Thunder & Lightning

April 08--It has a new name, but the largest aerial spectacle in Southern Arizona returns to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base April 14 and 15 with just as much air power.

"Thunder and Lightning over Arizona" is the base's two-day, biannual open house, which will be a celebration of 100 years of Arizona statehood and American aviation.

Attendees are encouraged to park on base as early as 8:30 a.m. each day, with flying demonstrations to begin at 11 a.m.

Performers include the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Air Force Academy Wings of Blue, an A-10 and P-51 heritage flight and many other military and civilian acts.

If you go

Thunder and Lightning over Arizona Davis-Monthan Air Force Base 2012 Open House

--When: April 14 and 15. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. Flying demonstrations start around 11 a.m. and end around 4:30 p.m.

--Where: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

--Parking: Enter through the Craycroft gate or Swan gate off East Golf Links Road. Last entry is at 2 p.m. Handicap parking available at Craycroft gate only. There is no shuttle service or off-site parking for this year's open house. Plan to walk a long distance from the parking lot to the display areas.

--Cost: Admission is free, but canned food donations for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona will be accepted.

--More information: www.dm.af.mil/library/ d-mthunderandlightning.asp or www.facebook.com/DMThunderandLightningOverArizona

Bring Food Bank donations to the base

Receptacles located near the display areas will be accepting non-perishable items for the food bank, which could use:

--Boxed cereal

--Canned fruits

--Canned meats and/or tuna

--Canned tomato products

--Canned vegetables

--Pasta

--Peanut butter

SECURITY

Be prepared to undergo security procedures when parking on base and entering the display area. Davis-Monthan personnel have the right to turn anyone away who fails to consent to a search.

What to bring

--Each person can bring one clear plastic water bottle, which can be refilled for free at various spots around the display areas.

--Baby food, formula, milk and water (no glass containers).

--Carts for physically challenged/disabled visitors.

--Diapers bags.

--Service animals (no other animals allowed).

--Strollers.

What to leave at home

--Animals. (Service animals allowed only. Pets will not be left unattended in the parking area or inside a parked vehicle.)

--Any potentially airborne items, including balls, balloons and kites.

--Bicycles, go-karts, scooters, skates and skateboards.

--Backpacks, purses and/or camera bags larger than 18 by 24 inches.

--Camelbacks.

--Chairs and folding chairs (rental chairs available in display area).

--Coolers.

--Food, beverages and alcohol from outside the base.

--Military uniforms worn by non-military members.

--Political activity/demonstrations to include associated paraphernalia.

--Umbrellas and folding canopies.

--Weapons.

On StarNet

Find photos and videos of the teams that will be performing at the Davis-Monthan open house at azstarnet.com/events/airshow

Thunderbirds will take to the skies

to showcase Air Force capabilities

Activated on June 1, 1953, at Luke Air Force Base, the Thunderbirds are the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, and represent the more than 700,000 active-duty Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard personnel and civilians serving around the world.

The team's Tucson performance is the third stop in its 59th show season, which will keep it on the road for more than 200 days.

Calling Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada home since 1956, the Thunderbirds squadron includes eight pilots -- six of whom perform in the team's hour-long demonstration -- along with 24 aircraft-maintenance specialists, several civilians and more than 120 enlisted personnel.

Before an airman can wear the Thunderbirds patch, a 21-day orientation program and an oral exam must be completed.

Officers who are chosen for this elite precision team serve two years, and enlisted personnel stay with the team for three to four years. Nearly half of this group is replaced each year, providing a variety of experience among its members.

Last season, the team traveled throughout the United States and Europe, visiting Finland for the first time.

What you'll see in the air -- and on the ground *

IN THE SKIES

No flying schedule will be posted, so the following demonstrations are listed alphabetically:

--563rd Rescue Group

pararescueman

demonstration

--Combat search-and-rescue demonstration

--Customs and Border Patrol demonstration

--Dan Buchanan hang-glider performance

--Desert Rats warbird CJ-6

--F-16 alert launch

--Jeff Boerboon, flying the Extra Aircraft 330SC

--Joe "Rifle" Shetterly, flying the RV-8 aerobatic aircraft

--Marcus Paine

--Matt Champman, flying the Embry-Riddle Eagle 580

--Radio-controlled aircraft demonstration

--Red Bull aerobatic teams

--Rocketbilly Racing

--T-33 "Ace Maker" demonstration

--Tombstone Riders, Wild West wingwalking demonstration

--U.S. Air Force Academy Wings of Blue

--U.S. Air Force heritage flight with an A-10 Thunderbolt II and a P-51 Mustang

--U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

--U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey demonstration

Ground display

A variety of aircraft will be visible in the air and on the ground.

Attack aircraft

--A-10 Thunderbolt II

--TA-4 Skyhawk

Bombers

--B-52 Stratofortress

Cargo transport

--C-5 Galaxy

--C-21

--C-45 Expeditor

--C-47 Skytrain

--C-130J Super Hercules

Electronic reconnaisance

--E-8C Joint Stars

--EC-130H Compass Call

--RC-135

Fighters

--F-16 Fighting Falcon

--F-18 Hornet

--F-22 Raptor

--F-106 Delta Dart

--P-51 Mustang

Helicopters

--AH-64 Apache

--CH-53E Super Stallion

--HH-60G Pave Hawk

--UH-1N Iroquois

Trainers

--L-29 Delfin

--T-1 Jayhawk

--T-6 Texan

--T-28 Trojan

--T-29

--T-34 Mentor

--T-38 Talon

Others

--HU-16 Albatross

--MC-12

--MiG-17F

--NASA Super Guppy

--Nanchang CJ-6

--O-2A Skymaster

--Royal Air Force Tornado

--TBM-3E Avenger

--YAL-1 Airborne Laser

--List is subject to change.

A-10 Thunderbolt II

First delivered to D-M in Oct. 1975, the A-10 is a common sight above Tucson. It's easy to identify -- just look for the twin turbofans on the rear fuselage. Nicknamed "Warthog" for its appearance, the A-10 has been used heavily in Iraq and Afghanistan. Flying at low speed and altitude, it can identify and take out targets on the ground with fierce accuracy.

Manufacturer:

Fairchild Republic Co.

Number of crew: One pilot

Maximum speed: 420 mph

Range: 695 nautical miles

Ceiling: 45,000 feet

B-1B Lancer

The B-1 bomber can carry the largest weapons payload in the Air Force -- up to 75,000 pounds -- and travel long range to deliver it. A key component to the Lancer's efficiency is its wing configuration. The forward wing setting is used for takeoff, landing and refueling. When pointed to the rear, the wings aid in subsonic and supersonic flight.

Manufacturer: Boeing

Number of crew: 4

Maximum speed: 900 mph

Range: Intercontinental

Ceiling:

More than 30,000 feet

B-2 Spirit

Its low observability, or "stealth" characteristics -- including composite materials, special coatings and flying-wing design -- make the B-2 an almost undetectable bomber capable of delivering massive firepower in a short time anywhere in the world. This two-person-crew bomber can travel up to 6,000 nautical miles before refueling.

Manufacturer:

Northrop Grumman Corp.

Number of crew: Two pilots

Maximum speed: Subsonic

Range: Intercontinental

Ceiling: 50,000 feet

C-17 GLOBEMASTER ii

Utilizing just three crew members, the C-17 is a flexible workhorse. It can deliver more than 100 troops and up to 170,900 pounds of cargo into a battle area and land on even short, narrow runways. It's capable of carrying almost all of the Army's air-transportable equipment anywhere in the world. Its reliability also makes the C-17 ideal for medical evacuations.

Manufacturer: Boeing

Number of crew: 3

Maximum speed: 450 knots

Range: Global with in-flight refueling

Ceiling: 45,000 feet

HC-130P/N Combat King

The HC-130P/N is the only dedicated fixed-wing combat search-and-rescue platform in the Air Force inventory. This extended-range version of the C-130 Hercules is utilized in personnel-recovery missions in all weather, humanitiarian operations and spaceflight support for NASA. Air-to-air refueling can be done at night for up to two helicopters at the same time.

Manufacturer:

Lockheed Aircraft Corp.

Number of crew: 10

Maximum speed: 289 mph

Range: At least 4,000 miles

Ceiling: 33,000 feet

HH-60G pave hawk

The Pave Hawk's primary mission is to head into hostile environments to recover people. This makes the twin-engine helicopter well-suited not only for combat, but also civil search and rescue. Twenty Pave Hawks were deployed to the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Flying 24 hours a day for nearly a month, the crews saved more than 4,300 lives.

Manufacturer: United Technologies/Sikorsky Aircraft

Number of crew: 4

Maximum speed: 184 mph

Range: 504 nautical miles

Ceiling: 14,000 feet

P-51 Mustang

First flown by the Royal Air Force, P-51 Mustangs were then used in World War II by the U.S. to escort B-29 bombers. By the end of the war, P-51s had destroyed almost 5,000 enemy aircraft -- more than any other fighter in Europe. Following its military service, the P-51 became popular with civilians and today is an air-show mainstay.

Manufacturer:

North American Aviation

Number of crew: One pilot

Maximum speed: 437 mph

Range: 1,000 miles

Ceiling: 41,900 feet

MV-22B Osprey

With a primary mission to transport U.S. Marines, equipment and supplies from ships and land bases for combat, the MV-22B Osprey can operate as a helicopter or a turboprop aircraft. This medium-lift, assault-support aircraft offers twice the speed, six times the range and three times the payload of the CH-46E Sea Knight, which it replaced.

Manufacturer:

Bell-Boeing

Number of crew: 3

Maximum speed: 250 knots

Range: 860 nautical miles

Ceiling: 25,000 feet

T-33A Shooting Star

This popular training aircraft has served with air forces of more than 20 nations over several decades. It made its first flight in 1948 and was used to train pilots qualified to fly propeller-driven aircraft in the 1950s and 1960s. Production continued until 1959, and 5,691 T-33s were built. Other uses for the trainer include drone director and target towing.

Manufacturer:

Lockheed Aircraft Corp.

Number of crew: 2

Maximum speed: 525 mph

Range: 1,000 miles

Ceiling: 45,000 feet

Thunderbirds' F-16C Fighting Falcon

The Thunderbirds fly six F-16s that are only slightly modified for their performances -- each can be prepared for combat in less than 72 hours.

The F-16's long-range combat radius and ability to change position is unrivaled. This highly maneuverable aircraft can withstand up to nine times the force of gravity and travel 500 miles to deliver its weapons before returning to base.

Manufacturer:

Lockheed Martin Corp.

Number of crew: One pilot

Maximum speed: 1,500 mph

Range: 1,740 nautical miles

Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet

Upcoming coverage

Thursday: Get your four-page, pullout guide to Davis-Monthan's open house in Caliente.

Saturday and Sunday: Daily updates and photos from the flight line.

Copyright 2012 - The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson