Air Force Thunderbirds schooled on the Wright Brothers way in Dayton

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds arrived at the Dayton International Airport on Monday in preparation for the upcoming Vectren Dayton Air Show. TY GREENLEES / STAFF

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds arrived at the Dayton International Airport on Monday in preparation for the upcoming Vectren Dayton Air Show. TY GREENLEES / STAFF

The Air Force Thunderbirds bowed out of the cockpit for two days to explore the origins of aviation in the Dayton region on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Thunderbirds will be the headline act at Vectren Dayton Air Show this Saturday and Sunday. Flying F-16 fighter jets, the team streaked into Dayton International Airport on Monday, days earlier than normal at a show site.

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The extra time gave the National Aviation Heritage Alliance the opportunity to organize the tour of historic locales.

“This is the first opportunity we’ve had to give a heritage tour to one of the military jet teams,” said Timothy Gaffney, a NAHA spokesman.

Members of the team visited the National Park Service’s Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center and Wright Cycle Co. in Dayton, a parachute museum, the Wright Brothers Aviation Center at Carillon Historical Park, Hawthorn Hill, the Wright family mansion in Oakwood, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the National Aviation Hall of Fame, tour organizers said.

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About 30 members of the team took turns flying in the twin-engine B-25 “Champaign Gal” on Wednesday afternoon at Grimes Field in Urbana.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

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