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USAF F 16 Thunderbirds in OZ sep - oct?


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Guest Capt Rex Kramer
Posted

Will we see the thunderbirds finally in action down here on their far east tour with dates and locations TBA by the thunderbird team soon? Can anyone confirm that we may have a chance at seeing some real pro's in the air.

 

 

Guest Capt Rex Kramer
Posted

interesting thought thanx

 

 

Guest Darren Masters
Posted

You mean these? :biggrin:

 

 

 

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Capt Rex Kramer
Posted

Thanks for the info/research Dougal i didn't have the heart to tell young darren i wasn't talking about the tv show thunderbirds although i was surprised by his confusion. after the dissapointment of avalon i will also try to make the trip.

 

 

Posted

I also plan to head to Townsville should it go ahead, does anyone know of a website for the airshow? i did a google search and found nothing, the only thing related to a townsville airshow was the USAF thunderbirds article.

 

 

Posted

I had a look at the official Thunderbirds web site and there is no mention of it, just that around that time events are still to be announced.

 

 

  • 2 months later...
Posted

I have heard rumors that they are coming 26-27 September and displaying over the strand in Townsville.

 

 

Posted

Will definately be there if it goes ahead...Would be great to meet some others from this forum there...I recommend the "Sugar Shaker" for a good place to stay...reasonable rates..right in the Mall...and something of a tradition among Nth Queenslanders.

 

 

Posted

I saw the Thunderbirds at Nellis AF base in Nevada a couple of years back. Whilst they are good I wouldn't get overly excited about driving or flying many hours to see them!

 

 

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Has anyone heard any more re the Townsville Air Show in September? I booked tickets and accommodation when I first heard the whisper, but am worried the new Defence Minister will can it, apparently he is pretty ruthless when it comes to cost cutting.

 

 

  • 2 months later...
Guest ripsnorter
Posted

Yes, they are certainly doing a display here in Townsville, North Queensland. I think it's September 26th.

 

 

Posted

Cor it is true, but confirmed a little too late now for me to make plans to see it. Damn shame!

 

See http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/recreation/events/sky_show

 

Defence Force Air Display and Townsville City Council Family Fireworks Spectacular

 

Saturday 26 September

 

12.30 – 7.30pm

 

Strand Park

 

and further down:

 

Open Day

 

Sunday 27 September

 

RAAF Base, Ingham Road, Garbutt

 

The action will continue on Sunday 27 September at an open day at the RAAF Base. RAAF Townsville will open its gates to allow the general public to view, touch and in some case walk through the aircraft involved in Saturdays flying displays.

 

 

Guest ripsnorter
Posted

Yes, they are certainly doing a display here in Townsville, September 26th after 14:30.

 

The best information is from the RAAF site http://www.airforce.gov.au/Townsville/ which I've regurgitated further below.

 

There is also a local media article http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/09/12/78711_news.html . In here they mention that there will be practice on the preceeding Friday afternoon.

 

The RAAF article below mentions that the Thunderbird F-16s will be flying Hawaii to Townsville, via Cairns, using their 2 x KC-10 tankers, and other support arriving in 2 x C17 Globemasters...

 

RAAF website...

 

The Defence Force Air Display Townsville is the eighth in the series of annual Air Shows around Australia at major Air Force Bases. These Shows are primarily a medium for recruiting, public information and promotion of the professional military skills and the ADF image. Although the displays are centred on aircraft, our goal is to involve and promote all three Services where practicable.

 

This event is a break from the past format. The display will be in front of ‘The Strand’, over water rather than on the RAAF Base. This will give us a wider frontage for spectators as we are expecting a large crowd to gather from surrounding regions. The big draw card for the display will be the United States Air Force demonstration Team, ‘The Thunderbirds’, in six F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

 

They will be accompanied by two C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft and two KC-10 tanker aircraft for en-route refuelling. The Thunderbirds will be coming from Hawaii to Townsville via Cairns and the coast and will fly out to Guam on Monday 28th September for a Show in Guam and then on to Malaysia.

 

The Air Display will be approximately three hours long and will begin at 1430. As with all such events involving complex military aircraft that are in high demand operationally, the actual content of the air display and start time may vary, so visit this web site regularly.

 

The event is co-sponsored by the Townsville city Council, with a significant contribution from the Townsville Media Centre – 4TOFM, Southern Cross Ten and HOT103.1 FM. 4TO will actually provide the commentary of the air display, so listen to Steve Price each morning for air display updates and bring your radio to The Strand and listen to the commentary, live, with ‘Pricey’ and his team of experts on 102.3FM.

 

The Townsville City Council will be preparing the City to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ‘The Stand’. There will be food and amusements rides through the afternoon and evening. And following the air display there will be a 90 minute concert by the Air Force Band and 1st Battalion Bands and a fireworks display supported by the F-111’s spectacular ‘torch’ demonstration. This will be one of the last such demonstrations in the world, as the F-111 is the only aircraft with this capability and it is scheduled to be retired from the RAAF beginning next year.

 

 

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