A number of years ago, my wife and I had front row seats to an incredible aviation experience. We were invited to attend an aerobatic show in Reading, PA performed by the famed Blue Angels, a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy. The Blue Angles are well known for their flight formation and maneuvers. The flight formations require a great deal of skill and precision, with many of them performed under high g-force, described as the force of gravity or acceleration on a pilot’s body. The show was spectacular and utterly mesmerizing as the skilled pilots flew their jets in such precise formation with spellbinding twists, dips and turns, very often flying as close as 18 inches apart from one another! Watching these famous fliers was unlike anything I'd experienced before.
The team’s first demonstration took place on June 15, 1946 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida, which was also the squadron’s first home base. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester W. Nimitz ordered the formation of the team after World War II, with the goal of increasing public awareness and appreciation of naval aviation. Nimitz was a Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, commanding Allied air, land, and sea forces during the conflict. The team was first introduced with its now more commonly known name, Blue Angels, at an airshow in Omaha, Nebraska, in July of 1946. Right Wing Pilot Lieutenant Maurice “Wick” Wickendoll was inspired by a name he read in a New York Magazine column. Lieutenant Commander Roy “Butch” Voris, who led the team in a Grumman F6F Hellcat, agreed with Wick, stating, “"That sounds great! The Blue Angels. Navy, Blue, and Flying!"
During the early years, audiences were treated to precision combat maneuvers with the F6 Hellcat, the F8 Bearcat and the F9 Panther. In the 1950s, the team refined their demonstration with aerobatic maneuvers using the F9 Cougar and F-11 Tiger and introduced the first six-plane Delta Formation which is still flown today. The Delta Formation is frequently used by birds to migrate over long distances, In this flight pattern, multiple aircraft come together in a V in order to fly more efficiently. Each plane is positioned slightly higher than the one in front, and uses the air moved by the forward aircraft to reduce wind resistance.
By the close of the 1960s, the Blue Angels were flying the F-4 Phantom II jets, the only two-seat aircraft flown in the Delta Formation. In 1974 they transitioned to the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, a smaller and lighter aircraft with a tighter turning radius allowing for a more dynamic flight demonstration. In their 40th Anniversary year of 1986, they unveiled the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. In its fighter mode, the F/A-18 was used primarily as a fighter escort and for fleet air defense; in its attack mode, it was used for force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support. Just two years ago, the Blue Angels started flying their current aircraft, the Boeing FA-18 Super Hornet, which was designed as a bigger, beefier Hornet. The Super Hornet is largely a new aircraft about 20% larger, 7,000 pounds heavier empty weight, and 15,000 pounds heavier maximum weight than the original Hornet. The Super Hornet carries 33% more internal fuel, increasing mission range by 41% and endurance by 50% over the "Legacy" Hornet. This is an incredible aircraft and it’s hard to believe, but the Super Hornets in service today will be going out of production in 2025 and are due to be replaced by the F-35, the Navy's upcoming sixth-generation fighter.
It is extremely difficult to become a Blue Angels pilot. Naval aviators are "the best of the best" and must meet high standard requirements to be a part of the squadron. Members of the Navy and Marine Corps who wish to apply to be part of the team must meet certain requirements, including being an aircraft carrier-qualified tactical jet pilot with a minimum of 1,250 flight hours. Applicants go through an extensive screening process, including interviewing with the members of each of the 15 squadron work centers. Once applicants are selected, they undergo rigorous physical and flight training, flying two to three times daily for a six-month period before touring with the team.
The Blue Angels are well prepared during their amazing demonstration flights. Ground staff stand on the runways with a series of signal mirrors and light guns so Blue Angels pilots know exactly where to fly within safety margins of the audience. Equally important, the team deploys a flight surgeon who is also the lead ground safety officer and is trained to treat emergency procedures in the event of an aircraft mechanical emergency. One such surgeon, Dr. Philippe Warren, is now serving his country in this vital support role. As flight surgeon, Dr. Warren is the primary care physician for all team pilots and support staff. He also serves as the chief safety observer during shows, where he communicates with the pilots at all times. “I am the primary care doctor for everyone on the team. There are 150 of us total. When I’m not taking care of their medical needs, I am the safety observer. At every show, I am at the communications cart. Me and the maintenance officer will stand there and will talk with the pilots throughout the show, my job is to make sure that they are doing the show safely according to all of our safety margins,” Dr. Warren explained.
What about the Air Force Thunderbirds? Which team has the higher bragging rights? That’s a tough one. Both are elite squadrons of supersonic fighter jets flown by pilots with combat experience and are known for their impressive flight formations and maneuvers. Both groups also travel across the country and the world to perform aerial shows and flight demonstrations. To the untrained eye it might seem as though, other than the aircraft colors, the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds are really the same. However, there are some significant differences between the two, one being what each squadron is flying. Based out of Florida, the Blue Angels are known for their new, Navy blue and yellow twin-engine F/A-18 Super Hornets. An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon costs roughly $14.5 million, making it one of the less-expensive planes in the US military’s arsenal, while the Navy Super Hornet comes in at about $70 million.The Thunderbirds are stationed at the Air Force Military Academy in Colorado Springs and sport the classic red white and blue single-engine F-16 Fighting Falcon. Both aircraft are capable of performing extremely sharp turns, loops, and rolls, and can sustain long periods of inverted flight. They can be adapted for nearly any type of mission, though the Air Force F-16 is frequently used for close air support and air superiority, while the Navy F/A-18 is more often used for air-to-air operations and bombing missions. Each plane can reach speeds above 1,500 miles per hour, but keep the throttle limited to 700 miles per hour during exhibition shows, which I can attest is lightening fast for those of us in the stands.
Both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds are made up of incredibly talented pilots who put on spectacular, nail-biting performances. To experience the Blue Angels thrilling demonstrations firsthand as we did, check out their 2024 show schedule here. The Air Force Thunderbirds 2024 schedule can be found at this site.
Until next time…safe travels.
I had seen the Blue Angles flying in South Carolina many years ago with my son and his family. It was a phenomenal experience to see planes flying that close without hitting each other, like a well coordinated dance! Thank you for hyperlinking the 2024 schedule as I may go to the next show in April in Charlotte again!