History of Tinker Air Force Base air shows
The Air Force Thunderbirds have often been the stars of Tinker Air Force Base’s open houses and, more recently, the Star Spangled Salute and Open House.
Officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the precision flying team appeared in 1980 for an open house marking the 40th anniversary of Tinker’s conception.
Officially activated in 1942, the sprawling military installation is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and the Thunderbirds are back for hourlong shows next weekend, May 20-21.
The team returns to Oklahoma Sept. 9, appearing at the Altus Air Force Base Air Show.
The Thunderbirds’ red, white and blue F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Air Force’s premier multirole fighter jet, is a primary draw for the tens of thousands who throng Tinker’s open houses.
But plenty of other aircraft have been featured at Tinker over the years.
In 2007, Tinker celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Air Force, the 30th anniversary of the E-3 (AWACS) Sentry, and Oklahoma’s Centennial.
The AWACS is the all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications platform notable for its rotating radar dome.
The AWACS is seen often in the skies over Oklahoma City. Organizers booked the Navy’s Blue Angels precision flying team for that year’s show.
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy took a promotional flight in an F/A-18 Hornet with Maj. Nathan Miller, pronouncing it “awesome, a real neat experience.”
Then-Oklahoma quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel flew with Maj. Tony Mulhare in an Air Force Thunderbirds’ F-16 in 2008, when the breadth of American air power from World War II to the Iraqi conflict was featured.
Aircraft displayed over the years have included the cavernous C-5 Galaxy transport, E-3 Sentry, SR-71 Blackbird supersonic spy plane, B-1 bomber, B-52 Stratofortress long-range strategic bomber, KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueler, and vertical takeoff capable V-22 Osprey.
The air show returned to the base in 2014 for the first time since 2010. Budget cuts due to the federal sequestration had grounded the event.
Headquartered at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, the Thunderbirds had been grounded, as well, but returned to the air, and air shows, that year.