(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – The Air Force’s finest pilots took to the skies over Chicago on Thursday – a dry run for this weekend’s Air and Water Show.
“What you’re about to see here this weekend is not something you’ve seen before,” says Lt. Col. Justin Elliott, the commander and leader of the Air Force Thunderbird.
Elliot, who has been flying fighter jets for 19 years, said his team has completely transformed their demonstration and performance. The formations are the tightest the Thunderbirds have ever flown — and closer to the crowd than ever before.
“We’re flying 18 inches apart right now,” Elliott says.
The Thunderbirds practiced their performance across state lines, starting in Indiana and reaching Pennsylvania for a routine refueling mission. WBBM Newsradio flew aboard the KC-135 Stratotanker during the mid-air fuel assist over Pittsburgh, more than 400 miles away.
The Thunderbirds will fly in this year’s show for the first time since 2019. The fighter jet team will perform in place of the Blue Angels, but the history of the two teams is intrinsically linked.
“The history matters to me. To understand demonstrations in the U.S., you actually have to go back to 1946. That’s when the Blue Angels were founded. The first demonstration squad of the U.S. was the Navy’s,” says Elliot.
The U.S. Navy created the Blue Angels in response to the pending establishment of the U.S. Air Force, Elliot explains. The Navy wanted to convey their aerial power and prowess. Less than a decade later, the Air Force created their own special demonstration team during the Korean War. Elliot says the Thunderbirds were founded during a dark time in American history.
“The team was meant to connect the American population back to its government and build trust,” Elliot says.
The history of the team continues to define the pilots today. Elliot says it’s important to learn the past but the future of his team relies on innovation.
“If you saw us a few years ago and think you’ve seen it before, you haven't. Come see this one, I promise it’s going to be an emotional experience,” he said.
The Chicago Air and Water Show will be held Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The best place to view the show is from along the lakefront between Oak Street and Fullerton Avenue.
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