Produced by Ryan Nothhaft
email: [email protected]
Website: www.blueangelphantoms.com
Twitter: @blueangelf4
Instagram: @blueangelphantoms

Steve Dwelle is a retired Air Force Colonel who served as the Thunderbird's only solo pilot from 1971 to 1972 while the team flew F4 Phantoms.

Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, Steve flew 189 combat missions in Vietnam while flying the F100 Super Sabre. He originally applied to the Navy but was rejected due to high blood pressure. Not wanting to join the Army through the Draft, Steve applied to the Air Force and was accepted in 1963. After competing his training, he served a 3 year tour in Europe before being called to Vietnam in 1968 where he was stationed at Tuy Hoa Air Force Base.

At the conclusion of his time on the Thunderbirds, Steve served two years in the US Senate as a liaison officer and several years as commanding officer of a fighter squadron in the Air Forces TOP GUN program called Red Flag.

Upon retiring in 1984 as a Colonel, he began an active role in Flyers Energy, LLC where he serves as CoFounder and Partner. Flyers Energy, LLC provides fueling and information management solutions to commercial, industrial, and government fleets.

Special thanks to Steve Dwelle who graciously accepted my invitation to interview him for this channel and share his amazing story.

Also special thanks to Russel Gann for sharing his father's (Harry Gann) photos of the 1971 Nellis Air Show, where the Thunderbirds hosted the Blue Angels for an end of year show. Harry was an honorary Blue Angel who spent over 25 years capturing unique perspectives of the team and preserving great memories for future generations.

1971 Air Force Thunderbirds Team:

#1 Lt. Col. Thomas Swalm
#2 Maj. Robert Jackson
#3 Maj. Joseph Howard
#4 Thomas Gibbs
#5 Steve Dwelle
Narrator: Jerry Bolt

1972 Air Force Thunderbirds Team

#1 Lt. Col. Thomas Swalm
#2 Maj. Nels Running
#3 Maj. Joseph Howard (Lost to an accident on June 4, 1972)
#4 Capt. Jerry Bolt (Lost to an accident on December 21, 1972)
#5 Steve Dwelle
Narrator: Maj. Michael Blaisdell