Blue Angels and Thunderbirds Crashed in Separate Accidents

It is rare to see an aircraft crash from military flying demonstration squadrons as they feature the most skillful pilots from their respective services. As a matter of fact, the last accident for the US Navy's Blue Angles happened during an air show at a Marine Corps air station in Beaufort, South Carolina in April 2007, when Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis was killed; the US Air Force's Thunderbirds saw its last crash in September 2003 with Capt. Chris Stricklin parachuting to safety. Therefore, it's such a bizarre coincidence as a Blue Angels F-18 and a Thunderbirds F-16 crashed separately in the same day.

One F-16 fighter jet of the Thunderbirds crashed near Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado around 1 p.m. MDT (12 p.m. PDT), following a flyover for the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony with President Obama in attendance as the keynote speaker. The pilot of the No. 6 Thunderbirds jet Maj. Alex Turner ejected safely.

A mere hour later at approximately 3 p.m. CDT (1 p.m. PDT), a U.S. Navy Blue Angels  F/A-18 fighter jet crashed while in formation during an air show practice in Smyrna, Tennessee on June 2, 2016. The pilot did not eject and was killed in crash.

Postcard US-3935005 to Germany shows a paratrooper in descent against the Moon during the Aviation Nation on November 13, 2010.

Thunderbird No.6 was seen at the Aviation Nation on Nov. 14, 2010

United States Air Force Thunderbirds

The USAF Thunderbirds is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF), based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The squadron performs aerobatic formation and solo flying with in various airshows and events using F-16 Fighting Falcons. The name of "Thunderbirds" was from a legendary creature in the mythology of several indigenous North American cultures, as one of their maneuvers on November 11, 2012 shown on the postcard. You can purchase the matching customized stamps from Zazzle.

Update on November 9, 2014 with a Youtube video from the 2014 Aviation Nation.

Aviation Nation is Back

Aviation Nation is an annual air show and open house of the Nellis United State Air Force Base near Las Vegas, NV, held in November of each year.

However, due to the defense budget cut for fiscal year 2013, the scheduled airshow on November 9 and 10, 2013 was canceled. It is exciting to see the Aviation Nation returns on November 8 and 9, 2014 with aerial demonstration between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. There will be no Aviation Nation 2015 because an expected inspection during the same time period next year when the air show is usually held.

Postcard US-2489824 to Germany shows the popular F-16 Thunderbirds demonstrations during a previous Aviation Nation event on November 14, 2010. Nellis Air Force Base is the home base for the U.S.A.F. Thunderbird air demonstration team. In addition, both the newest U.S.A.F aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor and the legacy aircraft such as the World War II B-25J Mitchell "Executive Sweet" are featured.

F-22 Raptor

As part of the Veterans Day Celebrations, Aviation Nation, the annual open house and air show at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, was scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2013. However, due to government spending cuts, the U.S. Air Force has cut back non-critical activities. As a result, all air shows including Aviation Nation, have been cancelled.

Postcard US-2317852 to Malaysia shows a F-22 Raptor flying near an early moon in the late afternoon during the 2010 Aviation Nation on November 13, 2010. F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter jet manufactured by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, partnering with Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

Youtube has a video on the F-22 Demo at the 2010 Aviation Nation, performed on Sunday, November 14, 2010. 

Parachute Jump

I made this postcard today to commemorate the first parachute jump by André-Jacques Garnerin on October 22, 1797. Google made an interactive Doodle to celebrate the 216th anniversary of the jump. André-Jacques Garnerin was a balloonist and the inventor of the frame-less parachute.

The jump demonstration shown on the card was performed on November 14, 2010 at the Aviation Nation, an annual public open house at the Nellis Air Force Base. However, the Aviation Nation scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2013 has been canceled due to the budget cut.

World War II B-25J Mitchell "Executive Sweet"

Executive Sweet

Traveling postcard US-2323208 to japan shows the North American B-25J Mitchell 430801 "Executive Sweet", built in Kansas City in 1945, performing at Aviation Nation, Nellis Air Force Base in 2010.

Executive Sweet served the World War II as a crew trainer. It was converted into USAF VB-25J, a VIP transport in 1948. It was upgraded in 1954 and designated as VB-25N by Hayes Aircraft, Inc. After military service at the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, Texas, it was sold as surplus and became a crop sprayer. Next, it was acquired by Hollywood's Filmways Studios in 1968, and used in the movie "Catch-22". The aircraft was placed on sale after completion of the movie production in 1970, It was purchased by Ed Schnepf in 1972 and was restored to a wartime J model. In 1982, the restored bomber was donated to the American Aeronautical Foundation Museum at Camarillo, California.