Operation America Strong: Blue Angels-Thunderbirds Joint Flyover Mission

Here in Arizona:

Valleywide flyover

In honor of frontline workers in the battle against COVID-19, several aircraft from Luke Air Force Base will conduct a flyover above a majority of Valley communities.

The May 1 event includes the 56th Fighter Wing and the 944th Fighter Wing, along with the Arizona Air National Guard 161st Air Refueling Wing.

A formation of 15 aircraft, including seven F-35A Lightning IIs and seven F-16 Fighting Falcons flying out of Luke Air Force Base and one KC-135 from the 161st ARW will begin the flyover at around 3:10 p.m. Friday, May 1 and will last 50 minutes.

The flight path will bring them through Buckeye, Luke Air Force Base, Litchfield Park, Surprise, Waddell, Goodyear, Tolleson, Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Deer Valley, Glendale, Peoria, Sun City West, and El Mirage. Residents along the flight path can expect a few seconds of jet noise as the aircraft pass overhead.
 
Hey LITS nice to see you back. No Hockey this year big bummer.
 
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Fifteen minute flyovers. No show as we would know it.
 
I loved it when The Blues flew Phantoms.
 
I loved it when The Blues flew Phantoms.
Me too. My dad is from Jacksonville, FL and we would go down in the summer to visit the folks. We lucked out one year and it was NAS Jax's turn to host the Blues air show. I found out later when stationed at Cecil Field that the two bases alternated years hosting them. I saw them in the F-4 and then the next time they were in the A-4. As a layman on the ground I recognized the difference in size but felt no difference in the thrill of watching.
 
Hey LITS nice to see you back. No Hockey this year big bummer.

Huge bummer. And I've been watching soccer... none of that either, double bummer. I went to a DC Defenders game.... now there's no XFL..... so much bummerage.
 
What's the other plane that was with them? We went to a battlefield to watch. For anyone used to seeing airshows, it was a bit underwhelming. About five minutes before they arrived my daughter wanted to go home for left over pizza.....
 
What's the other plane that was with them? We went to a battlefield to watch. For anyone used to seeing airshows, it was a bit underwhelming. About five minutes before they arrived my daughter wanted to go home for left over pizza.....


There is Blue Angels 7, a two-seat Hornet used for press/VIP rides and for photo/film work, for both external release and internal critique and training purposes. The Blues’ narrator usually flies it to shows.

I suspect Thunderbirds have a similar set-up.
 
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I hope they make a documentary.


While it isnt a Documentary, they have been doing really nice pieces on their Facebook and Instagram pages...from their meetings to signing log books to going live with their loading up to taking off. Also amazing footage during their flights. I dont know the proper verbiage, but many pieces of the events have been shared in different ways on their social media platforms. Very interesting and exciting!
 
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