This is a picture presented to my father by the USAF Thunderbirds in 1966.  The Thunderbird's support equipment and ground support personnel were usually transported to their performance locations by USAF line transport aircraft, using line crews.  At the time, Dad was a navigator on a C-130 E, stationed at Dyess AFB in Abilene, Texas with the 347th Troop Carrier Squadron, of the 516th Troop Carrier Wing.  He was picked as part of  a first string crew to fly as part of the support crew for the Thunderbirds-a really choice assignment!  After they toured several stops on the United States East coast and the Bahamas, all of the crew members were presented with these appreciation pictures.  The aircraft on display at Wright-Patterson is the far upper left in this picture- number six.

For those who may not know, the black tail on #4 was a point of pride for these Thunderbirds.  The tail is painted just like the other five aircraft.  However, it is soot covered from the exhaust of #1, due to flying in such tight formation.  I have heard that the way to start a fight was to try and wash his tail!
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