Members of the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, train at Nellis Air Force Base Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013.
Monday, March 4, 2019 | 2 a.m.
The Thunderbirds air demonstration team will fly over Hollywood today to mark this week’s opening of the “Captain Marvel” movie, according to the team’s website.
The flyover this afternoon will feature six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets out of Nellis Air Force Base near North Las Vegas.
The film, which opens Friday, follows the story of Capt. Carol Danvers, an Air Force fighter pilot who goes on to become a powerful superhero.
“This flyover is a unique moment to honor the men and women serving in the armed forces who are represented in ‘Captain Marvel,’” said Lt. Col. John Caldwell, the Thunderbirds commander and flight leader.
The Thunderbirds have close ties to the film’s production, the team noted.
The flim’s star, Brie Larson, and director, Anna Boden, visited Nellis, and two Thunderbirds pilots advised the cast and crew on fighter pilot traditions and culture, the team said.
One of the advisers was Maj. Stephen “Cajun” Del Bagno of Valencia, Calif., who died in a training crash in April 2018, a week after consulting on the set.
“Executing this flyover is a fitting tribute to Cajun,” said Maj. Matt Kimmel, the Thunderbirds lead solo pilot, who also advised on the movie. “He lived to share his passion for aviation with everyone he met and always left you with a smile. We carry his legacy each day and can’t wait to make him proud by showing off his U.S. Air Force and his team in his backyard.”
