Mahogany Executive Series

This hisroical replica is handcrafted from mahogany wood and features all (8) airplanes used by the Thunderbirds over their incredible history! The Thunderbirds is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force. The F-16 has been the demonstration aircraft for the Thunderbirds since the 1983 season.

Historical:   The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron ("Thunderbirds") is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF).[1] The Thunderbirds are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Created 70 years ago in 1953, the USAF Thunderbirds are the third-oldest formal flying aerobatic team (under the same name) in the world, after the French Air Force Patrouille de France formed in 1931 and the United States Navy Blue Angels formed in 1946.

The Thunderbirds Squadron tours the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially marked aircraft. The squadron's name is taken from the legendary creature that appears in the mythologies of several indigenous North American cultures.

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak - The Air Force selected the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak as their second aircraft in 1955, modified for the team by adding smoke tanks, and red, white and blue drogue parachutes. Used from 1955–1956.

North American F-100C Super Sabre - With the change to the F-100 Super Sabre in 1956, the Thunderbirds became the world's first supersonic aerial demonstration team. That same year, the Thunderbirds moved to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, simplifying logistics and maintenance for the aircraft. The Thunderbirds used the C-model Super Sabre from 1956–1963.

Republic F-105B Thunderchief - Only six shows were flown in 1964 using the F-105 before safety concerns resulted in the team's adoption of the F-100D.
North American F-100D Super Sabre

F-100D on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force - The D-model Super Sabres were used from 1964–1968.

McDonnell F-4E Phantom II - The 1969 conversion to the F-4 was the most extensive in the team's history. Among other modifications, paints that had worked on the F-100 appeared blotchy on the F-4 because of multicolored alloys used to resist heat and friction at Mach 2 speeds. A polyurethane paint base was developed to resolve the problem. The white paint base remains a part of today's Thunderbird aircraft. Phantoms were used from 1969 to 1973.

Northrop T-38 Talon
The fuel crisis of the early 1970s resulted in the selection of the Northrop T-38A Talon, a supersonic trainer. Five T-38s used the same amount of fuel needed for one F-4 Phantom, and fewer people and equipment were required to maintain the aircraft. Although it met the criteria of demonstrating the capabilities of a prominent USAF aircraft, the Talon failed to fulfill the Thunderbird tradition of flying front-line jet fighters.[citation needed] The team flew the Talon from 1974–1981.

During the switch to the F-16A the Thunderbirds acquired new block 15 aircraft which they operated from 1983 to 1991, making the team one of the last USAF units flying the older F-16A's before transitioning into new C's. They also operated the two-seat F-16B during this time for training new pilots and for VIP flights, these being replaced by the F-16D when the rest of the squadron transitioned to the F-16C.
Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (Block 32)
The block 32H/J aircraft currently assigned to the Thunderbirds were built in 1986 and 1987, and operated by the Thunderbirds from 1992 to 2008. At their retirement, they were some of the oldest operational F-16s in the Air Force.
Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (Block 52)
In the 2009 show season the Thunderbirds transitioned to an updated version of the F-16 fighter. The Block 52s have an upgraded avionics package that brings the Thunderbird fleet into alignment with the rest of the worldwide F-16 fleet. Additionally, the more powerful Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine adds an additional 3,600 lbf of thrust. This in turn increases the maximum allowable gross weight for ground handling, taxi, takeoff and in-flight maneuvers by nearly 5,000 lb.

Info: THUNDERBIRDS HISTORICAL COLLECTION (8) PLANE SET 1:72 SCALE