Thunderbirds Suffer Bird Strike During Airshow

[Renegade One]

USAF Thunderbirds F-16 Suffers Bird Strike During Performance
Pilot Lands Safely, Show Goes On
On the same day the US Navy's Blue Angels lost one of their pilots during a performance in South Carolina, the US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team experienced a mishap as well.

Major Chris Austin, flying Left wing No. 2 jet, experienced a bird strike
while performing at Louisiana's Barksdale Air Force Base Saturday, according to The Shreveport Times. The incident occured early in the Thunderbirds' airshow routine.

The pilot was unable to finish the show, but landed with injury. The
remaining five Thunderbirds continued with the performance.
It is unknown at this time the amount of damage the F-16 received.

FMI: _http://thunderbirds.airforce.com/_ (http://thunderbirds.airforce.com/)
, _www.barksdaleafbairshow.com/_ (http://www.barksdaleafbairshow.com/)

 

[Schnugg]

Why do they put their #5 upside down?

 

[millerjd]

Why do they put their #5 upside down?

#5 is the solo plane, and he is supposed to be upside down more often, so the 5 becomes right side up.

 

[Slammer2]

Thats how he explained it to me as well. Before 9/11 they used to land at Cleveland Hopkins and you could drive up to this back gate and they'd come out and talk for a while.