McConnell Reservists keep Thunderbirds flying
Lt. Col. Christopher Hammond, commander/leader of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird Demonstration Squadron, maneuvers his F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to close in on the refueling boom of a KC-135 Stratotanker from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., May 21, 2015. The KC-135 was one of two McConnell tankers providing cross-country air refueling support for the Thunderbirds. The KC-135 aircrews, all Air Force Reservists from the 931st Air Refueling Group, provided several air refuelings for the Thunderbirds, taking them from Nellis AFB, Nev., to Long Island MacArthur Airport, Islip, N.Y., ensuring the demonstration team made it to their May 23 flight demonstration at the Jones Beach Air Show in Wantagh, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Zach Anderson)