More from the Blue Angels in Chicago, Aug 21 & 22, 2021
Aug 28, 2021 08:33:57 #
The Blue Angels were originally formed as the Flight Exhibition Team in March 1946 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida (NAS JAX) by Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Chester Nimitz, in an effort to raise awareness of naval aviation and boost morale. The team performed their first flight demonstration on June 15, 1946 in Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft. The squadron was officially redesignated as the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron in December 1974.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2 by Paul Sager, on Flickr
The first time the team was first introduced as the Blue Angels was during an air show in July 1946. They had changed their name to the Blue Angels after visiting the New York nightclub, The Blue Angel Supper Club.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron switched to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986, replacing the A-4 Skyhawk they had flown for 12-years. The Hornets served for 34 years until the 2021 transition to the Super Hornet.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
The Super Hornet is 25% larger, can fly 40% further, remain on station 80% longer and carry more weapons than its predecessor. The Super Hornet F/A-18 E/F models have deployed with battle groups since 2001. While the Super Hornet has more recent technology, the orginal Hornet is a reliable asset with 40+ years service and is still active in both the US military and with our allies.
Blue Angels - Sat Day 1
Although squadron members do not fly in combat during their two to three-year tour on the team, all of the Blue Angels jets are aircraft carrier-capable and can be made combat-ready in approximately 72 hours, if necessary.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
The first official Blue Angels team insignia or "crest" was designed in 1949 by Flight Leader Lt. Cmdr. Raleigh "Dusty" Rhodes. The aircraft silhouettes change as the team changes aircraft types.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
Blue Angels planes can travel at supersonic speeds up to 1,400 miles per hour. To avoid shattering windows (and eardrums), pilots fly around 700 mph during exhibitions.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
Images shared in this post were captured in RAW using an EOS 5DIII and either the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II and EF Extender 1.4x III (effective 420mm configuration) or the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II. Processing was performed only in Adobe Lightroom v6.
Blue Angels - Sat Day 1
These images are sized to fill your wide-screen display. Try using <F11> to maximize your browser window for the full effect. If the images overshoot your display, such as a laptop, just click on the image or the URL link and they'll resize to your screen from the host Flickr site. You can click a bit further into the image details on the Flickr page, if desired. EXIF data is available from the host Flickr pages as well. On the Flickr site, use your <L>key for Large and the <F11> for the full-screen.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2 by Paul Sager, on Flickr
The first time the team was first introduced as the Blue Angels was during an air show in July 1946. They had changed their name to the Blue Angels after visiting the New York nightclub, The Blue Angel Supper Club.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron switched to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986, replacing the A-4 Skyhawk they had flown for 12-years. The Hornets served for 34 years until the 2021 transition to the Super Hornet.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
The Super Hornet is 25% larger, can fly 40% further, remain on station 80% longer and carry more weapons than its predecessor. The Super Hornet F/A-18 E/F models have deployed with battle groups since 2001. While the Super Hornet has more recent technology, the orginal Hornet is a reliable asset with 40+ years service and is still active in both the US military and with our allies.
Blue Angels - Sat Day 1
Although squadron members do not fly in combat during their two to three-year tour on the team, all of the Blue Angels jets are aircraft carrier-capable and can be made combat-ready in approximately 72 hours, if necessary.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
The first official Blue Angels team insignia or "crest" was designed in 1949 by Flight Leader Lt. Cmdr. Raleigh "Dusty" Rhodes. The aircraft silhouettes change as the team changes aircraft types.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
Blue Angels planes can travel at supersonic speeds up to 1,400 miles per hour. To avoid shattering windows (and eardrums), pilots fly around 700 mph during exhibitions.
Blue Angels - Sun Day 2
Images shared in this post were captured in RAW using an EOS 5DIII and either the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II and EF Extender 1.4x III (effective 420mm configuration) or the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II. Processing was performed only in Adobe Lightroom v6.
Blue Angels - Sat Day 1
These images are sized to fill your wide-screen display. Try using <F11> to maximize your browser window for the full effect. If the images overshoot your display, such as a laptop, just click on the image or the URL link and they'll resize to your screen from the host Flickr site. You can click a bit further into the image details on the Flickr page, if desired. EXIF data is available from the host Flickr pages as well. On the Flickr site, use your <L>key for Large and the <F11> for the full-screen.
Aug 28, 2021 08:37:58 #
Aug 28, 2021 08:47:26 #
Aug 28, 2021 08:48:31 #
Aug 28, 2021 08:49:03 #
Aug 28, 2021 09:01:56 #
Aug 28, 2021 09:17:29 #
Aug 28, 2021 09:44:45 #
Aug 28, 2021 09:55:23 #
Thank you 47greyfox, Bob, Warhorse, Sr71, Gary, Dennis, Chris! I skipped the practice day. People who had been there Friday said I missed the travel / transport "Big Albert" plane that had been flying around Chicago too.
Aug 28, 2021 11:05:28 #
Aug 28, 2021 13:33:05 #
Aug 28, 2021 14:18:07 #
Another good set Paul.
I'm off to see the Bournemouth Air Festival Next weekend, (fingers crossed for nice weather). Which I believe is the largest free air festival in Europe.
I'm off to see the Bournemouth Air Festival Next weekend, (fingers crossed for nice weather). Which I believe is the largest free air festival in Europe.
Aug 29, 2021 08:33:09 #
Aug 29, 2021 09:51:13 #
Wow, Paul. These are amazing captures. I don't know how they can fly so closely.
Aug 29, 2021 09:57:44 #
Thank you Earnest, Carol, Roger, John, Elliott! Sometimes the closeness is somewhat an optical illusion of long focal distances. But, the Blue Angels really are a few feet away in many of their maneuvers.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.