Watch to your left to see Thunderbird ------ taxiing...

Súrion · Post by **Súrion** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:28 am

Heya Guys,

I came across this picture: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1179154/L/ on Airliners.net, duh. Beautiful picture you might say, and you are correct. But I was wondering, why isn't there a nr. on the belly? And what does it say?

I thought this was the best place to ask and I hope you know the answers, it isn't that important though, just wondering like I said.

Thanks in advance and have fun (flying)

Yours,
Sven

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:36 am

Most likely, this is a "backup" aircraft. The numbers are some sort of adhesive tape, so they can be very easily put on, or vise versa ripped off, in case of a malfunction or they want to keep the airframe times equal.

Súrion · Post by **Súrion** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:13 am

Ok cool, thanks for the info

Post by **Lawndart** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:43 pm

During training season it's common that none of the aircraft have numbers on them yet, just as seen in the photo. The writing inside the star-circle is a serial number of some sort.

FALCON56 · Post by **FALCON56** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:30 pm

Just to add to what LD was saying, The serial nmber inside the stars is the aircrafts own production year and number... Example. 86-256 or 87-346...

P.S. I do belive that all the pilots get there numbers on their jets after the delta formation is performed and finalized. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this part.

Falcon56

Atlas · Post by **Atlas** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:42 pm

i am with Falcon on this one....i believe when i was watching one of the documentary's on the Military channel it stated that the numbers were after the delta formation and they completed their "Thunderbird Training"