Although not the first US display team, The Thunderbirds are the only one to have been in continuous existance since it was formed in May 1953.
The F-4E, was the sixth type operated. Introduced in 1969 the Phantom was retired in 1974 after the first oil shock (the 6 replacement T-33 Talons used the same amount of fuel as just one F-4).
A tour in the Thunderbirds, while only 2 years, remains a dangerous posting. There have been many losses, the most recent in 2003 and too many fatalities.
The twelfth pilot to die occurred in an F-4 during a display at Dulles International airport, Virginia in 1972.
Thunderbird 4 suffered structural failure of the stabiliser and although the pilot, Maj Joe Howard ejected safely, it was too low to evade the wreck and he perished in the post crash fire.
The worst accident (known as the diamond crash) occurred in January 1982, when 4 of the team died while practicing a line abreast loop routine.
Thunderbird 1 is a tribute to past and present members of the team.
