There are nine remaining Thunderbirds at Air Force bases in the United States and one is right here in the Valley.
Mike Jacobssen and Gary Younglove are two Texans on a mission that will
take them more than 7,000 miles. Monday, their tour stopped in Atwater.
The last time Mike Jacobssen climbed in the cockpit of one F-4 Phantom
Thunderbird jet was 1974, when the plane flew it's final mission.
"It takes your breath away to come back home to a good friend. I just
miss it and love this airplane very deeply. It is a wonderful airplane
and we had a lot of wonderful times in this airplane," says Mike
Jacobssen, referring to an F-4 Phantom jet in Atwater.
Jacobssen
and his friend, retired Colonel Gary Younglove, are riding their
motorcycles across the country to visit the nine remaining Phantom
Thunderbirds at Air Force bases from Florida to California.
"It
brings back a lot of memories that were very good," says retired Air
Force Colonel Gary Younglove. "My best assignment in the Air Force was
when I was with the Thunderbirds."
The Phantom was the first multi-service aircraft, flying missions with the U.S. Navy, the Air Force and the Marines.
Jacobssen served as the crew chief for the #6 Phantom Thunderbird in 1973 — the plane still bears his name.
Younglove got a chance to ride in all nine Thunderbirds. Atwater is the
eighth stop on his nationwide journey. He says the roar of his
motorcycle on the open road brings back memories of jet engines.
"It's a great sense of freedom. I have never had that feeling, except
for when I was flying it just wide open. When the weather is good, it
is just unmatchable."
While they leave one Thunderbird behind, on their way to the next, they will never forget #6.
Younglove and Jacobssen are headed to Battle Mountain, Nevada next, where they will visit the last Thunderbird.
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