Blue Angel Flight Demonstration Team
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Patch
Handle
Heritage
- 1945: Blues established at the end of WWII.
- 1950: Blues operations suspended and pilots assigned to VF-191 "Satan's Kittens" for combat in Korea.
- 1951: Blues re-organized after Korea.
- DEC 1974: Blues re-organized as the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.
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Home Ports
Aircraft
- 1946: Grumman F6F Hellcat
- 1947: Grumman F8F Bearcat
- 194?: Grumman F9F-2 Panther
- 1951: Grumman F9F-5 Panther
- 1955: Grumman F9F-8 Panther
- 1957: Grumman F11F-1 Tiger
- 1969: McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II
- 1974: Douglas A-4F Skyhawk (modified)
Tail Code = BA
Intital A-4F Blue Angel Skyhawk group:
BuNo. 154176; BuNo. 154177; BuNo. 154179; BuNo. 154975; BuNo. 154983; BuNo. 154984; BuNo. 154986; BuNo. 155029
Replacement A-4F Blue Angel Skyhawks:
BuNo. 154172; BuNo. 154180; BuNo. 154202; BuNo. 154211; BuNo. 154217; BuNo. 154973; BuNo. 154992; BuNo. 155000;
BuNo. 155033; BuNo. 155056
Blue Angel TA-4J Skyhawks:
BuNo. 153477; BuNo. 153667; BuNo. 158107; BuNo. 158722
Technical Facts and Comments from Gary Verver:
Usually when I see the term "Super Fox" it's in quotes and used to refer to the stripped down and souped up F's used
by the Blue Angels and the Adversary squadrons.
As far as I know the following changes were made at Long Beach to the Blue Angels A-4F's:
- removed the avionics hump
- removed the ECM etc. antennas
- added a brake chute
- slats were bolted shut
- removed the 20mm guns and the port gun fairing was extended to accommodate the fold-in boarding ladder
- smoke generating tank and tube was added
- the flare launchers were removed and or faired over (aft fuselage under the speed brakes)
- the wing ord. pylons #1, #2, #4 & #5 were removed (the centerline station was retained)
- inverted fuel system was added
I've seen claims that the Blue Angels F's used a Pratt & Whitney J52-P408 and others that claim a
J52-480 was used. One thing that I've seen that is attributed to a Blue Angel is the quote from
Vice-Adm. Anthony A. Less, CO of the Blue Angels 1974-1975 (Cdr. at the time) "... the Super F's
were slicked by removing the two outboard racks on each wing. We kept the centerline for
cross-country flights. With the P-408 , we had a lot of power available. The Foxtrot's empty
weight was about 11,300lb and we were at a near 1:1 thrust to weight ratio without fuel..." This
from Brad Elward's (author of McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk) interview with Vice Adm. Less 5 Oct 1999.
I've also seen claims that the intakes were enlarged. The initial Blue Angels A-4F compliment came from
VX-5 at China Lake and the intakes don't look any different to me after the Skyhawks were modified
for use by the Blue Angels.
[Note from LCDR Steve Easton, Blues Maintenance CPO 1979-81, states that "the engines were definitely J52-P408, and the intakes were definitely enlarged as part of the modification kit."]
As far as the TA-4J is concerned the only change that I know of is the paint scheme and addition of
the ladder tube which can be seen in this head on photo taken by Blues Photo Mate Paul O'Mara. It was
taken from the boomer compartment of an USAF KC-10, which had taken the team from PKA to Bermuda for
an airshow. Time was 1983 on a flight near Bermuda. #7 pilot was Curt "Griz" Watson. Rear seater was
a Douglas employee.
Photo is from the Harry Gann collection, and gives a good look at the ladder tube.
The Blue Angels also flew an all white TA-4J, BuNo 153477, during their 1981 winter training.
It looked pretty standard and did not have the ladder tube in the photo I've seen.
Gary Verver 04 JUN 2003
8 Nov 1986: McDonnel Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Proof the "Blues" fly CLOSE while in formation.
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Commanding Officers
- 1946: LCDR Roy "Butch" Voris
- 1947: LCDR Robert Clarke
- 1974: CDR Tony Less
- 1991-92 and Mid 1993: CDR Greg Wooldridge
- 1993-1994: CDR Bob Stumpf
- 1995-1996: CDR Donnie Cochran
- 1997: CDR George Dom
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Blue Angel Skyhawk Drivers
Events
- June 1946:
First demonstration flight.
- 1947:
LCDR Robert Clarke introduces the Diamond Formation.
- 1950:
The Blue Angels form the heart of VF-191 (Satan's Kittens) and serve in combat in Korea.
- 1951:
The Blues re-organize after returning from Korea and move into facilities at NAS Corpus Christi,TX.
where they remained until the winter of 1954
- 1955:
The Blues moved to NAS Pensacola, FL.
- 1973: At the conclusion of their 1973 flight demonstration season,
the Blue Angels retired their F-4J Phantoms and began training for the
1974 season flying the A-4F Skyhawk.
Initially, eight A-4Fs were specially reconfigured for Blue Angel use.
Refinements inclued removal of the "humpback" avionics pod; a drag chute; control stick
"load feel" bungees; a smoke generation system; an inverted flight fuel system;
alteration of the horizontal stabilizer trim; permanent closure of the wing slats;
and a self-contained, foldable cockpit access ladder.
- 1992:
The Blue Angels deployed for its first European tour in 19 years. More than one million people
in Sweden, Finland, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, the United Kingdom
and Spain saw the Blue Angels perform during their 30-day tour.
- NOV 1998:
CDR Patrick Driscoll landed the first "Blue Jet" on a aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).
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Awards
Sources
This page is dedicated posthumously to
Lieutenant Junior Grade James
Patrick Shea,
United States Navy Reserve,
a pilot of Attack Squadron 215.
AIR MEDAL
Lieutenant Junior Grade James Patrick Shea was born August 18, 1940 in Burlingame, California.
Lieutenant Shea attended and was gratuated from San Jose State University. Jim Shea entered the
United States Navy in September 1962 and was commissioned an Ensign in December 1962. Jim enjoyed
music performed by the New Christy Minstrels. While in flight training Jim Shea was a member
of the Naval Air Station Pensacola Goshawks football team, captained by Roger Staubuck.
On Tuesday, April 20, 1965, Lieutenant Shea was flying a Douglas A-1H Skyraider, NP-51, BuNo. 139818,
from United States Ship Hancock (CVA-19) carrier on Yankee Station. Lieutenant Shea was killed while
attacking a target near Haiphong, North Vietnam. His body was not recovered.
Lieutenant Junior Grade James Patrick Shea is remembered on "The Wall" panel 01E, row 106.
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