Originally posted by: sciwizam
Originally posted by: spacejamz
019
:thumbsup:
what is pretty cool is that the number on Thunderbird #5 is upside down so that when he flys by upside down, the number is right side up...
check out pics 4 and 20...the number is pretty small, but it on the intake underneath the cockpit...not really sure why they do this though...
just saw this on wikipedia:
Some of their maneuvers include both solo F-16s at once, such as opposing passes (where the solos fly towards each other in what appears to be a collision course, and seem to narrowly miss each other) and mirror formations (their two F-16s being flown back-to-back in the calypso pass or belly-to-belly. In such formations, one Thunderbird must of course be inverted, and it is always Thunderbird number 5.
In fact, the "5" on this aircraft is painted on upside down, and thus appears right-side-up for much of the routine). At the end of the routine, all six aircraft join in formation, forming the Delta. There is also an extra amount of humor regarding the inverted performance of Thunderbird Five: the pilots all wear tailored flight suits with their name and jet number embroidered on the left breast. The 5 is sewn inverted.