Dakota Thunder - Ellsworth AFB Air Show

From Dakota Thunder - Ellsworth AFB Air Show Website:

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Event planners announced that the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be the headline act for the base's airshow and open house Aug. 15 and 16, 2015.

"We are very happy to announce that the Air Force's premier demonstration team will highlight our two-day show this coming August," said Col. Kevin Kennedy, 28th Bomb Wing commander. "The aerial maneuvers executed by the team are a testament to the precision with which the Airmen across our Air Force perform each and every day."

The U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team will also be performing during the event. The team consists of demonstration and competition parachutist teams, drawn from U.S. Army paratroopers who have demonstrated excellence in their parachuting skills.

The August performance at Ellsworth will be the first time the Thunderbirds have performed at the base since 2009. The Golden Knights were among the performers in 2011.

In addition to aerial demonstrations by the Thunderbirds - and certainly the base's B-1 bomber - Kennedy added that airshow committee members will be hard at work coordinating to have static displays and ground acts that will give attendees an up-close look at a cross section of U.S. military aircraft and equipment.

"We look forward to our community partners and neighbors witnessing firsthand modern airpower in action with performances in the skies above Ellsworth. It will also be a tremendous opportunity to learn more about our base and our mission through numerous displays and activities," Kennedy said.

More details about the base's open house and airshow will be provided as additional acts and performers are confirmed.

In its 62nd season, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds is slated to perform 71 demonstrations at 39 locations. The team's first public flyover of 2015 will be at the opening of Super Bowl XLIX in Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 1. Assigned to Air Combat Command, the squadron is composed of nearly 130 Airmen serving in more than two dozen Air Force job specialties.

To learn more about the Thunderbirds, visit www.********.***.