New Yorkers and other tourists were wowed by multiple iconic aircraft formations flying by the Manhattan skyline.
According to a Thunderbirds press release, their six fighter planes were scheduled to fly over the Hudson River in Delta Formation in sequence with the 9-ship Red Arrows formation.
All aircraft will then follow the Hudson River down to Liberty Island before going back up the river.
Bryan Lilley, chairman of the New York International Air Show, said: 'This is a truly historic opportunity. Never before have we had all these signature military demonstration teams in one place at one time to be able orchestrate something like this. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.'
The Thunderbirds will return to Rochester International Airport, while the remaining aircraft will recover at Stewart Airport.
In 1953, the Air Force’s official air demonstration team, designated the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit, was activated at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
The unit adopted the name 'Thunderbirds,' influenced in part by Native American culture. The Thunderbirds have been flying the F-16 since August 1982.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the first of the US Air Force multi-role fighter aircraft. There are more than 2,000 in service with the USAF and 2,500 operational with 25 other countries.
The F-16 and the F-15 Eagle were the world’s first aircraft able to withstand higher g-forces than the pilots. The Fighting Falcon entered service in 1979.
F-16's are produced by Lockheed-Martin and are also flown by the Air Force Reserve Command, Air National Guard, and the military air components of 25 other allied countries.
It’s been involved in multiple conflicts abroad, including Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Odyssey Dawn.
F-16 General Characteristics:
Primary Function: Multi-role fighter
Thrust: 27,000
Wingspan: 32 feet, 8 inches
Length: 49 feet, 5 inches
Height: 16 feet
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 37,500 pounds
Speed: Mach 2 (~1,500mph)
Range: More than 2,002 miles with internal fuel
Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet
According to the statement, the event was planned after both the Thunderbirds and Red Arrows had scheduled performances in the vicinity of New York on August 24-25.
The Red Arrows Aerobatic Team are currently touring North America until October.
Their schedules managed to offer 'the historic opportunity to showcase these elite flying teams together over the Manhattan skyline in a sequenced display of teamwork and airmanship'.
The US Navy's Blue Angels were also supposed to make the aerial parade, but due to operational requirements, they were unable to participate.
But the F-22 Raptor Demo Team and the F-35 Demo Team joined the Thunderbirds and Red Arrows for the display.
This weekend's New York International Air Show will be the only air show across the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast to feature the F-35 Demo Team.
Red Arrows of Britain's RAF take the New York's skies
After Thursday's display alongside the US Air Force Thunderbirds, the Royal Air Force Red Arrows will join the US Navy Blues Angels in headlining the 2019 New York International Air Show on August 24-25, 2019 at New York Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York.
With their trademark Diamond Nine shape and combination of close formations and precision flying, the Red Arrows have been displaying since 1965.
All Red Arrows display pilots have flown operationally, in frontline aircraft such as the advanced Typhoon, and helped the Royal Air Force to secure the skies every day of the year.
They are based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. By the beginning of 2019, the Red Arrows had flown almost 4,900 displays in 57 countries.
The Red Arrows fly F-35A Lightning IIs which feature conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL). It is an agile, versatile, high-performance, 9g capable multirole fighter that combines stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness.
These planes have an advanced sensor package that is designed to gather, fuse and distribute more information than any fighter in history, giving operators a decisive advantage over all adversaries.
F-35A Lightning General Characteristics:
Primary Function: Multi-role fighter
Thrust: 43,000 pounds
Wingspan: 35 feet
Length: 51 feet
Height: 14 feet
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 70,000 pounds
Speed: Mach 1.6 (~1,200mph)
Range: More than 1,350 miles with internal fuel
Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet
F-35 Demo Team makes their debut in New York
This weekend's New York International Air Show will be the only air show across the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast to feature the F-35 Demo Team.
The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, is a single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth fighter that has just been declared operational by three branches of the US Department of Defense.
The fighter jet is a fifth generation combat aircraft designed to perform ground attack, aerial intelligence and air defense missions.
It has three main models:
1. F-35A conventional takeoff and landing version used by the Air Force
2. F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) version used by the Marine Corps
3. F-35C carrier-based version that will be used by the Navy
The F-35 features advanced stealth, exceptional agility and maneuverability, sensor and information fusion. It has network-enabled operations allowing multiple aircraft to communicate with each other in flight.
These planes are equipped with 5th Generation technology, which provides greater survivability, situational awareness, and effectiveness for pilots, as well as improved readiness and lower support costs.
