OCEAN CITY, Md. - After a Thunderbirds pilot crashed on June 2 in Colorado and the team was placed on standdown, the Thunderbirds are ready to return to flight this weekend in Ocean City.
The OC Air Show is this Saturday and Sunday in the resort town, but before the show, Thunderbirds pilots will hold a meet and greet Friday morning at Ocean City Town Hall. Visitors are invited between 9 and 11 a.m. The actual show will begin at noon on Saturday and Sunday and the Thunderbirds will perform around 3 p.m. each day.
The Thunderbirds had canceled their previous two air show appearances in New Mexico and Rhode Island after the early June crash. On the Thunderbirds' official Twitter page, the team announced they held their first flights since the crash back on June 7 but their show season was still on hold. But with the pilots and the planes coming to town on Friday, it appears the Thunderbirds will be a go this weekend.
The OC Air Show confirmed Monday night that the Thunderbirds will perform in the show. It will feature one of the first flight performances of America’s most advanced new superfighter, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, according to the air show. The U.S. Navy will also showcase the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the U.S. Coast Guard will perform a Search and Rescue demonstration. Civilian performers include historic aircraft like the B-25 Mitchell Bomber “Panchito”, L-39 Cold War era jet, Mike Wiskus, David Windmiller and the Jack Links Screamin Sasquatch, a jet powered biplane.
Flight Line Club VIP and Drop Zone Beach premium viewing tickets are still available online in advance at a discount of 25 percent off the day-of-event price, the Air Show said Monday. With the expected turnout for the Return to Flight of the USAF Thunderbirds additional volunteers are needed. More information on tickets and volunteering can be found on the event website at OCAirShow.com.
