Blue Angels

The Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets fly in tight diamond formation, maintaining 18" wingtip-to-canopy separation.
Country:	United States
Aircraft Currently Flown:	12 (numbers 1 through 6, 2 two-seat (#7) jets and 4 spare jets) F/A-18s 1 C-130T Hercules
Sponsor:	United States Navy
Base Airfield:	NAS Pensacola
Winter Airfield:	NAF El Centro
Colors:	"Blue Angel Blue" and "Insignia Yellow"
Date Formed:	April 24, 1946
Crest/Logo:

The United States Navy's Blue Angels (or Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron), formed in 1946, is the world's first officially sanctioned military aerial demonstration team. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 78 KB)The Blue Angels in Diamond formation. ... [[Diamond formation]] Usually considered a difficult formation as aircrafts have to fly very close to each other and termed more and more authentic if planes fly closer to each other. ... The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft and the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ... Naval Air Facility El Centro (IATA: NJK, ICAO: KNJK), also known as NAF El Centro, is a military airport located six miles (10 km) northwest of El Centro, in Imperial County, California, USA. // The facility was commissioned on May 1, 1946, as a Naval Air Station. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (115th in leap years). ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Overview

The Blue Angels first flew three aircraft in formation, then four, and currently operate six aircraft per show. A seventh aircraft is for backup, in the event of mechanical problems with one of the other aircraft, and for giving public relations "demonstration flights" to civilians, usually selected from a press pool.

This aerobatic team is split into "the Diamond" (Blue Angels 1 through 4) and the Opposing Solos (Blue Angels 5 and 6). Most of their displays alternate between maneuvers performed by the Diamond and those performed by the Solos. The Diamond, in tight formation and usually at lower speeds, performs maneuvers such as formation loops, barrel rolls, or transitions from one formation to another. Soon after aircraft were invented, pilots realised that they could be used as part of a flying circus to entertain people or impress others in what was termed aerobatics. ... The UK Utterly Butterly display team perform an aerobatic maneuvre with their Boeing Stearmans, at an air display in England. ... A formation is a high-level military organization, such as a Brigade, Division, Corps, Army or Army group. ...

The Opposing Solos usually perform maneuvers just under the speed of sound which showcase the capabilities of their individual F/A-18s through the execution of high-speed passes, slow passes, fast rolls, slow rolls, and very tight turns. Some of the maneuvers include both solo F/A-18s performing at once, such as opposing passes (toward each other in what appears to be a collision course, narrowly missing one another) and mirror formations (back-to-back. belly-to-belly, or wingtip-to-wingtip, with one jet flying inverted). The speed of sound is a term used to describe the speed of sound waves passing through an elastic medium. ... The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft. ...

At the end of the routine, all six aircraft join in the Delta formation. After a series of flat passes, turns, loops, and rolls performed in this formation, they execute the team's signature "fleur-de-lis" closing maneuver. Fleurs-de-lys on the flag of Quebec The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys; plural fleurs-de-lis or -lys) is used in heraldry, where it is particularly associated with the France monarchy (see King of France). ...

The parameters of each show must be tailored to local visibility: In clear weather the "high" show is performed, in overcast conditions it's the "low" show that the spectators see, and in limited visibility (weather permitting) the "flat" show is presented. The "high" show requires an 8,000-foot ceiling and visibility of 3 nautical miles from the show's centerpoint. "Low" and "flat" ceilings are 3,500 and 1,500 feet respectively. A flight ceiling is the upper altitudinal limit of which any aircraft may fly given its mechanical abilities. ... A nautical mile is a unit of distance, or, as physical scientists like to call it, length. ...

History

The first Blue Angel Flight Demonstration Squadron, 1946–1947 assembled in front of one of their F6F Hellcats (l to r): Lt. Al Taddeo, Solo; Lt. (J.G.) Gale Stouse, Spare; Lt. Cdr. R.M. "Butch" Voris, Flight Leader; Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll, Right Wing; Lt. Mel Cassidy, Left Wing.

On April 24, 1946 Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester Nimitz issued a directive ordering the formation of a flight exhibition team (the first such official venture by any of the Armed Services) to boost Navy morale, demonstrate naval air power, and maintain public interest in naval aviation. However, an underlying mission was to help the Navy generate public and political support for a larger allocation of the shrinking defense budget. In April of that year, Rear Admiral Ralph Davison personally selected Lieutenant Commander Roy Marlin "Butch" Voris, a World War II fighter ace, to assemble and train a flight demonstration squadron, naming him Officer-in-Charge and Flight Leader. Voris selected two fellow instructors to join him (Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll and Lt. Mel Cassidy, both veterans of the War in the Pacific), and the three spent countless hours developing the show. The group perfected its initial maneuvers in secret over the Florida Everglades so that, in Voris' words, "...if anything happened, just the alligators would know." The team's first demonstration before Navy officials took place on May 10, 1946 and was met with enthusiastic approval. Image File history File links Voris_and_1st_Blue_Angel_team. ... Image File history File links Voris_and_1st_Blue_Angel_team. ... Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats on 1943-01-21. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (115th in leap years). ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the senior military officer in the United States Navy. ... Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... Chester William Nimitz (February 24, 1885 – February 20, 1966) was the Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces for the United States and Allied forces during World War II. He was the United States leading authority on submarines, as well as Chief of the Navys Bureau of Navigation in 1939. ... In the Royal Navy, United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, a lieutenant commander (lieutenant-commander or Lt Cdr in the RN) is a commissioned officer superior to a lieutenant and inferior to a commander. ... Captain Roy Marlin Butch Voris (September 19, 1919–August 10, 2005) was an aviator in the United States Navy, a World War II flying ace, and founder of the Navys flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels. ... Fighter Ace is an online multiplayer computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots. ... Map of the Everglades ecoregion as delineated by the WWF. Satellite image from NASA. The yellow line encloses two ecoregions, the Everglades and the South Florida rocklands. The South Florida rocklands ecoregion includes the Florida Keys and offshore islands and two patches within the Everglades. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (131st in leap years). ...

On June 15 Voris led a trio of Grumman F6F-5 Hellcats, specially modified to reduce weight and painted sea blue with gold leaf trim, through their inaugural 15-minute-long performance at their home base which was Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jax), Florida. The group, known simply as the "Navy Flight Exhibition Team," thrilled spectators with low-flying maneuvers performed in tight formations, and (according to Voris) by "...keeping something in front of the crowds at all times. My objective was to beat the Army Air Corps. If we did that, we'd get all the other side issues. I felt that if we weren't the best, it would be my naval career." The Blue Angels' first public demonstration also netted the team its first trophy, which sits on display at the team's current home at NAS Pensacola. June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... The Grumman F6F Hellcat started development as an improved F4F Wildcat, but turned into a completely new design sharing a family resemblance to the Wildcat but with practically no shared parts. ... Naval Air Station Jacksonville, located in Jacksonville, Florida, is the third-largest naval installation in the United States. ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ...

On August 25, 1946 the Blue Angels transitioned to the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat and introduced the famous "diamond" formation at the World Air Carnival in Birmingham, Alabama.

The team soon became known worldwide for its spectacular aerobatic stunts. During a trip to New York, Lt. Wickendoll came across an advertisement in The New Yorker for the city's popular "Blue Angel" nightclub. Voris liked the name and on July 19 officially made it the team's moniker. On August 25 the squadron upgraded their aircraft to the F8F-1 Bearcat. Though Voris left the team on May 30, 1947 the "Blues" continued to perform nationwide (including one year, 1949, in a blinding all-yellow scheme with blue markings^[1]) until the start of the Korean War in 1950, when (due to a shortage of pilots) the team was disbanded and its members were ordered to combat duty. Once aboard the aircraft carrier USS Princeton the group formed the core of VF-191 (Satan's Kittens). Image File history File links Blue_Angels_Bearcats. ... Image File history File links Blue_Angels_Bearcats. ... The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called Bear) was the companys final piston engined fighter aircraft. ... Nickname: The Magic City, Pittsburgh of the South, BHam, The Ham Location in Jefferson County in the state of Alabama Coordinates: Country United States State Alabama County Jefferson, Shelby  - Mayor Bernard Kincaid (D) Area    - City  151. ... NY redirects here. ... The New Yorker is an American magazine that publishes reportage, criticism, essays, cartoons, poetry and fiction. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called Bear) was the companys final piston engined fighter aircraft. ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... The fifth USS Princeton (CV-37) (also CVA-37, CVS-37, LPH-5) was a United States Navy Ticonderoga-class aircraft carrier (later refit into a Boxer-class LPH). ...

The Blue Angels were officially recommissioned on October 25, 1951, and reported to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Lt. Cdr. Voris was again tasked with assembling the team (he was the first of only two commanding officers to lead them twice). By the end of the 1940s, the Blue Angels were flying their first jets, the Grumman F9F-2 Panther, but soon would be utilizing the improved F9F-5. The Angels remained in Corpus Christi until the winter of 1954, when they relocated to their present home at NAS Pensacola. It was here they progressed to the swept-wing Grumman F9F-8 Cougar. The ensuing 20 years saw the Blue Angels transition to two more aircraft, the Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (1957), which would be best known for its use as a demonstration plane, and the huge double-sonic McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II (1969), the only plane to be flown by both the "Blues" and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Naval Air Station Corpus Christi is a United States Navy base in Corpus Christi, Texas. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The American Grumman F9F Panther was the manufacturers first jet fighter and the U.S. Navys second. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ... F9F Cougar The Grumman F9F Cougar (redesignated the F-9 Cougar in the 1962 joint service aircraft designation system) was a aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. ... The F-11 Tiger was a United States Navy fighter aircraft of the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II[2] is a two-seat supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Douglas. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... Thunderbirds Squadron ensign The USAF Thunderbirds perform an echelon pass. ...

All six Blue Angel A-4F Skyhawks fly in delta formation, smoke on.

In December, 1974 the Navy Flight Demonstration Team downsized to more economical subsonic McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II and was reorganized into the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. This reorganization permitted the establishment of a commanding officer, a flight leader, added support officers, and further redefined the squadron's mission emphasizing the support of recruiting efforts. Commander Tony Less was the squadron's first official commanding officer. Image File history File links BAHR9. ... Image File history File links BAHR9. ... The A-4 Skyhawk was an attack aircraft originally designed to operate from United States Navy aircraft carriers. ... Look up Δ, δ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The A-4 Skyhawk was an attack aircraft originally designed to operate from United States Navy aircraft carriers. ...

On November 8, 1986 the Blue Angels completed their 40th anniversary year during ceremonies unveiling their present aircraft, the sleek McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, the first multi-role fighter/attack aircraft now serving on the nation's front lines of defense since the F-4 Phantom. The power and aerodynamics of the Hornet allows them to perform a slow high angle of attack "tail sitting" maneuver, and to fly a loop with landing gear down in formation, neither duplicated by the Thunderbirds. The Blue Angels also operate a Marine Corps C-130T Hercules nicknamed "Fat Albert" to provide support and (at selected venues) put on a show of its own with a jet-assisted take off (JATO) before the "Blues" begin their demonstration. "Fat Albert Airlines" flies with an all-Marine crew of three officers and five enlisted personnel. November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ... The F-4 Phantom II (simply F-4 Phantom after 1990) is a two-place (tandem), supersonic, long-range, all-weather fighter-bomber built by McDonnell Douglas Corporation. ... The Thunderbirds are the Air Demonstration Squadron of the United States Air Force. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft and the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. ... Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was an animated television series conceived of and produced by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to the title character, Fat Albert. ... Take-off of Americas first rocket-assisted fixed-wing aircraft, an Ercoupe fitted with a GALCIT developed solid propellant JATO booster with a thrust of 28 pounds force (125 N). ...

The Blue Angels perform more than 70 shows at 34 locations throughout the United States each year, where they still employ many of the same practices and techniques in their aerial displays as in 1946. Since their inception, the "Blues" have flown for more than 427 million spectators worldwide. Since the Blue Angels often perform directly over major cities such as San Francisco and Seattle during maritime festivals such as Seafair, they are often better known in many cities than other demonstration teams. Seafair is a summer festival in Seattle, Washington, USA that encompasses a wide variety of small neighborhood events leading up to several major city-wide celebrations. ...

Timeline

The "Blues" support crew watches the team perform in the Grumman F9F-2 Panther jet fighter.

• 1946: The "Navy Flight Exhibition Team" is formed and takes the name Blue Angels.
• 1950: The team is ordered to Combat Duty Status in response to the Korean Conflict.
• 1954: "Blues" pilot LCDR Hawkins becomes the first naval aviator to survive an ejection at supersonic speeds. The first Marine Corps pilot, Capt Chuck Hiett, joins the team. Team is rebased at NAS Pensacola in the winter of 1954.
• 1956: The team gives its first performance outside the United States in Toronto, Canada.
• 1965: The Blue Angels are the only team to receive a standing ovation during the four-day Paris Air Show.
• 1968: LT Mary Russell becomes the first woman assigned to the "Blues."
• 1974: The team transitions to the McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II and is reorganized to add support officers and redefine the squadron’s mission, which emphasizes the support of recruiting efforts.
• 1986: The Blue Angels complete their 40th anniversary year in November and unveil their present aircraft, the sleek McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.
• 1986: LCDR Donnie Cochran, is selected to join the Blue Angels. He is the first black Naval Aviator to be selected.
• 1992: The Blue Angels become the first foreign flight demonstration team to perform in Russia. More than a million spectators witness the "Blues" performances during a month-long European tour.
• 1994 CDR Donnie Cochran assumes command of the Blue Angels.
• 1998: CDR Patrick Driscoll makes the first "Blue Jet" landing on a "haze gray and underway" aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).
• 2000: Show season attendance tops 15 million spectators.

Image File history File links Blues_Support_Crew_watching_Diamond_Formation_at_Show. ... Image File history File links Blues_Support_Crew_watching_Diamond_Formation_at_Show. ... F9F Panther The Grumman F9F Panther was the manufacturers first jet fighter and the US Navys second. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Football team sometimes know as Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military, within the United States Department of the Navy responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: Diversity Our Strength Map of Ontario Counties, Toronto being red Area: 641 sq. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... The Paris Air Show (Salon International de lAéronautique et de lEspace, Paris-Le Bourget) is an international trade fair for the aerospace business. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... DC-10, retired from American Airlines fleet at gate McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. ... The A-4 Skyhawk was an attack aircraft originally designed to operate from United States Navy aircraft carriers. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... DC-10, retired from American Airlines fleet at gate McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. ... The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Captain Donnie L. Cochran was the first Black aviator assigned to the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) in 1986. ... A Masai man in Kenya Black people or blacks is a political, social or cultural classification of people. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Captain Donnie L. Cochran was the first Black aviator assigned to the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) in 1986. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... Haze gray and underway is a United States Navy saying that refers to surface ships in arduous duty at sea, rather than aircraft carriers or submarines, or naval units in ceremonial roles or in port. ... USS (CVN-75) is the eighth Nimitz-class supercarrier of the United States Navy, named after President Harry S. Truman. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Aircraft

Demonstrators

1. Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat - June-August 1946
2. Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat - August 1946-1949
3. Grumman F9F-2 Panther - 1949-June 1950 (first jet);
   1. Grumman F9F-5 Panther - 1951-Winter 1954/55
4. Grumman F9F-8 Cougar - Winter 1954/55-mid-season 1957 (swept-wing)
5. Grumman F11F-1 Tiger - mid-season 1957-1969 (first supersonic jet)
6. McDonnell F-4J Phantom II - 1969-December 1974
7. Douglas A-4F Skyhawk - December 1974-November 1986
8. McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18A & F/A-18B Hornet - November 1986-Present

Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats on 1943-01-21. ... The Grumman F8F Bearcat (affectionately called Bear) was the companys final piston engined fighter aircraft. ... The American Grumman F9F Panther was the manufacturers first jet fighter and the U.S. Navys second. ... The American Grumman F9F Panther was the manufacturers first jet fighter and the U.S. Navys second. ... F9F Cougar The Grumman F9F Cougar (redesignated the F-9 Cougar in the 1962 joint service aircraft designation system) was a aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. ... The F-11 Tiger was a United States Navy fighter aircraft of the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II[2] is a two-seat supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Douglas. ... The A-4 Skyhawk was an attack aircraft originally designed to operate from United States Navy aircraft carriers. ... The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ...

Support

1. Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation - 1969-1973
2. Lockheed C-130 Hercules - 1970-Present

The Lockheed Constellation, affectionately known as the “Connie”, was a four-engine propeller-driven airliner built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft and the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. ...

Routines

The solos make a "knife-edge" pass. The far aircraft is actually slightly higher than the near aircraft to make them appear in-line to the audience.

Solo aircraft assigned to the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Team, "Blue Angels", perform the slowest maneuver in their show, the "Section High Alpha." During the maneuver the two jets slow down to 125 knots as they pitch the nose of the F/A-18 Hornet up to 45 degrees.

• Fat Albert (C-130) - JATO Takeoff
• Fat Albert - Flat Pass
• Fat Albert - Short-Field Assault Landing
• Engine Start-Up and Taxi Out
• Diamond Take-off
• Solos Take-off (Blue Angel #5: Dirty Roll on Take-Off; Blue Angel #6: Low Transition, Split S on Take-Off)
• Diamond Pass in Review: Aircraft 1, 2, 3 and 4 are in their signature 18" wingtip-to-canopy diamond formation.
• Opposing Knife-Edge Pass
• Diamond Roll
• Opposing Inverted to Inverted Rolls
• Diamond Aileron Roll
• Fortus
• Diamond Dirty Loop
• Minimum Radius Turn
• Double Farvel: Diamond formation with aircraft 1 and 4 inverted.
• Opposing Minimum Radius Turn
• Echelon Parade
• Opposing Horizontal Rolls
• Left Echelon Roll: The roll is made into the Echelon which is difficult and dangerous.
• Sneak Pass: the fastest speed of the show is about 700 mph (just under Mach 1 at sea level)
• Line-Abreast Loop
• Opposing Four-Point Hesitation Roll
• Vertical Break
• Opposing Pitch Up
• Tuck Under Break
• Section High-Alpha Pass: (tail sitting) Slowest speed of show is 120 mph
• Barrel Roll Break
• Double Tuck Over Roll
• Low Break Cross
• Delta Roll
• Fleur de Lis
• Solos Pass to Rejoin
• Delta Break (Downward Break): This is usually the final major maneuver of the show. After the break the aircraft separate in six different directions, perform half Cuban eights then cross in the center of the performance area.
• Crossover
• Delta Pitch Up Break to Land

Source: Air videos of these maneuvers Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 502 KB) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 502 KB) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 514 pixels Full resolution (3300 × 2120 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 514 pixels Full resolution (3300 × 2120 pixel, file size: 3. ... A knot is a unit of speed, abbreviated kt or kn. ... The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ...

Accidents

In their entire history, 24 pilots from the group have been killed in air show or training accidents. There have been 261 pilots and squad leaders in the squad's history giving the job a 9% casualty rate.^[2]

Air show

• 1946 - September: Lt. "Robby" Robinson was killed while performing a Cuban Eight maneuver during an airshow when a wingtip broke off his Bearcat sending him into a death spiral.
• 1952 - Two aircraft collide during a demonstration in Corpus Christi, Texas; one pilot is killed, but the team resumes its performances two weeks thereafter.
• July 5, 1985 - Aircraft 6 and 7 (A-4F) collide at Niagara Falls, killing Lt. Cmdr. Michael Gershon.
• April 21, 2007 - Aircraft 6 crashes during the final minutes of an air show in Beaufort, South Carolina, killing its pilot, Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis of Pittsfield, Mass.^[3][4] The aircraft clipped a pine tree and debris hit homes and vehicles near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.^[5] (See 2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash)

1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Nickname: Sparkling City by the Sea Location in the state of Texas Counties Nueces County Government  - Mayor Henry Garrett Area  - City 1,192. ... July 5 is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 179 days remaining. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... Beaufort is a city located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA and situated on the Beaufort River. ... Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is a United States military installation near Beaufort, South Carolina. ... Family friends identified the downed pilot as Kevin Kojack Davis. ...

Other incidents

• 1951 - LCDR Johnny Magda is the first Blue Angel killed in combat over Korea. The team is reactivated in October at NAS Corpus Christi.
• 1973 - CDR Harley Hall (1970 team leader) is shot down over Vietnam, and is officially listed as Missing In Action.
• 1990 - January: Marine Corps Maj. Charles "Chase" Moseley was faulted for the Jan. 23 collision with team leader Cmdr. Pat Moneymaker near the team's winter practice airfield at El Centro, California. One airplane was destroyed and the other badly damaged. Both pilots survived unharmed.
• October, 1999 - Lt. Cmdr. Kieron O'Connor and Flight Officer Lt. Kevin Colling crash while practicing maneuvers in Valdosta, GA. Neither survived.
• 2004: Pilot ejects approximately one mile off Perdido Key after reporting mechanical problems. Lt. Ted Steelman suffered minor injuries and fully recovered.
• 2007: Aircraft hits a power line during an airshow in the USA causing the F/A 18 to crash into an suburban area. The pilot is killed, authorities say. Details yet unknown.

1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... In the Royal Navy, United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, a lieutenant commander (lieutenant-commander or Lt Cdr in the RN) is a commissioned officer superior to a lieutenant and inferior to a commander. ... Naval Air Station Corpus Christi is a United States Navy base in Corpus Christi, Texas. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... MIA is a three-letter acronym that is most commonly used to designate a combatant who is Missing In Action, and has not yet returned or otherwise been accounted for as either dead (KIA) or a prisoner of war (POW). ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

Miscellaneous

Water condensation in the strake vortices of a Hornet during a tight maneuver.

• The "Blues" aircraft are completely combat-ready, and can be repainted and armed for combat service in just 72 hours.^[6]
• The Blue Angels was a short-lived dramatic television series inspired by the team's exploits and filmed with the cooperation of the Navy, that aired from September 1, 1960 to March 20, 1961.^[7]
• In 2005, the Discovery Channel aired a documentary miniseries, "Blue Angels: A Year in the Life", focusing on the intricate day-to-day details of that year's training and performance schedule.^{[citation needed]}
• The video for the American rock band Van Halen's 1986 release "Dreams" is comprised of Blue Angels performance footage. The video was originally shot featuring the Blues in the A-4 Skyhawk. It was later reshot after the transition to the F/A-18 Hornet.^{[citation needed]}
• The Blue Angels don't wear G-suits, because the air bladders inside them would repeatedly deflate and inflate. That would interfere with the control stick between a pilot's legs. Instead, Blue Angel pilots tense their stomach muscles and legs to prevent blood from rushing from their heads and rendering them unconscious.^[6]
• The Blue Angels Creed, written by JO1 Cathy Konn, 1991-1993:

^{[citation needed]}

Alumni

• Donnie Cochran
• LCDR. Jack Mason Gougar -- Plane Commander and Engineering Officer, 1967-1968
• Adm. Patrick M. Walsh -- Left Wingman and Slot Pilot, 1986-1987

Captain Donnie L. Cochran was the first Black aviator assigned to the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) in 1986. ... // Enlisted in the US Navy on January 10, 1941 as a Seaman. ... U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Patrick M. Walsh was the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet and Commander, Combined Maritime Forces until February 27, 2007 when he was relieved by Vice Adm. ...

Notes

References

• (2005). "The First Blue Angel." Miramar 50th Air Show Special Commemorative Program 18.
• (2005). "The Blue Angels History." Miramar 50th Air Show Special Commemorative Program 22.
• Blue Angels Timeline (1946–1980) accessed November 10, 2005.
• "First Blue: Monterey resident Butch Voris formed the nation’s most-loved aviation team" article by Brett Wilbur in the April 1, 2004 edition of the Monterey County Weekly — accessed October 16, 2005.
• "Grumman and the Blue Angels" article by William C. Barto at the Grumman Memorial Park official website — accessed October 15, 2005.
• "First Blue: The story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels" by Robert K. Wilcox, Thomas Dunne Books/St.Martins Press, 2004, www.robertkwilcox.com
• http://moneymaker.rootsweb.com/newspapers/clip08.htm

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Blue Angels

• Explore the Navy: Blue Angels official website.
• The Blue Angels — show schedules and other information.
• First Blue Angel story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels.
• U.S. Navy Blue Angels Alumni Association official website.
• Blue Angels at San Francisco Air Show Pictures
• BlueAngels.com Blue Angels Information, Airshow Schedule, FAQ's, Pictures
• RTP-TV Aerospace Show on the Blue Angels (online video).