Brian Everstine

Storm flips F-16 in Davis-Monthan boneyard

By Brian Everstine on July 16, 2014 Air Force, Airframes, Photos

Severe winds Sunday caused a retired F-16 to briefly take to the air again at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, boneyard this week. Winds recorded at about 65 mph miles per hour hit the boneyard, where retired aircraft sit in storage, and flipped lightweight F-16 flipped onto another Falcon. The steel cable tie-downs that were used to secure the aircraft snapped due to the high winds. The jet had recently had its engine removed, which made it light enough to go airborne, according to a base news release. The base lost power at about 7 p.m. Sunday night. Civil…

Thunderbirds fly over the 2014 MLB All Star Game

By Brian Everstine on July 16, 2014 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Sports, Video

The Thunderbirds returned to the Major League Baseball All Star Game in Minneapolis last night, after missing last year’s midsummer classic. Twin Cities station KFAN posted this time lapse video, which included the national anthem and the flyover demonstration before the game. Last year, the demonstration team did not perform in New York City because of limits on flight hours due to sequestration.

From Jet to Jet- Being the USAF Thunderbirds Official Photographer from Jaron Schneider on Vimeo.

Being the official photographer for the Thunderbirds

By Brian Everstine on July 9, 2014 Air Force, Video

Videographer Jaron Schneider posted this video telling the story of Staff Sgt. Larry Reid, Jr. Reid is the official photographer for the Thunderbirds. Reid is one of two photographers for the team, responsible for taking some of the crazy photographs that depict the official demonstration team in action. In the video, he describes how he uses his gear in the back of an F-16D to get the photos. The Thunderbirds are in the middle of their demonstration season. Here’s the schedule.

Airman disguises himself as catcher, surprises son at baseball game

By Brian Everstine on June 26, 2014 Air Force, Homecoming, Video

Maj. Robert Sides had a surprise in store for his son earlier this week at Kauffmann Stadium in Kansas City. His son, Austin, was selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Sides put on a uniform and full catcher’s gear to catch the ball, and then surprised his son. “I almost lost it myself. I grew up a pitcher, throwing with my dad and to be able to do this with my son after being gone all year, Facetime only goes so far. You need the contact and I miss that so much,” Sides said, according to Cut4. Sides…

Afghan Air Force completes first C-130 mission

By Brian Everstine on June 19, 2014 Afghanistan, Air Force, Video

A group of six pilots and loadmasters with the Afghan Air Force flew the first C-130 mission by an all Afghan aircrew this week. On June 16, the aircrew flew cargo, 120 personnel and two casualty evacuation patients from Kabul to Kandahar and back. “With the use of the C-130, we have the ability to do so much more,” Afghan Air Force 1st Lt. Khail Shinwar, C-130 Hercules pilot, said in a news release on the mission. “We’ve supported the elections, our Afghan National Army soldiers, senior leadership and transport the injured on CASEVAC missions with this aircraft.” Air Force…

Inside the hat toss, fly over at the USAFA graduation

By Brian Everstine on May 30, 2014 Air Force, Air Force Academy, Video

YouTube user Joe Cole uploaded this video today from inside the Air Force graduation, providing an awesome glimpse at the singing of the Air Force song, the famous hat toss and the Thunderbirds flyover. If you missed it, Vice President Joe Biden spoke to the class of 2014, telling the new officers they need to adapt to the changing military.

Border Collie protects MacDill from pesky birds

By Brian Everstine on May 22, 2014 Air Force, Air Mobility Command, Uncategorized, Video

NBC News has the story of Sonic, the trusty Border Collie assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., to protect the base’s aircraft from flocks of birds. The rescue dog patrols the flight line every day chasing birds. The base does use cannons, but those can be predictable and birds get used to them, Sonic’s trainer Lindsey Garven told NBC. “I’m basically the chauffeur, and when I find the birds … I get as close as possible to them … and she goes after them,” Garven said. Check out the video to see Sonic in action.

Airman catches Pujols’ 500th homer, gives it right back

By Brian Everstine on April 23, 2014 Air Force, Sports

Staff Sgt. Tom Sherrill caught a piece of baseball history last night, and decided to give it back without asking for anything in return. Sherrill, a native of Pomona, Calif., caught a homer run ball off the bat of Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols on Tuesday night at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. The homer was historic, the 500th hit by Albert Pujols. It would have gone for thousands, but Sherrill said he wanted to just give it back to Pujols. “I’ll take whatever they want to give me, but I’m not going to be picky. I just…

The summer blockbuster: Budget battles over the A-10

By Brian Everstine on April 11, 2014 Air Force, Airframes, budget cuts, Uncategorized, Video

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/91663177] Hangar 30, a video production firm that specializes in work for the Defense Department, just released this “trailer” on the A-10 budget battles in Congress, asking the question: Will Bacon be Fried? The latest on the fight: A group of lawmakers this week vowed to craft amendments to the defense authorization bill to prevent the Air Force from cutting the Warthog.

Army chief expresses support for Air Force’s A-10 retirement plans

By Brian Everstine on April 3, 2014 Air Force, Airframes, Politics, Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3ilJg5xZC4 A common argument from A-10 supporters is that it is far and away the preferred close air support platform for troops on the ground, but the top soldier said today that the Army would be OK without the Warthog having its back. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno told lawmakers today that while the Army did not make a recommendation to retire the A-10, the Air Force has worked with the service to ensure that the best close air support will be provided. The Air Force, in its fiscal 2015 budget request, is proposing retirement of the entire…

Author Brian Everstine