As one of the largest air shows in the United States, the Thunder and Lightning Over Arizona draws some of the most spectacular aerial machines in the world over to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, where they are allowed to make a spectacle of themselves for the delight of the crowds.
Over the years, the great names of the U.S. Air Force and other military branches have been present in the air there, but also carmakers, who’ve always had the opportunity to show off their best products on the ground, in a specially designated area. But this is an air show we’re talking about, after all, and the best spectacle takes place in the sky, where machines fielded by the USAF Thunderbirds or the F-35 Demo Team, among others, show their prowess. It is from this year’s Thunder and Lightning Over Arizona event, held back in November, that the main pic of this piece comes from. It shows the perfectly sculpted silhouette of the F-35A Lightning II flown by the plane’s demo team commander, Maj. Kristin Wolfe, as the only spec of darkness in an otherwise perfectly blue sky. We’ve seen this airplane-pilot duo several times before, performing all sorts if incredible stunts all across North America. This time, we’re getting a perfect view of the machine’s upper side, with everything perfectly visible and distinguishable, from the nose and canopy to the rear wings and afterburner.
As said, the F-35 demo team has had a pretty busy year, with outings at 17 events this year, and even more planned for the year ahead. In 2022, we’ll start seeing it in action from February, in Laredo, Texas, and we'll keep doing it on 20 more occasions, until the season comes to an end in November at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Keyword: Thunder and Lightning Over Arizona Come Not From Clouds, But This F-35