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Grissom tankers refuel Thunderbird

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Dakota Bergl
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
Two Grissom KC-135R Stratotankers had the rare privilege of refueling an aircraft from the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, also known as the Thunderbirds, Sept. 7.

The Thunderbird required a refuel on its way to an air show hosted by the 122nd Fighter Wing out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The air show is scheduled to take place on Sept. 10-11, 2016.

“Refueling the Thunderbirds showcases Grissom’s diverse range of aerial refueling capabilities,” said Col. Larry Shaw, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. “Whether it be at home or abroad, Grissom remains ready to proudly serve our nation’s mission, and this is a prime example of just that!”

Master Sgt. Nick Obusek, 74th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, said he was excited that he got the chance to refuel such a famous aircraft.

“It was really cool,” said Obusek. “I’ve seen the Thunderbirds at air shows but flying next to them and being the person giving them fuel was an awesome experience.”

The Thunderbirds are based out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and the squadron preforms approximately 75 demonstrations per year. Each demonstration is a mix of formation and solo flying during which the pilots perform approximately 30 maneuvers showcasing the training of the pilots and the capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

In addition to their responsibilities as the official U.S. Air Force aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds are part of our combat force. If required, the team's personnel and aircraft can be rapidly integrated into a fighter unit at Nellis AFB. Since the aircraft are only slightly modified, they can be made combat-ready in less than 72 hours.

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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