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In 1946 Navy brass selected Lt. Cdr. Roy "Butch" Voris,
a fighter pilot with WW II experience, to organize a flight exhibition
team. The twenty-six-year-old Voris wasted no time in forming
his team, and developed an exciting low altitude acrobatic demonstration
utilizing the F6F Hellcat fighter. Recognizing the need for a
minimum of distractions, Voris selected only bachelors for his
embryonic flight team. When the group put on their first demonstration,
Voris' commanding officer called them a bunch of crazy S.O.B.s
who were going to kill themselves. Nonetheless, the show was
impressive and the Navy moved ahead. Lacking a name for this
new group a contest was held, but no names were submitted which
the pilots all liked. One day Voris' #2 - Wick Wickendall - saw
an ad for a night club called the Blue Angel in a magazine. From
that day forward the name "Blue Angels" was official.
The team quickly transitioned to the faster F8 Bearcat, but when
the Korean War began, the group was temporarily disbanded, and
its pilots formed the nucleus of VF-191 Satan's Kittens. Following
the war Voris was asked again to reactivate the team, this time
utilizing the Panther jet. In 1955 the Angels transitioned to
their first supersonic aircraft the F-8 Cougar. In 1957 they
switched to the F-11, and in 1969 they began flying the F-4 Phantom
II. Plagued with maintenance difficulties the group dropped the
F-4 in 1974 in favor of the diminutive A-4 Skyhawk. In 1985 the
Blue Angels began utilizing the McDonnel Douglas F/A-18 Hornet,
one of the most capable fighter and attack aircraft in the world.
Flying at speeds in the 400-500 MPH range with only 36 inches
of separation during most of their shows, the pilot are subject
to G forces equal to eight times the weight of gravity. However,
the Blue Angels perform without the use of G-suits. The Blues
are made up of an all volunteer group. Pilots typically have
8-10 years of fighter experience (1500 or more hours), are carrier
qualified, and have had time as instructors. The Blue Angels
follow an intensive training program. They fly six days a week,
with only a 2-3 week break in November of each year. The Blue
Angel pilots and their ground support crew spend about 300 days
a year away from home. The support team, which flies from show
to show in a specially modified C-130 nicknamed Fat Albert, is
of vital importance. A Blue Angels show has never been canceled
due to a maintenance or equipment problem, and no spectators
have ever been injured during a demonstration. In 1992 the Blue
Angels were given the opportunity of visiting the former Soviet
Union to become the first American flight demonstration team
to perform over Moscow. This was a significant event as it truly
signified the change taking place in the former Soviet Union,
and the new post Cold War relationship which was evolving. Lead
by Cdr. Greg Wooldridge, the Blue Angels took Moscow by storm.
A series of exchange flights took place with the Russian pilots
having their first exposure to American-built aircraft, and the
Blue Angels having opportunity to fly in SU-27s and Mig-31s,
two of the hottest Russian aircraft. As depicted in Stan Stokes'
highly-detailed painting entitled Angels and Knights, a Blue
Angel F/A-18 and a Russian Knight SU-27 make a low altitude pass
over Red Square, in a symbolic gesture signifying the end of
the Cold War. |