USAF Thunderbirds Land in Duluth Ahead of Airshow

The 15th Duluth Airshow will be headlined by the Thunderbirds this weekend

DULUTH, Minn. — The United States Air Force Thunderbirds have landed in Duluth ahead of the big air show this weekend.

The 15th Duluth Airshow is just about ready for take off. This weekend’s headliner, The Thunderbirds, includes eight pilots who will demonstrate the speed and accuracy of their F-16 Fighting Falcon jets. Major Jeffrey Downie — call sign “Simmer” — is one of two solo Thunderbirds pilots. He hasn’t been a part of the Duluth Airshow before, but he says he has lots of extended family from Minnesota. He’s also looking forward to potentially inspiring future Thunderbirds.

“We have a ‘recruit and retain’ mission,” Downie said. “However, you can’t get people to join the air force or the military or to serve something greater than themselves without inspiring them. So, for us, the really fun part is you get to see that little kid in the crowd that weekend that gets to see a pilot coming out of the jet and say ‘hey, maybe I can do that one day.’ That’s really what gets us going at the end of the day.”

This year’s show is focusing on educating and inspiring the next generation. The Airshow will have several exhibits, including NASA’s ‘Journey to Tomorrow.’ Plus, DoUwnie and the Thunderbirds are planning to visit some local classrooms, according to one of the airshow’s public relations managers, Jason Rolfe.

“It’s great the have the U.S. Thunderbirds back this year, a part of the airshow,” said Rolfe. “This is the only airshow in the state of Minnesota happening in 2024. It’s one of the largest events north of the Twin Cities. We’re just super excited to have the U.S. Thunderbirds and all the demonstration teams.”

The planes take off tomorrow for practice, but the real show is Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 9 a.m. Flying is expected around 11 a.m.