Tulsa Air & Space Museum Launches "Give $16 for the F-16" Challenge to Bring Thunderbird Home for Veterans Day

Oct 8, 2026

TULSA, Okla. - Oct. 8, 2026 - PRLog -- The Tulsa Air & Space Museum is calling on the community to help bring a historic U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbird to Tulsa in time for Veterans Day, November 11, 2026, through an exciting fundraising campaign inspired by the aircraft itself: "Give $16 for the F-16!"

The challenge is simple: If 3,750 people donate just $16 each, the museum will reach its $60,000 fundraising goal!

Through Operation: Thunderbird, the museum hopes to transport the aircraft November 8–10, with its anticipated arrival on Veterans Day serving as a special tribute to America's veterans.

The $60,000 campaign will support two critical phases:
  • $30,000 — Disassembly, specialized truck transportation from Texas to Tulsa, and reassembly at the museum.
  • $30,000 — Engineering, construction, and installation of a stunning arched pedestal that will transform the Thunderbird into a dramatic landmark at the museum's entrance.

"There's something special about giving $16 to bring an F-16 home!" said Tonya Blansett, Executive Director of the Tulsa Air & Space Museum. "We wanted to create a challenge that everyone could be part of. We have a very short window to make this happen, and what better way to honor our veterans than to welcome this magnificent aircraft to Tulsa on Veterans Day?"

The aircraft, F-16C Fighting Falcon, Serial No. 86-0281, previously flew with the legendary U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds during the 2006 season.

Its permanent display will honor generations of Airmen of Tulsa's 138th Fighter Wing, who have flown and maintained the F-16 for more than three decades. The exhibit will also recognize Oklahoma astronaut William R. "Bill" Pogue, who served as a Thunderbird pilot before flying aboard NASA's Skylab 4 mission.

The museum extends its appreciation to the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), Congressman Kevin Hern's office, and Senator Armstrong's office for their assistance in acquiring this historic aircraft.

The countdown is on! With only weeks remaining before the planned transport, TASM encourages individuals, families, businesses, and veterans to become Operation: Thunderbird Partners by accepting the "Give $16 for the F-16" Challenge.

Whether donating $16, $160, $1,600, or any amount, every gift brings the Thunderbird closer to its new home.

GIVE $16 FOR THE F-16!

3,750 donors × $16 = $60,000


Donate today: https://www.tulsamuseum.org/OPERATION-THUNDERBIRD/

ABOUT THE TULSA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

The Tulsa Air & Space Museum preserves Oklahoma's aerospace heritage while inspiring future generations through historic aircraft, aviation and space exhibits, and hands-on STEM education.

Honoring the Past. Inspiring the Future.

Media Contact:
Tonya Blansett, Executive Director
[email protected]
918-834-9900

Contact
Tulsa Air and Space Museum
***@tulsamuseum.org
9188349900

Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)




Source: Tulsa Air and Space Museum

Read Full Story - Tulsa Air & Space Museum Launches "Give $16 for the F-16" Challenge to Bring Thunderbird Home for Veterans Day | More news from this source

Press release distribution by PRLog

More News

Hilton’s Tempo Will Make its European Debut in Munich, With a Rooftop Bar and Arena Next Door
Oct 10, 2026
Hilton’s Tempo Will Make its European Debut in Munich, With a Rooftop Bar and Arena Next Door

Hilton’s first Tempo lifestyle hotel in European oil will open in Munich, coinciding with the new Arena event zone planned near the airport. The post Hilton’s Tempo Will Make its European Debut in Munich, With a Rooftop Bar and Arena Next Door appeared first on Business Traveller.

Hilton’s Tempo Set For Europe Debut in Munich, with Rooftop Bar and Arena Next Door
Oct 10, 2026
Hilton’s Tempo Set For Europe Debut in Munich, with Rooftop Bar and Arena Next Door

Hilton’s lifestyle brand is expanding into Europe, with its 199-room property set to bring a rooftop bar, gym and café to Munich’s growing entertainment district near the airport. The post Hilton’s Tempo Set For Europe Debut in Munich, with Rooftop Bar and Arena Next Door appeared first on Business Traveller.

Hotel Review: Ark Shoreditch – Co-Working and Karaoke in East London
Oct 10, 2026
Hotel Review: Ark Shoreditch – Co-Working and Karaoke in East London

Recently opened serviced apartment property Ark Shoreditch brings trendy interiors, impressive entertainment facilities, and a brimming events calendar to East London's hospitality scene The post Hotel Review: Ark Shoreditch – Co-Working and Karaoke in East London appeared first on Business Traveller.

Nearly 80, Korean artist Kang Myonghi talks about ‘What Remains to be Seen’
Oct 10, 2026
Nearly 80, Korean artist Kang Myonghi talks about ‘What Remains to be Seen’

At nearly 80, South Korean artist Kang Myonghi retains the creative energy of her youth. She remains active in her studio, with her commitment to international projects undiminished. In recent months, she has visited Hong Kong twice to prepare for “What Remains to be Seen”, her first solo exhibition at a gallery in two years. The only pause in her working routine came during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Travel restrictions did little to stem her creative output, however. Being confined to Jeju...

Virgin Reveals First Image of Eurostar Challenger With Depot Deal Confirmed
Oct 10, 2026
Virgin Reveals First Image of Eurostar Challenger With Depot Deal Confirmed

Virgin reveals mock-up of new cross-Channel train and starts dropping hints about what passengers can expect onboard when its services to Europe commence in October of 2030 The post Virgin Reveals First Image of Eurostar Challenger With Depot Deal Confirmed appeared first on Business Traveller.

Meet singer Olivia O’Brien, who just called Pete Davidson ‘an absolute joke of a human being’
Oct 10, 2026
Meet singer Olivia O’Brien, who just called Pete Davidson ‘an absolute joke of a human being’

Amid online backlash over his recent comments on female influencers, Pete Davidson is getting called out by singer-songwriter Olivia O’Brien, who labelled the Saturday Night Live alum “an absolute joke of a human being”. During an interview with Variety, Davidson mocked influencers and said that he finds the career path “insane” and “lame”. The comedian went on to specifically target female influencers. “It’s bad, and it makes me sad, you know,” Davidson said in the interview. “And girls are...

Meet Primetime actor Skyler Gisondo, Ella Rubin’s rumoured boyfriend and viral meme star
Oct 10, 2026
Meet Primetime actor Skyler Gisondo, Ella Rubin’s rumoured boyfriend and viral meme star

Skyler Gisondo, who starred in A24’s psychological thriller Primetime alongside Robert Pattinson, is no stranger to viral fame. His 2015 red carpet photo became an internet meme, and recently he returned to the spotlight as the media speculates about his romantic life. Gisondo is rumoured to be dating Sterling Point’s Ella Rubin. The pair have been spotted attending events together since January 2024, when the 30-year-old actor accompanied Rubin to the premiere of her Apple TV miniseries...

Disney+ K-drama Between Steps: Kim So-hyun, Choo Young-woo in Ahn Pan-seok’s final romance
Oct 10, 2026
Disney+ K-drama Between Steps: Kim So-hyun, Choo Young-woo in Ahn Pan-seok’s final romance

Lead cast: Kim So-hyun, Choo Young-woo Latest Nielsen rating: 2.36 per cent Kim So-hyun (My Lovely Liar) and Choo Young-woo (The Tale of Lady Ok) share the screen in this university-set slice-of-life drama, which teases a slow-burn romance between two frustrated young adults trying to find their place in a society that does not always play by the rules. Between Steps is notably the final drama from veteran director Ahn Pan-seok, whose credits include the romance Something in the Rain and the...

Hotel Review: Conrad Athens The Ilisian – The Revival of a 60s Landmark
Oct 10, 2026
Hotel Review: Conrad Athens The Ilisian – The Revival of a 60s Landmark

The striking development gets a new lease of life for Athenians and modern travellers. The post Hotel Review: Conrad Athens The Ilisian – The Revival of a 60s Landmark appeared first on Business Traveller.

Bling Empire’s Dorothy Wang is back. This time, it’s her wedding, her rules
Oct 10, 2026
Bling Empire’s Dorothy Wang is back. This time, it’s her wedding, her rules

For Dorothy Wang, documenting her life is hardly new territory. After years of appearing on reality television, including Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, Bling Empire and Bling Empire: New York, the socialite-entrepreneur and heiress – her father Roger Wang is the billionaire founder of Chinese real estate company Golden Eagle International Group – has spent much of her adult life sharing her life with the public. But when she met lawyer Brandon Yankowitz through mutual friends in 2022, she found...

38 Travel Items That’ll Make Your Fall Trips Feel Soooo Much Easier
Oct 10, 2026
38 Travel Items That’ll Make Your Fall Trips Feel Soooo Much Easier

Stop stressing over Thanksgiving travel and start getting excited about your grandma's homemade pumpkin pie instead. View Entire Post ›

The Chinese emperor whose death sparked a mystery that remains unsolved 1,000 years on
Oct 10, 2026
The Chinese emperor whose death sparked a mystery that remains unsolved 1,000 years on

A human skull was carried into a Czech town in late September as part of the country’s observance of St Wenceslas Day, officially the day of Czech statehood. The public holiday honours Wenceslas, the 10th century ruler later venerated as the patron saint of the Czech lands and the “Good King Wenceslas” of the familiar Christmas carol. Wenceslas (Václav in Czech) was born around 907 and became ruler of Bohemia as a teenager. Raised as a Christian, he promoted Christianity – then relatively new to...

YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.

Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?

Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.