Blue Angels: 80 Years of Excellence, 1946-2026

A richly illustrated history of the U.S. Navy’s elite flight demonstration team and aerial legacy.The Blue Angels: 80 Years of Excellence puts readers in the cockpit with demonstration pilots from the early days of flying propeller-driven fighters in 1946, to its 80th anniversary season in 2026, flying the latest navy and Marine Corps Super Hornet jets.Eighty years ago, in 1946, the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron took to the skies over Jacksonville, Florida, in four Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters. Painted in overall sea blue with gold lettering, the quartet of ex-World War II aviators put on an incredible show. Dubbed “The Blue Angels” by the press, through the years the team of navy and Marine Corps fliers have demonstrated aerial maneuvers taught to all fleet pilots. The Blue Angels bring precision to the team’s aerial demonstrations flying sometimes as close as 18 inches apart from wingtip to canopy.During the team’s eight decades airshow flying, they have flown five of the Grumman Cats—Hellcat, Bearcat, Panther, Cougar, and Tiger; the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, A-4 Skyhawk, and Legacy Hornet; and today’s Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. Special modifications are made to each aircraft type to enable them to fly such precision maneuvers. Supporting the team is a U.S. Marine Corps Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules, nicknamed Fat Albert, that not only moves its support personnel and equipment, but flies its own incredible aerial demonstration.In The Blue Angels: 80 Years of Excellence team members describe what it takes to join this elite team of professionals, the practice and concentration needed to fly seemingly flawless aerial demonstrations, and the dedication and professionalism of the crews that keep the team’s aircraft in the air. Each member contributes to the Blue Angels’ long tradition of camaraderie, respect, and trust, which continues to build one of the highest performing teams in the U.S. military.The can-do attitude of each Blue Angel enables the men and women of the squadron to represent the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps to more than five million spectators each year. Typically performing at thirty-two show sites, flying more than sixty-five demonstrations each season, it is estimated that more than 505 million people have seen the Blue Angels fly during their 80-year history.The Blue Angels: 80 Years of Excellence story is told with dozens of interviews of the men and women who have crafted the team’s legacy. More than 225 photos provide an unprecedented look at the team’s history from its inception in 1946 to today.Table of ContentsForeword Scott “Intake” Kartvedt, President, Blue Angels FoundationChapter 1 Propellers in Motion: Assembling the TeamChapter 2 Expanding the Show with New Aircraft Chapter 3 Recruiting Tool Returns After KoreaChapter 4 Swept-wing Jets: Cougars Join the TeamChapter 5 Supersonic TigersChapter 6 Big Yet Graceful: Blue Angel F-4 PhantomsChapter 7 Man on a Missile: Blue Angels Fly the A-4Chapter 8 Fat Albert AirlinesChapter 9 Moving Up to the F/A-18 Hornet Chapter 10 F/A-18E/F Hornet: Same Name, All New AircraftAppendix I Roster of Officers 1946–2005 Appendix II Flown WestAppendix III Aircraft Flown by Type and Bureau NumberAppendix IV Where Are They Now: Select Retired Blue Angels AircraftThe Promise Behind the Precision: The Blue Angels FoundationAcknowledgmentsBibliography and Recommended ReadingIndex Read more