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- Birds of Goodness executes 35th humanitarian aid airdrop in north Gaza
- Led by the Commander of Joint Operations .. A delegation from the Ministry of Defense, has initiated several-day visit to the People's Republic of China
- Birds of Goodness executes 34th humanitarian aid airdrop in north Gaza
- Birds of Goodness' executes 33rd humanitarian aid airdrop in north Gaza
- Birds of Goodness delivers over 2,000 tonnes of aid via 32 airdrops since humanitarian operation began
- On the 2nd day of Eid al-Fitr... Birds of Goodness Executes 31st Humanitarian Airdrop and Eid Clothing in North Gaza
- On the first day of Eid Al-Fitr,UAE and Jordan conduct 14th joint food aid airdrop in northern Gaza
- UAE and Jordan conduct 13th joint food aid airdrop in northern Gaza
- 'Birds of Goodness' Executes 29th Humanitarian Aid Airdrop and Eid Clothing in North Gaza.
- UAE and Jordan conduct 12th joint food aid airdrop in northern Gaza
- 'Birds of Goodness' Executes 28th Humanitarian Aid Airdrop and Eid Clothing in North Gaza
- UAE and Jordan conduct 11th joint food aid airdrop in northern Gaza
- ‘Birds of Goodness’ delivers over 1,500 tonnes of aid via 27 airdrops since humanitarian operation began
- 'Birds of Goodness' executes 26th humanitarian aid airdrop in north Gaza
- 'Birds of Goodness' executes 25th humanitarian aid airdrop in north Gaza
- UAE and Jordan conduct 10th joint food aid airdrop in northern Gaza
- 'Birds of Goodness' executes 24th humanitarian aid airdrop in north Gaza
- UAE and Jordan conduct 9th joint food aid airdrop in northern Gaza
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2020-07-06
Boeing Delivers First Super Hornet for Blue Angel Squadron
Boeing recently delivered the first Super Hornet test aircraft for the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angel flight demonstration squadron. The unpainted aircraft now enters the flight test and evaluation phase at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, U.S. According to reports, Boeing expects to deliver a total of 11 aircraft for the squadron this year.
Ret. Admiral Pat Walsh, vice president of U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Services for Boeing, who flew with the Blue Angels from 1985 to 1987 as the Left Wingman (#3) and Slot Pilot (#4), said: “As Boeing continues to support the operational fleet of Navy Super Hornets, we are excited to see this platform enter a critical phase of its journey to joining the team.”
The flight demonstration squadron has flown Boeing or Boeing-heritage aircraft for more than 50 years, starting with the F-4J Phantom II in 1969, and then moving to the A-4F Skyhawk. The team currently operates the F/A-18A-D Hornet.
Boeing converts F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets into Blue Angels at the company’s Cecil Field facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Some of the major modifications include the addition of an oil tank for the smoke-generation system, fuel systems that enable the aircraft to fly inverted for extended periods of time, civilian-compatible navigation equipment, cameras and adjustments for the centre of gravity of the aircraft.
Front Line of Defence
The Hornet is the first dual-role fighter/attack aircraft and is still serving on America’s front lines of defence. The aircraft is a unique combination of high power and light weight, which gives this multi-mission strike fighter impressive manoeuvrability, climb rate, and acceleration, important both in combat and shipboard operations.
Blue Angels: Significant Events
At the end of World War II, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Chester W. Nimitz ordered the formation of a flight demonstration team to keep the public interested in naval aviation.
Within three months, the Navy Flight Exhibition Team performed its first flight demonstration on June 15, 1946, at their home base, Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville. Lt. Cmdr. Roy “Butch” Voris led the team and flew the Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat.
The team was introduced as the “Blue Angels” at a show in Omaha, Nebraska, in July 1946. Right Wing Pilot Lt. Maurice “Wick” Wickendoll came across the name 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!”
Between 1952 -1954, the team also operated a Lockheed TV-2 Shooting Star (T-33 trainer), solo Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, and continued to perform in Panthers. The team transitioned for a short period to the Grumman F9F-6 Cougar and even tried to fly two Vought F7U Cutlasses as a side act during their 1953 season, but both pilots and maintainers found the aircraft unsuitable for the team. During this time, the Blue Angels also traded their logistics aircraft, a Douglas R4D Skytrain, for a Curtiss R5C-1 Commando, then quickly replaced it for a Douglas R4D-8 Skytrain.
The Blue Angels gave their first performance outside the U.S. in 1956, in Canada. The team also upgraded its logistics aircraft to the Douglas R5D Skymaster.
The 1960s brought with it more growth and world-wide recognition. By the end of the 1960’s, the demonstration team were flying the F-4 Phantom, the only two seat aircraft flown by the delta formation. In 1974, they transitioned to the A-4 Skyhawk, a smaller and lighter aircraft with a tighter turning radius allowing for a more dynamic flight demonstration.
For 13 years, the Blue Angels had continued to fly the McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II, and on November 8, 1986, the team completed its 40th anniversary year and unveiled its present aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet.
The Blue Angels continued to hit milestones when they flew their 3,000th air show in Grand Forks, North Dakota, September 7, 1990.
In August and September 1992, the team performed 16 shows in eight countries throughout Asia and Europe. During this tour, the Blue Angels became the first U.S. military flight demonstration team to perform in Russia, Romania, and Bulgaria.
2020 is the team’s 74th anniversary and marks the Blue Angels’ 34th year flying the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet.
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