@ Santa Rosa, CA
September 2018
It is not very common to see Thunderbolts at airshows, so it was a treat to see one at the 2018 Wings Over Wine Country airshow. Although this Thunderbolt wears the paint scheme and markings of 56th Fighter Group ace Walker M. “Bud” Mahurin, in reality this aircraft spent its wartime years in fighter training roles here in the States. It was acquired by Ed Maloney in 1952 for his envisioned museum collection. First flown in 1941, more than 15,600 aircraft were produced, serving in active duty until 1953.