Thunderbirds (Gleneagle, Monument: house, airport, stadium)

[Swampy101]

Anyone interested in the USAF Thunderbirds?

Anyone interested in meeting up to see them next month?

They will be performing a small show by themselves at the USAF Academy May 28th that will last about an 30-40 minutes. Usually try and get there about an hour early though. You can't get into the academy unless you're invited though, but, no matter, the better place to see it is outside the academy off of Interquest. There's a dirt field/right of way that runs along the freeway on the north side of Interquest that I was in last year (where I took the picture in the photo's thread of Pike's and the Thunderbirds).

I'll have to check the times (or if someone else knows here please post), but last year, they started at about 11:20am and ended about 11:55.

I'm planning on being there shooting pics as usual...

Oh, here's about 100 pics of what I took last year if you're interested:
USAF Academy Thunderbirds - 05-30-07 - Page 1 of 3

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Swampy101

Anyone interested in the USAF Thunderbirds?

Anyone interested in meeting up to see them next month?

They will be performing a small show by themselves at the USAF Academy May 28th that will last about an 30-40 minutes. Usually try and get there about an hour early though. You can't get into the academy unless you're invited though, but, no matter, the better place to see it is outside the academy off of Interquest. There's a dirt field/right of way that runs along the freeway on the north side of Interquest that I was in last year (where I took the picture in the photo's thread of Pike's and the Thunderbirds).

I'll have to check the times (or if someone else knows here please post), but last year, they started at about 11:20am and ended about 11:55.

I'm planning on being there shooting pics as usual...

Oh, here's about 100 pics of what I took last year if you're interested:
USAF Academy Thunderbirds - 05-30-07 - Page 1 of 3

Cool. Thank you for letting us know. I'd love to take my kids.

[Neditate]

Swampy, thank you VERY much for the information!
We love to see the Thunderbirds.
Your photos are spectacular!

[clemrick]

Another great place to see the show is from the hill at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. It is on the east side of I-25 at the same exit as the North Gate of the Academy.

The pilots use the two headframes at the museum as landmarks.

[Mike from back east]

May 28 is probably the annual graduation ceremony for the USAF cadets. The airshow is done each year for that event and is really cool. They also fly a lot of practice stuff the day before.

My dentist has her office next to that vacant field mentioned by Swampy. Last year I watched the air show from one of her dental chairs that faces the Front Range and USAF Academy.

That location, or up on Struthers Road at Gleneagles Rd is also a good location to watch the July 4th USAF Academy fireworks while avoiding traffic.

[Swampy101]

Thanks Clemrick, I'll have to do a drive by there and see if that might be a better place to be. The field I mentioned is directly across from the stadium and was an excellent place to be since the stadium is the center point for the show.

[Swampy101]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

May 28 is probably the annual graduation ceremony for the USAF cadets. The airshow is done each year for that event and is really cool. They also fly a lot of practice stuff the day before.

You are correct Mike, it's for the graduation ceremonies. I forgot to say that above.

I see them practicing the day (I could swear they were practicing here for 2 days last year) before and they'd do 180 turns right over my house just on the north edge of Monument Hill.

[Maynerd]

If you can get tickets for graduation itself, take the day off and go. The pomp and ceremony is pretty spectacular. The March On of the graduating class, the salute to the prior graduate, the hats going up (and the Thunderbirds' first pass is timed to go exactly as the hats are going up), it's all pretty special. The President is the speaker this year, so it might be tough to get tickets (security and all).

The Thunderbirds should also do a short arrival show at the airport (Peterson AFB) several days before graduation.

[godcountryfamily]

I prefer the real thing.

[Thunderbird]

Thank you for posting! I will finally be moved out there next week. Hopefully I'll be able to catch the show.

Anyone know how many air museums are out in Colorado?