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Thunder Over Louisville 2014 Schedule

We’re almost there! Thunder Over Louisville 2014 begins in just a few short hours. Want to know what’s planned?

Photo of Thunder Over Louisville
There’s always so much excitement with this year’s Thunder Over Louisville 2014. Photo: Solomon J Parker

We start with the Airshow at 3 and it takes off from there! Get it? Takes off??

Here’s the full schedule with all the details from the official site. Have a great day Louisville!

  • 3:00-3:08 Opening Ceremonies with the Kentucky Air National Guard Special Tactics Squadron Parachute Jumpers.
  • 3:08-4:08 The Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron returns to the air show after federal government budget issues prevented them from flying in 2013.
  • 4:08-4:11 C-130 Hercules Kentucky Air National Guard tribute: The Hercules, which can reach 374 mph, is the prime means for dropping troops and equipment into hostile areas.
  • 4:11-4:19 Canadian Hawks CT-155. Each of the two planes is a British single-engine and a two-seat advanced weapons trainer and versions designed for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
  • 4:19-4:31 Matt Younkin, Twin Beech 18. This plane, built in 1943, was first used by the United States Army Air Corps.
  • 4:31-4:51 The Lima Lima Flight Team: The team flies sophisticated formations in six early A model T-34 Mentor aircraft that were used by the U.S. Navy and Air Force for primary training in the 1940s.
  • 4:51-5:01 Jay “Flash” Gordon, L39 Albatros: The Albatros is a Czechoslovakian-built ex-Russian Air Force aircraft built in 1983 and restored and painted in colors of the Royal Thai Air Force.
  • 5:01-5:11 German C-160: The Transall C-160 military transport aircraft developed by Transall, an association of French and German aircraft manufacturers, features turboprop engines, a high-mounted wing and an upswept tail above a rear-access ramp leading to a large-volume cargo hold that was used to transport troops and freight.
  • 5:11-5:26 Trojan Horsemen T-28: The team flies six T-28 aircraft, also called the Trojan, which has a frameless canopy and a Wright R-1300 engine.
  • 5:26-5:41 AceMaker T-33: The T-33 Lockheed Shooting Star was America’s first operational jet fighter and trainer with a routine featuring vertical rolls.
  • 5:49-5:59 Cliff Robinson, PT-17: Robinson of Madison, Ind., owns this modified Stearman PT17 bi-plane, from those manufactured in the 1930s and ’40s.
  • 5:59-6:11 Team AeroDynamix RV Custom: This team flies 11 RV-Series custom-built aircraft with fixed wings that can attain speeds in excess of 230 mph. Each plane has its own paint scheme.
  • 6:11-6:21 Billy Werth, Pitts S2C: Werth flies corkscrews, spins and tumbles in a Pitts bi-plane that sports a red-white-and-blue design with stars on the wings and has a top speed of 212 mph.
  • 6:21-6:33 Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team: The crew flies the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft and made its last Thunder performance in 2012.
  • 6:33-18:43 John Klatt, MXS: Klatt maneuvers his MXS, a carbon fiber, two-seat tandem sport aircraft, through a series aerobatics.
  • 6:43-7:03 Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team
  • 7:03-7:13 Air Force Heritage Flight Program: Featuring the F-22 Raptor, the P-47 Thunderbolt and the P-51 Mustang aircraft, the performance combines state-of-the-art fighter aircraft in close formation with vintage fighter aircraft.
  • 7:13-7:23 UPS 767: United Parcel Service Inc. showcases its flagship Boeing 767, which in regular use can carry up to 24 package containers weighing a maximum of 132,000 pounds.
  • 7:23-7:33 Nick Coleman, Christen Eagle: Lt. Col. Nick Coleman of the Kentucky Air National Guard flies.
  • 7:33-7:43 Red Star, Yak-52: The Red Star team flies its formation aerobatics with seven Yakovlev or Yak-52s, which were designed in the USSR, manufactured in Romania and used as a primary trainer by both. The team is made up of former military pilots now living in Louisville with many working for UPS.
  • 7:43-7:53 Lee Leet, A-29 Super Tucano: Leet flies this two-seat turboprop basic trainer used by the Royal Air Force, an aircraft often used for training fast-jet pilots in all aspects of military flying.
  • 7:53-8:03 Trojan Horsemen T-28
  • 8:03-8:23 The barges for the fireworks show move into position.
  • 8:23-8:35 AceMaker T-33
  • 8:35-8:47 Team AeroDynamix RV Custom
  • 8:47-8:57 Lima Lima T-34
  • 8:57-9:07Matt Younkin, Twin Beech 18
  • 9:07-9:17 p.m. The flying of the American flags.
  • 9:17-9:29: Bill Leff, T-34: Left flies his “Texan,” one of the most widely used advanced trainers for U.S. Army Air Force pilots during WW II and the Korean Conflict, for his Starfire Night Skyshow. It features special computer-controlled lighting and firework effects on the plane.
  • 9:30: Fireworks begin!
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