- One-of-a-kind 2014 Ford Mustang design inspired by 60th anniversary of acclaimed U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to be sold at charity auction Aug. 1 at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis.
- Sale will benefit the EAA Young Eagles organization: Ford auction vehicles have collectively raised nearly $2 million in recent years to support Young Eagles
- This one-of-a-kind car is VIN 0001 of the 2014 model year and boasts unique body treatments above and below the vehicle
The engineering and design
teams at Ford Motor Company have produced a unique U.S. Air Force
Thunderbirds Edition 2014 Ford Mustang GT. This car will be donated by
Ford to be sold at the Gathering of Eagles charity event on Thursday,
Aug. 1 during the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture
Oshkosh 2013 – the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.
All proceeds from the car donation and sale will benefit the EAA
Young Eagles program, which has provided free introductory flights to
more than 1.6 million young people since 1992, helping inspire and
motivate the next generation of leaders, aviators and innovators.
Ford is the exclusive automotive sponsor of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh,
held July 29 through Aug. 4 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh,
Wis.
“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.
“Through this project,” Ford added, “we take great pride in continuing our support for EAA and the Young Eagles organization.”
This unique U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Ford Mustang GT celebrates and commemorates the 60th
anniversary of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the fastest, multi-jet
flight demonstration team in the world. Thunderbirds fly the F-16
Falcon, known for its glossy red, white and blue paint scheme.
This one-of-a-kind car is VIN 0001. The design of the modified 2014
Mustang GT 5.0-liter glass-roof coupe exudes a creative connection to
the Thunderbirds, with a contemporary flair for the serious collector.
The exterior will showcase a custom brilliant white paint with red
and blue accents, as well as markings and logos, tying it to the
Thunderbirds’ F-16 Falcon aircraft. The unique treatment includes wide
body modifications and a handcrafted and painted “belly pan” that
emulates the F-16 Thunderbird appearance. TS Designs handcrafted the
front and rear wide body elements, Creations n’ Chrome crafted the
unique belly pan – plus applied the paint and markings – and Forgiato
created custom 22-inch wheels to further differentiate this Mustang from
anything else on the road.
Unique interior details of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition
Ford Mustang GT include a modified navigation screen, instrument cluster
and rear seat-delete. The car’s Recaro® seats include
embroidered Thunderbirds elements. Additional features include unique
sill plates and puddle lamps that project the aircraft silhouette when
the doors open.
Ford Racing components will boost the performance to an
extraordinary level. With the addition of a Ford Racing supercharger,
suspension handling pack and Brembo® brakes, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition Mustang will exude class, power and performance.
Ford Design Manager Melvin Betancourt and Mustang Chief Nameplate
Engineer Dave Pericak led the design and engineering teams that
developed the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition Mustang GT.
The Young Eagles auction is part of the EAA Gathering of Eagles
gala. The Gathering of Eagles annually draws more than 1,000 aviation
enthusiasts in support of Young Eagles and other EAA programs that
inspire young people to become engineers, aviators, astronauts,
scientists and innovators – the aviation pioneers of tomorrow.
“Ford is a longtime, committed sponsor of EAA and AirVenture,
bringing value to those who make Oshkosh the pinnacle of their aviation
year,” said Jack Pelton, EAA Chairman. “These specialty vehicles reflect
the depth of Ford’s commitment and allow EAA to provide support to its
valuable programs and dedicated members in helping us grow the next
generation of aviators.”
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Edition joins five other
one-of-a-kind Mustangs created by the Ford design and engineering teams
for the EAA Young Eagles auction in recent years, each generating
excitement among aviation and automotive enthusiasts alike. Ford
vehicles sold at auction during past EAA AirVenture events have
collectively raised nearly $1.9 million to support Young Eagles.
The unique vehicles produced by Ford in support of EAA Young Eagles
include the Mustang AV8R, with cues from the F-22 “Raptor,” which in
2008 helped introduce the glass-roof canopy and delivered a record
auction contribution of $500,000. In 2009 Ford’s AV-X10 “Dearborn Doll”
Mustang was crafted in honor of World War II aircraft. In 2010 two
automotive icons – the late Carroll Shelby, a former U.S. Air Force
flight instructor, and Jack Roush, longtime P-51 pilot – collaborated
for the first time to create the SR-71 “Blackbird” Mustang inspired by
the legendary reconnaissance jet. The “Blue Angels” Mustang in 2011
celebrated 100 years of United States naval aviation, and last year’s
“Red Tails” Mustang paid homage to the Tuskegee Airmen, the courageous
squadron of P-51 Mustang pilots who were the United States’ first
African American military airmen.
During EAA AirVenture, Ford will offer attendees access to the
latest advances in automobile technology and feature exciting
attractions and fan favorites at the Ford Hangar on the grounds of
Wittman Regional Airport. Ford activities include top-tier entertainment
and interactive components that will add excitement for the hundreds of
thousands of aviation fans in attendance.
Article and image courtesy of Ford.
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