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Military
| U.S. NAVY BLUE ANGELS |
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| The Blue Angels Delta Formation
performs the Fleur De Lis, a maneuver performed in an
aerial salute to the men and women of the armed forces.
U.S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class (AW/NAC)
Class Ryan Courtade. (RELEASED) |
At the end of World War II, Chester W. Nimitz, then the Chief
of Naval Operations, ordered the formation of a flight demonstration
team to keep the public interested in naval aviation. The Blue
Angels performed their first flight demonstration less than
a year later in June 1946 at their home base, Naval Air Station
(NAS) Jacksonville, Florida. Flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat,
they were led by Lt. Cmdr. Roy “Butch” Voris.
Only two months later on August 25, 1946, the Blue Angels transitioned
to the Grumman F8F Bearcat and one year later, the 1947 team,
led by Lt. Cmdr. Robert Clarke, introduced the now famous “Diamond
Formation.”
By the end of the 1940’s the Blue Angels were flying their
first jet aircraft, the Grumman F9F-2 Panther. In response to
the demands placed on naval aviation in the Korean Conflict,
the team reported to the aircraft carrier USS Princeton as the
nucleus of Fighter Squadron 1as91 (VF-191), Satan’s Kittens,
in 1950.
The team reorganized the next year and reported to NAS Corpus
Christi, Texas, where they began flying the newer and faster
version of the Panther, the F9F-5. The Blue Angels remained
in Corpus Christi until the winter of 1954 when they relocated
to their present home base at NAS Pensacola, Florida. It was
here that they progressed to the swept-wing Grumman F9F-8 Cougar.
The ensuing 20 years saw the Blue Angels transition to two more
aircraft, the Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (1957) and the McDonnell
Douglas F-4J Phantom II (1969).
In December 1974, the Navy Flight Demonstration Team began flying
the McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II and was reorganized into
the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. This reorganization
permitted the establishment of a commanding officer vice a flight
leader (Cmdr. Tony Less was the squadron’s first official
commanding officer), added support officers and further redefined
the squadron’s mission, emphasizing the support of recruiting
efforts.
On November 8, 1986, the Blue Angels completed their 40th anniversary
year during ceremonies unveiling their present aircraft, the
new sleek McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, the first dua l-role
fighter/attack aircraft now serving on the nation’s front
lines of defense.
In 1992 more than one million people viewed Blue Angel’s
performances during a 30-day European deployment to Sweden,
Finland, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, the United Kingdom
and Spain. This was the first European deployment in 19 years.
The 2005 show season brought out more than 17 million spectators.
Since 1946, the Blue Angels have performed for more than 414
million fans |
| find
out more about the Blue Angels at http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/ |
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| Getting to the Show |
 Click here for directions to Jones Beach. |
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| Jones Beach |
 Jones
Beach is one of New York's hot spots in the summer! |
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| Corporate Hospitality |
 Entertain
your clients, family and friends at the Air Show! |
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