The Frecce Tricolori, the aerobatic demonstration team of the Italian Air Force, stopped at the North Platte Regional Airport/Lee Bird Field Monday to refuel and layover as they tour North America.

The 10 jets are touring the U.S. and Canada for the first time in more than 30 years, presenting airshows on both the east and west coasts.

The Frecce Tricolori is accompanied by a Hercules C-130 support plane. Using its aft loading ramp and door, the C-130 can accommodate a wide variety of oversized cargo, including everything from utility helicopters and six-wheeled armored vehicles to standard palletized cargo and military personnel. 

From their homebase at Rivolto Air Base in northeastern Italy, the team flew to Canada, for the Bagotville International Air Show on June 22-23. They were in Trenton, Canada on June 29-30. From there, they made their way to North Platte for fuel before heading their next display in Los Angeles, on July 6-7.

Then, the team will be on July 13-14 at Sacramento and, one week later, on July 20-21, again in Canada, at Cold Lake, for a local airshow.

They will perform in Milwaukee, Wisc. on July 27-28; then in Rochester, N.Y. on Aug. 3-4. The following weekend, Aug. 10-11, the team will be in New York City, and on Aug. 21, in Norfolk, Virginia. The tour finale will be in Ocean City, Maryland, on Aug. 24-25.

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