Two Blue Angels F-18 Hornets clip each other
While performing their formation flight with the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds this past week near Pensacola Beach, Florida, two Blue Angels F-18 Hornets clipped each other because of an unexpected wake turbulence.
“Two of the jets in the Blue Angel Delta formation encountered unexpected wake turbulence, causing a very brief and minor contact between the aircraft,” Blue Angels spokesman Lt. Joe Hontz told to Navy Times.
“It is a testament to the training of the pilots that this incident remained very benign,” Hontz said. “The Blue Angels train in an environment where they fly extremely close — inches away from one another — and are fully prepared to respond and recover should minor contact occur.”
Noteworthy the jets required only minor maintenance after the contact and both pilots involved in the incident have been cleared to resume normal flight operations.
This week-end Blue Angels will perform at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort Airshow.
The team
In 1946, the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Chester Nimitz, had a vision to create a flight exhibition team in order to raise the public’s interest in naval aviation and boost Navy morale. In the 1940’s, the Blue Angels thrilled audiences with our precision combat maneuvers in the F6 Hellcat, the F8 Bearcat and the F9 Panther. During the 1950’s, the team refined its demonstration with aerobatic maneuvers in the F9 Cougar and F-11 Tiger and introduced the first six-plane delta formation, still flown to this day.
By the end of the 1960’s, they were flying the F-4 Phantom, the only two seat aircraft flown by the delta formation. In 1974, the Blue Angels transitioned to the A-4 Skyhawk, a smaller and lighter aircraft with a tighter turning radius allowing for a more dynamic flight demonstration; in 1986, the team celebrated our 40th Anniversary by unveiling the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet. In 2021, the Blue Angels transitioned to their current aircraft the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and celebrated our 75th anniversary.
Photo credit: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Andrea Perez / U.S. Navy and Teddy Techer
