. It's been a long while since attending this or any social event for that matter so it was a welcomed change from everyday home life.

After the event I pondered the cost of such a demonstration and did a bit of snooping on the internet. What I gathered was: The average cost of jet fuel here is approximately $7 per gallon. The average time the Thunderbirds are in the air is 15 minutes flying at 700mph. There were 6 jets so approximately 1200 gallons of fuel were used in the air.

It's reported that this display is used to recruit enlistments and it must work otherwise moving from one show to another with complete ground crews, pilots, food and housing at such an enormous cost it wouldn't make any sense. That being said with the current push for electric vehicles to reduce oil consumption it struck me as being one of those little life oxymorons. Even with this info I must say I get a rush from the sights, sounds and admire the precision maneuvers these pilots do.

Real Thaw 22 FAP BAº11 (LPBJ/BYJ) 30 Jun 2022

USAF 90-0818 General Dynamics F-16C from 480th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, based at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

Demonstration Team

Took this shot of the USAF Memorial (located in Arlington, VA) in the late blue hour. Found a spot next to the memorial grounds to get the monument. Decided to use a soft misting preset in Lightroom in this one and worked it out from there.

Took this shot on the memorial grounds at nighttime. There is a lot of interesting aspects to this memorial. I saw this statue and managed to get a plane flying into Reagan International and the DC Skyline in the background.

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle

92-0364

United States Air Force

USAF 48FW

Royal International Air Tattoo

RAF Fairford, UK

14 July 2022

Take off from runway 33 at YXU.

CadWest

Thanks to all who have visited, commented or faved (it would be nice if you left a comment too) my photos. It is very much appreciated. Constructive criticism welcomed.

From September 2018. . .or the world before COVID - 1984. McConnell Air Force Base Open House/Air Show in Wichita. The USAF Thunderbirds were the featured performers.

2015 Air Force Graduation

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO.

With the 2016 Graduation Ceremony fast approaching, I decided to take another look at my 2015 archives ...

afthunderbirds.com

On finals to land at Prestwick airport in Scotland is this USAF HC-130J.

The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed forces.

92-1094 an LC-130H-3 from the New York ANG in the blue hour. Most noticeable of the H-3 upgrades are the Hamilton Sundstrand NP2000 eight-blade propellers.

RAF Fairford, Gloucester, England

F-16C Fighting Falcons of the USAF Thunderbirds perform at the 2022 US Air Force Academy Graduation, Colorado Springs, USA

USAF Heritage Flight demo during SF Fleet Week 2024 ( F-22/P-51)

Personal Website

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2023 Joint Base Lewis-McChord Airshow.

USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon

91-0413 '4'

57th Wing

USAF Demonstration Squadron Team 'The Thunderbirds'

Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA

With the Air Festival this past weekend at nearby Martin State Airport I was able to snap of some fighter plane captures in addition to birds along Middle River.

Captured here at slower shutter speed to show the props in motion.

USAF C-17, 50084, landing at Prestwick 21/6/21.

Flying their F-16Cs.

USAF F-16C Fighting Falcon

57th Wing

USAF Demonstration Squadron 'The Thunderbirds'

Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA

USAF F15 from my garden, Mach loop, Wales, UK

Airshow London 2022.

RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, England

2023 Joint Base Lewis-McChord Airshow.

General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon (401)

North American T-6G Texan USAAF 49-3209 ANG 493209 G-DDMV

Aircraft started its military career with the USAAF

1944 North American T-6G Texan USAF 52-15042 TA-042 115042 G-BGHU

Headcorn Battle of Britain Airshow

Photo taken 26th June 2021 at the Headcorn Aerodrome Ashford Kent UK

BAF_6129

Battle Creek Air Show

Thanks for views, comments and favs :)

The Heart of Texas Air Show...Waco, TX...pronounced "Way-co". The F-16D (2 seater) on the bottom carries a fuel drop tank, the fuel capacity of the D is less than the single seaters...

A cold February in 2017