USAF - The Thunderbirds question / Shadow squadron

[Arjan]

Hi Guys,

I was reading some old Scramble mags yesterday and I came across a story about the USAF Demonstration team, the Thunderbirds. This story dates back to the late eighties I believe and it told that the Thunderbirds also used a tactical squadron number. In case of war the aircraft were supposed to be painted back in a tactical c/s and the team would operate as 430 Tactical Fighter Squadron on any given frontline.

Is this story true? I can't recall ever reading about it? And if so, is this still the case?

Hope to hear from you!

Best regards,

Arjan

[nilsko]

I am not familiar with this story but the 430 TFS once was an F-16 (tiger!)squadron part of the 474th TFW based at Nellis during the 80's. It deosn't exist anymore. Maybe the planes were administratively assigned to this unit (whereas it operates as an independent uinit otherwise). I would call the usual outfit of +/- 8 aircraft assigned to the T-birds (demo + spares) hardly a unit with squadron strength though and I assume they would be distributed into normal frontline sqaudrons (of which the 430th would be one)

Why don't mail the T-Birds themselves on this? Google around and you'll find an E-mailaddress somewhere.

[Guinness]

As far as I know this is not true for the simple reason that the F-16's in the Thunderbirds are missing a few items in the airframe wich are needed for operational missions.
I was talking to them last year in Shannon and one of the pilots told me this.
The reason is to get the airframe as "light as possible for their moves "

I don't know how "quickly " these can be restored in case of an emergency, though !

Anyone more info on this ?

Guinness