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Thunderbirds F-16s - Nellis - August 2023.

Posted: Wed May 15, 2024 10:03 am
by AshBailey
Hi all

Would anyone know the serial numbers for Thunderbirds 1,2,3,4,5,6,8 during late August 2023? All seen landing at Nellis AFB on 21st August.

Have been searching like mad, and hitting a brick wall!

Thanks in advance.

:)

Re: Thunderbirds F-16s - Nellis - August 2023.

Posted: Thu May 16, 2024 12:53 pm
by SpilsbyPete
Good Luck

I was trying to get the serials for Thunderbirds at the Nellis show in 2019
In the end I just gave up
I don't even know where to look for them on the Aircraft

Pete

Re: Thunderbirds F-16s - Nellis - August 2023.

Posted: Fri May 17, 2024 3:14 pm
by roger4
The T'Birds have a number of F-16 (Scramble has 13 listed as current) and they swop the code numbers around for each show, so they always fly numbers 1 to 6, irrespective of which actual aircraft they use. The serials are only displayed on the ejector-seat headbox, and you need to be almost within touching distance to read them!

Re: Thunderbirds F-16s - Nellis - August 2023.

Posted: Fri May 17, 2024 5:24 pm
by AshBailey
Thank you for the information. That closes the case, m'lud!!

Re: Thunderbirds F-16s - Nellis - August 2023.

Posted: Sat May 18, 2024 5:21 am
by CUJO
If you're able to read the names of the mechanics on the right side on the canopy rail, there is another way.
Although the pilots names are changed with the code of the aircraft, the mechanics names seemed to stay with the aircraft.
Before the start of the season, the aircraft are flying with their "last three" instead of the code.
I got them in Nellis in February 2023 and it worked in March at the Air Show at Point Mugu (where others were able to check their serials on the flightline).
I never checked it over a long period (until August) but there are rarely changes during the year.