Thunderbirds to headline Selfridge air show

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — The skies over Lake St. Clair will come alive this summer as the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds flight team headlines the Open House and Air Show at Selfridge Air National Guard Base June 8-9.

Making their first Michigan stop of 2024, the Thunderbirds are the Air Force’s premier demonstration flight team. Appearing at numerous air shows throughout the United States with their F-16s, the Thunderbirds make flyover appearances at the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500. According to Senior Master Sgt. Craig Shipway, director of ground operations for the open house, the Thunderbirds will put on a more “comprehensive” performance than the F-22 Raptor demonstration that headlined the 2022 events.

“It’s six aircraft in total for about a 45-minute performance that’s going to consist of both their four-ship diamond formation and then their two-ship solo act, and then they will merge with that four-ship for a six-ship diamond formation,” Shipway said. “From there it’s going to be a number of precision demonstration maneuvers in front of the crowd.”

Getting the Air Force’s signature flight team required the open house planning team to get on a two-year waitlist, ultimately bringing the Thunderbirds back to Selfridge for the first time in seven years.

“Not every air show will get a headlining act like the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels, so we’re really fortunate to have that performing act headlining the show this year,” Shipway said.

The Thunderbirds will be joined by a number of other air acts including the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CF-18 demonstration team and the Misty Blues parachute team. Selfridge’s current Air National Guard planes, the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the KC-135 Stratotanker, will perform as well.

“The A-10 demonstration is either going to be two or four aircraft, but it’s going to be a demonstration of close air support,” Shipway said. “It will be low-flying A-10s coming in to simulate an attack run and also demonstrating how they perform combat search and rescue. And then our KC-135 will be a demonstration with a flyby for the crowd for them to really appreciate that aircraft and what it brings to our air power.”

Alongside the various aerial acts, activities and displays on the ground will keep showgoers entertained and educated. Historic and modern military vehicles representing all of Selfridge’s tenant organizations will be on display, including a KC-46A Pegasus tanker, a plane that will soon replace the KC-135 as the base’s in-flight refueling mission aircraft.

A STEAM Expo will promote science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education with support from the Air Force, NASA and several universities from around the Midwest. NASA will bring a trailer from the Glenn Research Center in Ohio as well as displays about the ongoing Artemis human spaceflight program, while the USAF’s mobile lab will feature interactive experiences based on the Air Force’s operations. Eastern Michigan University’s aviation program is expected to have a presence at the STEAM expo, while show planners are in discussions with similar programs at Purdue University and Western Michigan University to secure their presence at the show.

“The theme this year for the air show is ‘Innovation focused and STEAM driven,’” said Chief Master Sgt. Tim Huhtasaari, open house STEAM director. “We believe that STEAM education is essential for preparing the youth for the challenges of the 21st century. We want these events to be seen as an opportunity to showcase the positive impact that STEAM has on young people. It’s really our effort to get kids engaged with what we feel is the future of our country.”

Getting the open house set up has been a two-year endeavor, made all the more challenging by the fact the 2024 open house planning team is entirely new to the task. Securing acts and support required a lot of networking across military and civilian circles, with planners expressing gratitude toward the Macomb County Chamber and the Selfridge Base Community Council for their help.

“We are all very excited to see this actually begin,” Huhtasaari said. “It’s been a huge buildup and it’s been a struggle. Until very recently we’ve had a difficult time securing some of these acts and performers, mainly because many of these acts don’t plan out as far in advance as we were hoping to get commitments for. All of us are excited to see this show begin and I think it’s going to be a fantastic event.”

Admission to the Selfridge Air National Guard Base Open House is free with the event running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 8-9. As the event takes place at an airfield that is federal and military property, there are many items that attendees cannot bring including opaque bags, coolers, drones, balloons, alcohol, marijuana, weapons and toys resembling weapons, flammable liquids and explosives, laser pointers, non-service animals, glass containers and electronic communication devices such as walkie talkies, HAM radios and radio scanners.

For more information about the open house, visit teamselfridge.com.