Figured some might like this. I've never seen them myself but...

Airplanes are cool and I read something where the BA can repaint and have these combat ready in 72 hours. In other words, they're full boogie F18's and not pared down for air show duty.




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A Church mate was killed flying for The Air Force practicing off the coast of England

We've come a long way since 1917

I genuinely loved "formating". You might not believe it is possible to move a jet two inches up or down to hold an exact position relative to another jet, but you can. It is not a matter of moving the controls. You THINK the plane where you want it to go. Your entire world is that other plane. Whatever happens to the universe beyond that plane is irrelevant: blue, green, white, water, or dirt does not matter. Your only job is to keep that other jet RIGHT THERE.

Side note: I was recommended and considered to be the Thunderbird Narrator. I declined the job.

The dirt doesn’t matter; until it does.

Early 80s wasn’t it?

I'm not a fluid dynamics or aero space engineer but how the air moves across those various surfaces, once they're bunched up like that has to be fascinating. Each plane, I would think, is dealing with different situation from a controls perspective?

Back in the early 70s we lived in Kingsville TX. I was still a whipper snapper back then, my dad would take us up on the roof with some lawn chairs to watch them.

We have seen the Blue Angels a couple times at Mountain Home. It is amazing that they can stand the jet on its tail and move slowly down the runway. A very deft hand.

I will be watching for the program on Prime.

Dad used to tell about leading a flight of 18 B-17s past the control tower for a low level flyby for a visiting general- - - -wide open throttle, 100 feet altitude, with their wingtips overlapping. He got a "counseling" session over that shenanigan- - - - -"Yes, that's the way we do it in combat- - - - -BUT NOT IN TRAINING!" Flying the standard "50/50" formation (50 feet apart and 50 feet altitude difference) was a good way to let German fighters slip into the formation and shoot them up. Nobody did that in a combat situation.

Teal - yes, each plane flies in a different set of vortices generated at the wingtips. And they vary constantly with changing positions and distances. Each jet affects the other.

I saw them in 1960 the first time. Different planes. But cool. I was six. They were sponsored by Conoco, the hottest brand going.

In my mind these guys will always be Bad Asses of the highest order! When I was a kid they always flew at the local Coast Guard Festival, we lived seven miles out from town and it was the turnaround spot for them, we got a better show than anyone in town did!!

I've seen the Thunder Birds twice. Never the Blue Angels. I'm sure either are pretty good.

The 'Birds and Angels are a pleasure to watch for sure.

We used to fly a lot of chopper formations back in the day. Most exciting is when you are overlapping main rotor blades. It's captivating!

As a flight lead you can feel the other aircraft moving around you. If you’re the right wingman, if you move in closer to the lead, you can push him around and cause his right wing to move up. It’s an easy to aggravate your lead. 😊

I was acting as a lead safe overhead the Lexington many years ago, holding overhead just waiting for something bad to happen. One of our students went the wrong way (heading 130) when he was diverted with Bingo fuel (emergency fuel state). After several calls, the Air Boss finally got him going in the right direction (heading 310) toward Pensacola by cussing very LOUDLY over the radio. That was the only time I ever heard an Air Boss cuss on the radio. “G— dammit 904, Pensacola is 310, 310 do you copy?” The student responded with a huge, 180 degree bat turn just as I was catching him. Chit!

I finally caught up and joined on his right side. I pulled up alongside, waggled the wings to get him to look up but he was now heads down flying 310. A couple of mike clicks on the radio didn’t work either. I tried to call but he had switched off the frequency. I finally eased forward and a little left, in front of his right wingtip to allow my wingtip vortices to pick his wing up. He was shocked when he finally looked up and figured out that I would take him home.

In our advanced formation syllabus we taught studs to fly formation through aerobatics, wingovers, barrel rolls, etc. as confidence builders. We used to do it in four plane formation but we finally got smart and cut that out. You’d come back after one of those hops sweating your butt off. It paid off though when you were lost comm and had to follow the lead through bad weather or at night on an approach at the boat.

Surf up some in cockpit videos. There are several

Cockpit view link

Absolute concentration and not exactly a fluid ride although it looks that way from the ground. A worthwhile show if held at an airport runway where they near put them on the pavement upside down. Been to five or six shows some also including the Thunderbirds.

Shows over populated areas like Louisville, Kentucky are not near as thrilling, as they have to keep things about 600 ft up. At an airport one can look through the canopy as they pass at eye level.

Probably the two most elite teams in the world. I suspect hundreds dream, but only the absolute best will make it.

About 1 in 10 odds of dying if one makes the team

Blue Angel History link

A wonderful recruiting tool that pulled a kid into the Air Force from our community. His best to date though is piloting Air Force II.

They did a JATO with their C130 at Brunswick when I saw them that was awsome.

Seen them a couple times. They are up there with the silent drill team, maybe ahead by just a touch.

Amazing what they do

In one way or another I’ve taught about helf of the Blues either in an aircraft or simulator and in reality, they’re all good guys that have complete confidence and trust in their, and their other wingmen’s skills and they’ll be in the right place at any given time. If the rest of the team doesn’t like a “rushee” they don’t get asked to be on the team.

They have to be open to criticism and own up to any mistakes….no room for a guy that that makes excuses. “Well, what I was trying to do was…..” won’t cut it.

Many times during my three IP tours I’ve had a stud start that and it’s “OK, I don’t care what you were trying to do, or what you meant to do,THIS is what you did. Now, let’s talk about how to avoid making that mistake again, or how to do it better.”

The last time the Blues performed here, my grandson and youngest granddaughter went with us. Afterwards I took them up to the rope line and I spoke with several of the guys and the kids got some autographs. They asked, “Pop, do you really know those guys.” 😁

Nice.

My boy was in California with the Thunderbirds, they trained for a week with the Blue Angels or something.

He said the F18 is a lot different, as far as the joystick controls.

What a cowinkie dink. They are at the Belle Chase Naval Air Base this weekend. About 30 minutes from me. Not sure I will have time though.


Clyde

I was stationed in PCola for awhile and watched them practice often. I met a few of the Marine pilots on the team. I never worked with Hornets but had a lot of buddies who did. We were envious on how fast you could change their engines.

When they do the air show here in Corpus Christi they fly right over my house and low too.It is an amazing thing to see.Their flight skills and timing is amazing.One wrong move could be catastropic.