THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN 2025

michael luther · **Posted:** Mon Jul 29, 2024 12:47 am

All,

The dates for the 2025 THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN Air Show will be June 21st & 22nd.
The theme will be "Avenger Awesomeness".

More to come soon!

https://thunderovermichigan.org/

michael luther · **Posted:** Sun Aug 11, 2024 11:18 pm

All,

The theme for the 2025 THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN Air Show will be "Avenger Awesomeness".

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Mon Aug 12, 2024 12:04 pm

I think the marketing dept could have probably come up with a better name than that.

Avengers Assemble (This is the obvious one to me)
Assemblage of Avengers
Meeting of the Avengers
Torpedo Bomber Gathering (Include other USN types that could carry a torpedo i.e. PBY, PBJ, C-1?, Guardian?, etc.)
Grumman Gathering (Open it up to all Grumman and under license built birds)

kalamazookid · **Posted:** Mon Aug 12, 2024 8:46 pm

I find it a little odd they're a doing a theme that is already done annually, for free in Peru, IL. They even do a night run/glow that doesn't require hundreds of dollars of special photo tour tickets. Maybe Thunder will do something differently with the Avengers or get some different airframes. The last Avenger gathering TOM did is still the most TBMs I've seen in one place. However, we'll stick with Peru.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7877

Warbird Kid wrote:

I think the marketing dept could have probably come up with a better name than that.

Avengers Assemble (This is the obvious one to me)
Assemblage of Avengers
Meeting of the Avengers
Torpedo Bomber Gathering (Include other USN types that could carry a torpedo i.e. PBY, PBJ, C-1?, Guardian?, etc.)
Grumman Gathering (Open it up to all Grumman and under license built birds)

Titillating Turkeys Retreat?!!!

michael luther · **Posted:** Mon Aug 12, 2024 11:30 pm

We are very excited to announce,

The theme aircraft for the 2025 THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN Air Show will be the TBF Avenger!

GRNDP51 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:34 pm **Posts:** 516

Just over 2 decades ago the first TBF/TBM Avenger Gathering was held at TOM. Here are the 12 airframes that attended and their current status -

N4170A / Flying / Christopher Johnson (stays at the National Museum of WWII Aviation), CO
N420GP / Flying / Tri-State Warbird Museum, OH
N5264V / Flying / Commemorative Air Force (Missouri Wing), MO
N53503 / Flying / Commemorative Air Force (Rocky Mountain Wing), CO
N683G / Flying / Tom Buck, IL
N7030C / Flying / Military Aviation Museum (Gerald "Jerry" Yagen), VA
N7226C / Flying / Mid America Flight Museum (Scott Glover), TX
N86280 / Flying / Cavanaugh Flight Museum, TX
N9584Z / Flying / The Hangar at 743 (Dave Prescott), NY
N9586Z / Flying / American Airpower Museum (Jeff Clyman), NY
Bu 53337 (ex-N337GA) / Flying (?) / Still overseas?
N188TD - Destroyed in 2009

Definitely going to see some returning airframes along with plenty of new ones!

lucky52 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2024 9:41 am

Did that TBM Avenger that ditched in the shallow water at the Sun and Fun Airshow in 2021 get restored yet?

GRNDP51 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:34 pm **Posts:** 516

lucky52 wrote:

Did that TBM Avenger that ditched in the shallow water at the Sun and Fun Airshow in 2021 get restored yet?

I think I recall someone purchased it and will be making it a static display.

Thomas_Mac · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2024 11:03 am

GRNDP51 wrote:

lucky52 wrote:

Did that TBM Avenger that ditched in the shallow water at the Sun and Fun Airshow in 2021 get restored yet?

I think I recall someone purchased it and will be making it a static display.

Castle Air Museum

marine air · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2024 11:31 am

It's interesting how many airframes are listed as "flying" on Wikipedia, WIX and elsewhere. It would be nice to add another term, say "Parked" or "Completed" as a description. For example, the actual amount of aircraft that are maintained and in annual is maybe, less than half the airframes still flying. Many of the airframes listed as flying, for example, Yanks Air museum, Kalamazoo Air Museum and Fantasy of Flight haven't flown in decades.
"Parked" would mean it actually was flying and in annual until the owner decided to not fly it for a while, or ever again. The Yanks Air Museum YP-47M is listed as flying although it's unknown if it ever flew post restoration and hasn't flown in 40 to 50 years. The EAA P-38 was flown into the airport, then restored 100% but never flown post restoration. This is an example of "Completed." Certainly not airworthy after sitting 25 years.

GRNDP51 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:34 pm **Posts:** 516

marine air wrote:

It's interesting how many airframes are listed as "flying" on Wikipedia, WIX and elsewhere. It would be nice to add another term, say "Parked" or "Completed" as a description. For example, the actual amount of aircraft that are maintained and in annual is maybe, less than half the airframes still flying. Many of the airframes listed as flying, for example, Yanks Air museum, Kalamazoo Air Museum and Fantasy of Flight haven't flown in decades.
"Parked" would mean it actually was flying and in annual until the owner decided to not fly it for a while, or ever again. The Yanks Air Museum YP-47M is listed as flying although it's unknown if it ever flew post restoration and hasn't flown in 40 to 50 years. The EAA P-38 was flown into the airport, then restored 100% but never flown post restoration. This is an example of "Completed." Certainly not airworthy after sitting 25 years.

The "airworthy" list here is always my starting point. Out of the 32 on that list (in the U.S.), Michael and I have come up with about 20 actively flying - doesn't mean they will be willing to attend however. 6-8 or so others aren't currently flying (or are for sale), and could be on the potential to attend list by the time TOM is here. The rest are in the highly unlikely to be actively flying by next year category.

There's also CWH's that is waiting airworthiness certification, and Justin Zabel's N88JZ (ex-Lauridsen) that is under restoration.

JohnB · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2024 6:59 pm

If you use one of the Avengers name, Marvel comics/Disney may want a cut.

Are any of the fire bombing configured aircraft still flying?

GRNDP51 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:34 pm **Posts:** 516

JohnB wrote:

Are any of the fire bombing configured aircraft still flying?

N145WB

michael luther · **Posted:** Sat Aug 17, 2024 6:39 pm

First 2025 participant,

Brad Deckert's TBM-3E Avenger! :wink:

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THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN 2025

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