The United States Navy Blue Angels Aerobatic Flight Demonstration Team has been thrilling audiences since 1946, pushing the fighter aircraft they fly to the limits of machine and man.
In the Beginning
On Apr. 24, 1946 Admiral Chester Nimitz ordered the formation of a United States Navy flight exhibition team. The idea was to interest the public in naval aviation and increase the morale of Navy personnel. They were first known as the Navy Flight Exhibition Team, taking the name Blue Angels in July 1946. The new name reportedly came from the name of a New York nightclub, The Blue Angel. They have flown a myriad of aircraft over the years, beginning with one of World War Two’s most famous naval fighter aircraft.
F6F-5 Hellcat
The Grumman Hellcat was the first aircraft flown by the team, and the first pilots consisted of advanced flight instructors who flew the aircraft in World War Two. The F6F-5s were painted in a dark navy blue with gold lettering. The first flight demonstration was on May 10, 1946. On June 15 the team performed their first airshow in Jacksonville, Florida. Later, in July of 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska, the team was officially introduced as the Blue Angels at an air show.
Three aircraft were used in the demonstration with a fourth in reserve. The aircraft had been specially modified to reduce weight. They wore the aircraft numbers on the tail and “U S Navy” on the fuselage between the wing and tail section. “U S Navy” was also worn on the undersurface of the wings, with “U S” on the right side, “Navy” under the left wing.
The Grumman F6F became well-known during World War Two, specifically for its remarkable ruggedness typical of the “Grumman Iron Works”. Powered by Pratt &Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engines, the Hellcat destroyed over 5,000 enemy aircraft while in service with the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. The Hellcat was 33 ft 7 in in length with a wingspan of 42 ft 10 in and a height of 13 ft 1 in Empty it weighed 9,238 lb and maximum take-off weight was over 15,000 lb. The 2,200 horsepower radial engine propelled it over 390 mph. The F6F-5 would fly with the Blue Angels from June to August of 1946, making a total of ten appearances.
The team also operated a North American SNJ Texan painted to simulate a Japanese Zero. The SNJ would be pursued by the Hellcats and “shot down” during the show. Later the aircraft would be painted a bright yellow and named “Beetle Bomb.”
The Grumman F6F Hellcat in Blue Angel colors and markings in 1946. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)F8F-1 Bearcat
Another Grumman product, the F8F Bearcat, began flying with the Blue Angels towards the end of the first season for the team. It would be the last propeller-driven demonstration aircraft flown by the Blue Angels, but the first to fly the famous diamond formation. It would also be the first to wear the Blue Angels name on the aircraft. The Bearcats first appeared with the Blue Angels performing in Denver, Colorado in August of 1946.
The Grumman F8F Bearcat was flown by the Blue Angels from August 1946 into 1949. While flying the Bearcat, the number of aircraft eventually grew to five, and again an SNJ was used as a Japanese Zero for simulated dogfights. In 1949 the SNJ was replaced with an additional Bearcat, painted yellow and also called “Beetle Bomb.” “Beetle Bomb” continued to fly with the team after the team’s other Bearcats were replaced with other models, but only performing solo aerobatics until it crashed in 1950 in Pensacola, Florida.
The F8F-1 Bearcat was powered by a 2,100 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W Double Wasp radial piston engine, and was Grumman’s last piston-engine aircraft. Reaching speeds of over 370 mph with a service ceiling of 34,700 ft, the Bearcat had performance superior to some early jets. The F8F had a wingspan of 35 ft 6 in and was 13 ft 8 in high. Length of the aircraft was 27 ft 8 in.
Five U.S. Navy Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat fighters of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team Blue Angels between 1946 and 1949. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)F9F-2 Panther
Once again a product of Grumman, the F9F-2 Panther was the first jet aircraft used by the Blue Angels for demonstrations. After a temporary disbandment of the team in 1950 for the Korean War, with the pilots serving with VMF-191 and flying combat missions from the USS Princeton, they reactivated on Oct. 25, 1951, flying the F9F-5 Panther.
An early U.S. Navy and Marine Corps carrier-based fighter aircraft, the F9F was a straight-wing jet, and was used in the Korean War. It was Grumman’s first jet fighter and also the Navy’s first jet-powered aircraft to see air-to-air combat. It served with the Blue Angels into the winter of 1954/55. A Navy Lockheed TV-2 SeaStar (T-33 Shooting Star) replaced the last lone Bearcat lost in 1950, operating as a two-seat aircraft for show support and VIP rides.
Length of the F9F-5 Panther was 38 ft 10 in, wingspan was 38 ft, and height was 12 ft 3 in. A Pratt & Whitney J48-P-6A turbojet provided the power to propel the 18,721 lb aircraft to over 570 mph, with a service ceiling of 42,800 ft.
Grumman F9F-5 Panther jets of the demonstration team Blue Angels, December 1952. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)In 1953, two Vought F7U Cutlass aircraft were provided to the Blue Angels as possible demonstration aircraft. The demonstration team pilots soon discovered the same issues with the very unique aircraft that the fleet pilots had: the aircraft was seriously underpowered and required extensive maintenance. Becoming known as the “Gutless Cutlass” for being severely underpowered, having constant mechanical issues, engine fires, and even a landing gear door falling off hitting a grandstand (with no casualties), the two aircraft ended up being returned and used for maintenance training.
F9F-8 Cougar
Beginning in the winter of 1954/55, yet another Grumman product, the F9F-8 Cougar, was flown by the Blue Angels, serving until the middle of 1957, with one two-seat trainer staying on the team until 1969. The Cougar was based on the Panther but with swept-wings. It was the U.S. Navy’s first swept-wing carrier-based fighter.
The F9F-8 had a wingspan of 34 ft 6 in, length of 42 ft 2 in, and height of 12 ft 3 in. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney J48-p-8A, top speed was 647 mph, and it had a combat range of 1,208 miles. A total of 601 were built.
Grumman F9F-8 Cougars of the Blue Angels aerobatics team in 1956. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)F11F-1 Tiger
In mid-season 1957, the last Grumman produced fighter began flying with the Blue Angels. The F11F-1 (F-11) Tiger was the first supersonic jet produced by Grumman serving the flight team until 1969, even though it had been withdrawn from frontline service after a fairly short career of only four years. It proved one of the most popular aircraft flown by the Blue Angels because of the aircraft’s afterburner and sleek lines.
The Tiger was 45 ft 10.5 in in length, had a wingspan of 31 ft 4 in and height of 13 ft 2.75 in. The aircraft could reach speeds of 726 mph and had a service ceiling of 49,000 ft. It was powered by a Wright J65-W-18 afterburning turbojet engine.
A Grumman F11F-1 Tiger in Blue Angel colors. This aircraft served as Blue Angel 5 and is now on display at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum in New York City. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)F-4J Phantom II
In 1969 the McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II became the demonstration aircraft of the Blue Angels, and served in that role until December 1974. This would be the only aircraft operated concurrently by the Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team. It was a large and powerful twin-engine two-seat aircraft, and on one occasion, while practicing in British Columbia, a pilot accidentally exceeded the speed of sound, blowing out hundreds of windows in an eight block radius of Kelowna, B.C. The glass was cleaned up, the U.S. Government paid the tab and the show went on the next day.
Being a large aircraft with a length of over 58 ft and a wingspan of over 38 ft, the Phantom’s twin General Electric J79-GE-10 engines could still push the aircraft to speeds of over 1,400 mph. The ceiling was 54,700 ft with a climb rate of 41,250 ft/min. All this performance made for one thirsty aircraft, and a combination of accidents and the oil crisis grounded the F-4J’s during the season in 1974.
McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom IIs of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aerobatics team in 1969. (Image credit: U.S. Navy)A-4F Skyhawk II
The grounding of the F-4J Phantoms lead the now reorganized “Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron” to begin flying the lighter and much more economical Douglas A-4F Skyhawk. The Blue Angels flew 80 shows during the Bicentennial year of 1976, which coincided with the 30 year anniversary of the Blue Angels. The Blue Angels also performed their 2,000th show flying the Skyhawk. The A-4F served from December 1974 to November 1986 with the Blue Angels.
The A-4F Skyhawk was a much smaller aircraft, with a single Pratt & Whitney J52-P8A turbojet, a length of 41 ft 3 in and a wingspan of 27 ft 6 in. The aircraft was 15 ft in height. Top speed was 670 mph; ceiling was 41,950 ft with a rate of climb of 10,300 ft/min.
Douglas A-4F Skyhawk fighters of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration in formation in 1984. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)F/A-18 Hornet
Beginning in 1986, the Blue Angels transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The Angels flew the F/A-18A/B models from 1986 to 2010, and the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18C/D models from 2010 to 2020. Flight demonstrations during the 1992 show season included performances in Russia, Bulgaria, and Romania. This was the first U.S. military flight demonstration team to perform in these nations.
The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine super-sonic aircraft designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft, hence the F/A designation. The F/A 18A designates the single-seat variant, while the B is the two-seat version. The aircraft is capable of over 1,300 mph and has a ceiling of 50,000 ft. Length is 56 ft, wingspan 37 ft 6 in, and height is 15 ft. 4 in. Power is provided by two General Electric F404-GE-400 engines.
The F/A-18C/D models are the results of block upgrades in 1987 including upgraded avionics, radar, and new weapons capabilities. The C was the single-seat version while the D was the two-seat variant. In 1992 engine upgrades improved thrust using the F404-GE-402 engines.
Two F/A-18A Hornets assigned to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team perform at the Blue Angels’ Homecoming Air Show in Pensacola, Florida in 2004. (Image credit: U.S. Navy)F/A-18 Super Hornet
The Blue Angels began operating the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet in 2020. The Super Hornet is an enlarged and advanced version of the F/A-18C/D Hornet. The E is the single-seat version, the F the two-seat version. The aircraft has a length of 60 ft 1.25 in with a height of 16 ft. Wingspan measures 44 ft 8.5 in. Two General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofan engines provide power with a maximum speed of 1,190 mph.
Introduced in the 2021 show season and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Blue Angels, the F/A-18 Super Hornets are still flying with team today. The current Blue Angel team has six aircraft that fly in the demonstrations, numbers 1 through 6 being single seat E variants. In keeping with tradition, a two-seat aircraft, Blue Angels number 7, an F/A-18F, is used to give demonstration rides to civilian VIPs as well as used as a backup aircraft.
F/A-18E Super Hornet Blue Angels 1 through 6 lined up before performing at the Pikes Peak Regional Air Show in Colorado Springs, CO on Aug. 18, 2024. (Image credit: Author’s collection)Support Aircraft
In addition to flying fighter aircraft for performances, the Blue Angels have also used several support aircraft to transport equipment, spare parts, and crews to locations in support of the team and demonstration aircraft.
From 1949 to 1955 they operated a Douglas R4D-6 Sky Train, which was the Navy and Marine Corps version of the venerable C-47 military transport aircraft developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner.
In 1953 they also operated a Curtis R5C Commando, the Navy and Marine Corps version of the C-46, another widely known military transport aircraft.
The Douglas R5D Skymaster was employed by the Angels from 1956-1968, known also as the C-54, the four-engine transport aircraft was derived from the civilian DC-4 airliner.
Lockheed’s VC-121J Super Constellation was flown from 1969 to 1973 by the demonstration team, also a military transport aircraft developed from a civilian airliner (L-1049 Super Constellation).
Perhaps the most famous support aircraft of the Blue Angels is known as “Fat Albert”, a Lockheed C-130T Hercules that was in use from 1970 into 2019. JATO (Jet-Assisted Take-Off) or RATO (Rocket-Assisted Take-Off) was used on this aircraft up until 2009 and the aircraft was often used not only for transport of needed equipment and personnel, but it also often became part of the airshow the Angels were performing at, becoming a crowd favorite especially when utilizing JATO.
Fat Albert got an upgrade in 2020 to a Lockheed Martin C-130J model and is still flying with the Blue Angels today. The J model known as the “Super Hercules” has new turboprop engines with six-bladed propellers as well as updated avionics.
The C-130T Hercules “Fat Albert,” assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, uses Jet-Assisted Take-Off (JATO) bottles during a takeoff over Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii in 2004. (Image credit: U.S. Navy)