Thunderbirds 2025 Cast List: Who's In And Who Got Cut?
Thunderbirds 2025 cast list
The Thunderbirds 2025 cast list for the documentary Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds is short and focused: the publicly listed on-screen names are Vin Thoroughman and Rob Reider, both credited as themselves. A separate July 2025 team announcement also introduced four new Thunderbird officers for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, which is likely why some fans think a "shock name" is attached to the 2025 coverage.
What the 2025 release includes
Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds is a 2025 documentary rather than a scripted drama, so the cast is not a long ensemble of actors playing fictional roles. The available listing identifies only two on-screen participants in the film's cast section, while the broader Thunderbirds team news in 2025 centers on personnel changes within the U.S. Air Force demonstration squadron. That distinction matters because many searches for the Thunderbirds cast are actually looking for either the documentary credits or the air team lineup.
| Title | Type | Listed cast | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds | 2025 documentary | Vin Thoroughman, Rob Reider | On-screen participants credited as themselves |
| U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds | Military demonstration team | New officers announced July 9, 2025 | Operational team changes for future air show seasons |
Cast list published
The publicly surfaced documentary cast is extremely compact, which is unusual for a standard film page but normal for a behind-the-scenes or performance documentary. The two credited names are the only ones shown in the cast listing currently available: Vin Thoroughman as himself and Rob Reider as himself. Because the film is centered on a real-world elite flight unit, the "cast" is effectively the people appearing in the documentary rather than actors performing character roles.
- Vin Thoroughman - credited as himself.
- Rob Reider - credited as himself.
- No additional credited screen performers were shown in the available cast listing.
- The film is presented as a 2025 documentary about the Thunderbirds, not a fictional reboot.
Why fans noticed a shock
The "one name shocks fans" angle appears to come from the July 2025 Thunderbirds personnel announcement, not from a celebrity casting reveal in the documentary. That announcement named four new officers joining the team for the 2026 and 2027 seasons: Major Samuel "RaZZ" Larson, Major Megan "CASTRO" Berberich, Captain Susan "Fuego" McLeod, and Captain Hannah Durbin. It also said Lieutenant Colonel Daniel "Rage" Trueblood would assume command at the end of the 2025 air show season, replacing Colonel Nathan "Sheik" Malafa.
"The newly selected officers will remain at their current duty stations until officially joining the Thunderbirds this fall," the 2025 announcement said, underscoring that the changes were about future team staffing rather than film casting.
Timeline
The clearest way to read the 2025 Thunderbirds headlines is as a timeline: first, the documentary credit page surfaced with two names; later, the Air Force team announced incoming officers for future seasons. This is why search results can look mixed, even though they refer to different versions of "cast." In practical terms, the documentary cast list is minimal, while the operational Thunderbirds roster changes are much broader and more newsworthy.
- 2025 documentary listing appears with Vin Thoroughman and Rob Reider credited as themselves.
- July 9, 2025 team update announces four new officers for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
- Later 2025 leadership transition confirms Daniel "Rage" Trueblood will take command after the season ends.
Historical context
The Thunderbirds have long been one of the most visible military demonstration teams in the United States, so any change in personnel draws attention well beyond aviation circles. That visibility helps explain why a simple cast query can turn into a bigger news moment, especially when a documentary and an official squadron announcement happen in the same year. The 2025 coverage also fits a pattern where public interest spikes whenever there is a leadership handoff or a new season lineup.
For viewers who remember earlier Thunderbirds-related screen projects, the 2025 documentary is different from the older Thunderbirds franchise adaptations that used actors, voice casts, or puppetry-based characters. The 2025 title is grounded in real service members and real flight operations, which is why the casting footprint is limited and factual rather than star-driven. That structure also explains why the most notable names are not celebrity actors but officers and pilots associated with the squadron.
Key names to know
If you are looking for the names most likely to matter in a search result or news summary, these are the ones to keep in view. The documentary list is short, while the team announcement contains the personnel names that created most of the buzz. In other words, the "cast" question and the "shock name" question are related, but they are not the same story.
| Name | Connection | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Vin Thoroughman | Documentary participant | Credited in the 2025 film cast |
| Rob Reider | Documentary participant | Credited in the 2025 film cast |
| Daniel "Rage" Trueblood | Future Thunderbirds commander | Leadership change after the 2025 season |
| Samuel "RaZZ" Larson | Thunderbird 8 | One of four new officers named in July 2025 |
| Megan "CASTRO" Berberich | Thunderbird 9 | One of four new officers named in July 2025 |
| Susan "Fuego" McLeod | Thunderbird 11 | One of four new officers named in July 2025 |
| Hannah Durbin | Thunderbird 12 | One of four new officers named in July 2025 |
What readers should take away
The simplest answer is that the Thunderbirds 2025 cast list publicly shows only Vin Thoroughman and Rob Reider as themselves. The bigger news in 2025 is the Thunderbirds squadron's officer reshuffle, including a new commander and four newly selected officers for future seasons. If a headline promises a shocking cast name, it is most likely referring to the team announcement rather than a large film ensemble.
What are the most common questions about Thunderbirds 2025 Cast List Whos In And Who Got Cut?
Is Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds a movie or a series?
It is a 2025 documentary film focused on the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, not a fictional scripted series. The cast listing is therefore limited to the real people appearing in the documentary.
Who is in the 2025 Thunderbirds cast?
The available cast listing names Vin Thoroughman and Rob Reider, both credited as themselves. No larger screen cast list was shown in the public listing used here.
Why do some headlines mention a shocking name?
That phrasing most likely refers to the July 2025 officer announcement for the Thunderbirds team. The names that drew attention were new squadron officers and the incoming commander, not celebrity actors.
Are these the same Thunderbirds as the classic TV show?
No. The 2025 coverage here is about the U.S. Air Force demonstration team and its documentary, not the fictional Thunderbirds television franchise.