Blue Angels - 2018 NAS JAX - part II
Jan 25, 2019 08:14:35 #
Airshows at Naval Air Station JAX were regular events until the 1970s when the airshow shifted to NAS Cecil Field. The airshow returned to NAS JAX for the 50th anniversary of the base in 1990. Since 2001, the airshow now alternatives between the naval base and Jacksonville Beach. The Jacksonville airshow is one of only three events where the Blue Angels have flown all eight types of demonstration aircraft used through their 72-year history.
2018 NAS JAX Air Show
United States Department of Navy
Naval Air Station
Jacksonville, Florida
October 27, 28, 2018
U.S. Navy Blue Angels by Paul Sager, on Flickr
The Blue Angels are the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron, with aviators from the Navy and Marines. The Blue Angels' six demonstration pilots currently fly the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, typically in more than 70 shows each calendar year at 34 locations throughout the United States. The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-capable, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). The F/A-18 was initially developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and has been built and further refined by Boeing since 1996.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
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.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
In the television animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker's starfighter is named Azure Angel, after the Blue Angels team
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
The "Blues" performed nationwide until the start of the Korean War in 1950, when the team was disbanded and its members were ordered to combat duty due to a shortage of pilots and planes. The Blue Angels were officially recommissioned on 25 October 1951 and assigned the NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. The team's current home is NAS Pensacola, Florida.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
Through the 2018 season there have been 270 pilots in the squadron's history. There have been 26 Blue Angel pilot fatalities in the team's 72-year history.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
The Blue Angels name was suggested by Right Wing Pilot Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll after reading about the Blue Angel nightclub in The New Yorker magazine in a column called Goings On About Town. Voris said, "That sounds great! The Blue Angels. Navy, Blue, and Flying!"
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
2019 is the team's 73rd anniversary and marks the Blue Angels' 33rd year flying the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
The 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.
If the images are not filling your widescreen display due to recent UHH changes, follow this link and update your UHH profile: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-572300-1.html
2018 NAS JAX Air Show
United States Department of Navy
Naval Air Station
Jacksonville, Florida
October 27, 28, 2018
U.S. Navy Blue Angels by Paul Sager, on Flickr
The Blue Angels are the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron, with aviators from the Navy and Marines. The Blue Angels' six demonstration pilots currently fly the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, typically in more than 70 shows each calendar year at 34 locations throughout the United States. The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-capable, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). The F/A-18 was initially developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and has been built and further refined by Boeing since 1996.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
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.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
In the television animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker's starfighter is named Azure Angel, after the Blue Angels team
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
The "Blues" performed nationwide until the start of the Korean War in 1950, when the team was disbanded and its members were ordered to combat duty due to a shortage of pilots and planes. The Blue Angels were officially recommissioned on 25 October 1951 and assigned the NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. The team's current home is NAS Pensacola, Florida.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
Through the 2018 season there have been 270 pilots in the squadron's history. There have been 26 Blue Angel pilot fatalities in the team's 72-year history.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
The Blue Angels name was suggested by Right Wing Pilot Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll after reading about the Blue Angel nightclub in The New Yorker magazine in a column called Goings On About Town. Voris said, "That sounds great! The Blue Angels. Navy, Blue, and Flying!"
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
2019 is the team's 73rd anniversary and marks the Blue Angels' 33rd year flying the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels
The 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.
If the images are not filling your widescreen display due to recent UHH changes, follow this link and update your UHH profile: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-572300-1.html
Jan 25, 2019 08:17:43 #
Jan 25, 2019 08:27:33 #
Great set! The last time I saw them I was shooting film at Quonsett Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island. They are amazingly coordinated.
Jan 25, 2019 08:35:22 #
Jan 25, 2019 08:35:43 #
Jan 25, 2019 08:39:53 #
Awesome planes, awesome shots!!!
Thanks for sharing...
Are those Super Hornets now...
Thanks for sharing...
Are those Super Hornets now...
Jan 25, 2019 08:39:53 #
Jan 25, 2019 08:47:43 #
Yikes! Makes me wonder if they are the ones that pioneered the accident-avoidance systems we have in our cars.
Jan 25, 2019 09:04:49 #
I believe it is all still done with skill, practice and radio calls by the leader.
Well worth seeing the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds if you get the chance...
Well worth seeing the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds if you get the chance...
ELNikkor wrote:
Yikes! Makes me wonder if they are the ones that pioneered the accident-avoidance systems we have in our cars.
Jan 25, 2019 09:05:44 #
Jan 25, 2019 09:12:37 #
Excellent, excellent set of images !! So beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Jan 25, 2019 09:12:41 #
Jan 25, 2019 09:15:44 #
These are really great photos. Are you the official photographer for the Blue Angels? If not, you should be.
Jan 25, 2019 09:30:22 #
Whenever I see your posts anticipation rises to the level "National Geographic" used to elicit. Always fabulous images, Paul!
Jan 25, 2019 10:03:49 #
Mr. B wrote:
Great set! The last time I saw them I was shooting film at Quonsett Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island. They are amazingly coordinated.
Thank you Mr. B! Reading about the history of the Blues, I became interested in action shots from before digital. There were more of the planes in flight and formation than I'd expected to find, but not as much 'all over the internet' like the more recent years & digital. I've shot both the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds repeatedly, and the Blue Angels really are amazingly close, both to each other and the audience.
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