To pay homage to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird jet team, Ford Motor Company has introduced a unique U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition 2014 Ford Mustang GT. The one-of-a-kind Mustang will be donated and sold at the Gathering of Eagles charity event Aug. 1 during the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh 2013, with all proceeds benefiting the EAA Young Eagles program, which has provided free introductory flights to more than 1.6 million young people since 1992.
Ford’s one-of-a-kind car for the occasion is VIN 0001 and it features the design of the modified 2014 Mustang GT 5.0-liter glass-roof coupe with a creative nod to the Thunderbirds. The GT features white paint with red and blue accents with markings and logos tying it to Thunderbirds’ F-16 Falcon aircraft. Wide body modifications and a handcrafted and painted “belly pan” to resemble the F-16 Thunderbird appearance are among the other highlights. TS Designs handcrafted the front and rear wide body elements, while Creations n’ Chrome crafted the unique belly pan – plus applied the paint and markings – and Forgiato created custom 22-inch wheels.
The Mustang GT honors the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the fastest, multi-jet flight demonstration team in the world, which fly the F-16 Falcon that is known for its glossy red, white and blue paint scheme.
“The dedication and excellence displayed by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds are qualities we also celebrate at Ford,” said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors. “With this year’s beautiful U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition Mustang, we’ve captured the recognizable symbols of their stature and paired it with the innovation our Ford design and engineering teams build into all of our products.”
Photo Credit: Ford
