The Thunderbird is one of the few cross-cultural elements of native North American mythology. From the Passamaquoddy tribes along the Maine-Canadian border to the Quileute in Illinois, the tribes of the Great Plains, the Quillayute in the Pacific Northwest and to the tribes of the American southwest, the Thunderbird was similarly described. Perhaps the most powerful of the Indian gods, the Thunderbird brought life-giving rains and declared his presence with thunder from his wings and lightning from his eyes. Always benevolent and many times a protector, he sometimes left damage in his wake because he, himself, was unaware of his great size and power. He could be the bull in the china shop. Today, Americans look up to see six lethal F-16's. They hear the thunder and see the flashes of red, white and blue lightning, but unlike the ancient natives, they witness the awesome power held in check by talented and disciplined hands.

 

Red stands for courage, white for truth and blue for justice. In honor of the United States Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, we bring you these beautiful jets to the skies to the virtual world, presenting, the Virtual Thunderbirds.

 

The history of the Virtual Thunderbirds began as an endeavor of online formation flying that eventually evolved into a business and fan based group that reproduce the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird aerial demo. The creativity and enthusiasm from a handful of talented pilots, some with real world experience, in the simulation community started it as a hobby in the spring of 2004, and it has today become a true passion with very knowledgeable people onboard, dedicated to accurately showcase the flying and knowledge about the Thunderbirds. The demo team and its ability to perform "virtual" air shows has, since day one, been our number one priority; however, through the years we've also acquired a wealth of knowledge about the real team, built a contact network of pilots and enlisted members of the Thunderbird organization as well as done large amounts of research on our own, in order to perform the maneuvers as closely as possible to real world standards. No small feat in itself and in the process we've come in touch with some truly amazing and passionate people, alumni and friends, colleagues and pilots sharing this common bond.

 

Some of the founding members are still part of the squad, new members have been added while others have left us, but once a Thunderbird, always a Thunderbird! We take pride in our traditions and friendships, even as the business moves ahead and we recruit new pilots. While we continue working towards higher standards, we also value our history.

 

Our goal is to be the most comprehensive group of knowledgeable and talented pilots online wearing the Thunderbird patch, albeit virtually. We hope to bring you into a world of air shows, extraordinary teamwork; where skill, commitment, determination and passion are sought for every time we take to the skies and presented as a reflection upon the real world Thunderbirds. This is our tribute to the men and women of the United States Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, past and present!