The Blue Angels: A Fly-By History: Sixty Years of Aerial Excellence

In 1946 the Blue Angels first took wing; a team of four pilots flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat, in daring air shows conceived by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations. And in the 60 years since then, “V” and “Echelon” formations gave way to awe-inspiring “Diamond” maneuvers and solo tricks like the “Dirty Loop” and the “Tuck-away Break.” The six-man teams moved into the jet age with the McDonnell Douglas IA-18 Hornet. More than 350 million spectators around the world have thrilled to the Blue Angels’ precision flying.