I love the sound of the jet engines as they fire up. I love the roar that shakes the stands as they fly over. I love hearing the team leader as they take off. I love it all. Seeing the pilots and their families come in and know that's what it must have been like for Papa and Nana. I love the spectator reactions, especially when it is a first time experience for them. My brother Bob calls a particular maneuver they do the "baby waker". They did variations of it about 3 times this airshow and I never tire of it. I love the skill of the pilots, the beautiful paint jobs on the planes and raw power they embody. I love being in Vegas at historic Nellis Air Force base, Home of the Thunderbirds with my family and friends. It was quite a group this year. Lots of in-law families there and it was fun to get to know them a little better. I never got us all together for a group shot. I wish I had, but alas, it was not to be. We all took the buses from the hotel this year. Lots easier for the transportation, but a little harder to meet up and find each other at the airshow. I love that Pop got to talk to a few people he knew from the old days. I love that he could still go with us and be part of such a wonderful legacy.
Above is the six man formation as their fly by exposed the beautiful Thunderbirds on the underbelly of their F-16s. Below is the classic diamond formation they are so famous for.
Below is the very difficult Low and Slow maneuver one of the solo pilots performs. It looks like they are just hanging in the sky as they go across the field.
Above is the race upward to perform the show closer, the famous "bomb burst". Below is the smoke as they split and roll in four directions. They then come across the field from the four compass points and cross each other just feet apart. Difficult to do with such precision and beautiful to watch. The best team is always the current team and each time this alumni show is performed it is the team leader's last flight with his team. Needless to say, they are all doing the most perfect airshow possible.
Summer and Jamie, JT and Taylor were with us this year. It was fun to watch Jamie and JT as they saw their first Thunderbird performance. Summer looked like the rest of us as we tried to catch the perfect shot of this amazing airshow. Camera's just can't to justice to the skill and precision of the planes and pilots.
We spent some time with Papa, but had to share him with the rest of our entourage. The Reunion Hotel this year was the Southpoint, and it was great. They have a 16 theater movie theater, so many of us went to "Breaking Dawn" of the Twilight Saga on it's opening night. No long lines or hard to find parking spots. We just went up the escalator, bought our tickets and waited for the show to begin. Awesome. I flew in from Texas for this airshow, so bummed a ride home to Arizona with Summer and Jamie. Grumpy was driving from Texas to Arizona for Thanksgiving, so I would meet him there.
So happy I was able to go to this Thunderbird Reunion. I especially love all the memories it makes to be there.
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