Stephen Del Bagno, of Valencia, California, was an experienced pilot in his first season with the Thunderbirds, according to his biography on the squadron’s official website. He was the squadron’s slot pilot and flew its No. 4 jet.
Del Bagno graduated from Utah Valley State University in 2005 and got his commission when he graduated from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in 2007.
He served as an F-35A evaluator pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation with the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida before joining the Thunderbirds. He also was a civilian flight instructor, corporate pilot, skywriter and a banner tow pilot before joining the Air Force.
The Thunderbirds website said Del Bagno had more than 3,500 total flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including 1,400 hours as an Air Force pilot.
Del Bagno, whose call sign was Cajun, was the first F-35 pilot to serve on the Thunderbirds. June 2017 release announcing the newly-added members of the 2018 team. As the Thunderbirds’ slot pilot, Del Bagno flew in close formation, just behind the team’s No. 1 aircraft and between the lead aircraft’s two wingmen to create its signature diamond formation.
Stephen died during what the Air Force called a routine aerial demonstration training flight.
Del Bagno graduated from Utah Valley State University in 2005 and got his commission when he graduated from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in 2007.
He served as an F-35A evaluator pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation with the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida before joining the Thunderbirds. He also was a civilian flight instructor, corporate pilot, skywriter and a banner tow pilot before joining the Air Force.
The Thunderbirds website said Del Bagno had more than 3,500 total flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including 1,400 hours as an Air Force pilot.
Del Bagno, whose call sign was Cajun, was the first F-35 pilot to serve on the Thunderbirds. June 2017 release announcing the newly-added members of the 2018 team. As the Thunderbirds’ slot pilot, Del Bagno flew in close formation, just behind the team’s No. 1 aircraft and between the lead aircraft’s two wingmen to create its signature diamond formation.
Stephen died during what the Air Force called a routine aerial demonstration training flight.
Stephen Del Bagno, of Valencia, California, was an experienced pilot in his first season with the Thunderbirds, according to his biography on the squadron’s official website. He was the squadron’s slot pilot and flew its No. 4 jet.
Del Bagno graduated from Utah Valley State University in 2005 and got his commission when he graduated from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in 2007.
He served as an F-35A evaluator pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation with the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida before joining the Thunderbirds. He also was a civilian flight instructor, corporate pilot, skywriter and a banner tow pilot before joining the Air Force.
The Thunderbirds website said Del Bagno had more than 3,500 total flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including 1,400 hours as an Air Force pilot.
Del Bagno, whose call sign was Cajun, was the first F-35 pilot to serve on the Thunderbirds. June 2017 release announcing the newly-added members of the 2018 team. As the Thunderbirds’ slot pilot, Del Bagno flew in close formation, just behind the team’s No. 1 aircraft and between the lead aircraft’s two wingmen to create its signature diamond formation.
Stephen died during what the Air Force called a routine aerial demonstration training flight.
Del Bagno graduated from Utah Valley State University in 2005 and got his commission when he graduated from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama in 2007.
He served as an F-35A evaluator pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation with the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida before joining the Thunderbirds. He also was a civilian flight instructor, corporate pilot, skywriter and a banner tow pilot before joining the Air Force.
The Thunderbirds website said Del Bagno had more than 3,500 total flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including 1,400 hours as an Air Force pilot.
Del Bagno, whose call sign was Cajun, was the first F-35 pilot to serve on the Thunderbirds. June 2017 release announcing the newly-added members of the 2018 team. As the Thunderbirds’ slot pilot, Del Bagno flew in close formation, just behind the team’s No. 1 aircraft and between the lead aircraft’s two wingmen to create its signature diamond formation.
Stephen died during what the Air Force called a routine aerial demonstration training flight.
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