Exclusive Video: Behind the Scenes of That Amazing Thunderbird Ejection/Crash Photo

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A dramatic photograph of Capt. Chris Stricklin ejecting from a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16, initially thought to be fake, was confirmed real and captured by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III.
  • AVweb created an original video that explores the circumstances of this accident, combining still photos, in-cockpit, and outside footage.
  • The video includes narration detailing the investigation's findings and the subsequent procedural changes implemented for the Thunderbirds.
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When we first saw the photo of Capt. Chris Stricklin’s ejection from a doomed U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 a few years ago, most of us here at AVweb thought it was a fake. But the more we looked at it, the more it seemed possible that someone had actually snapped Stricklin’s moment of truth in what must be one of the greatest aviation photos ever shot. Well, it wasn’t long before we learned that Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III had actually captured the drama at an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

In this week’s AVweb original video, Video Editor Glenn Pew looks at the circumstances surrounding the dramatic accident – combining still photos, in-cockpit and outside-of-cockpit video, and narration including the investigation’s findings and changes in procedure for the T-birds.


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Related Content:
Thunderbirds Crash: Truth in Images

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