The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are one of the most iconic flight demonstration teams in the world, known for their precision, speed, and breathtaking aerial maneuvers. Established on April 24, 1946 by order of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester Nimitz to boost public interest in naval aviation, they’re the second-oldest formal aerobatic team in the world after France’s Patrouille de France (1931). The team flew its first show that June at NAS Jacksonville before settling at its current home, NAS Pensacola, Florida, in the 1950s.
Today the squadron flies the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, adopted as the team’s aircraft in 2021, supported by a Marine Corps-flown C-130J Super Hercules (“Fat Albert”) that opens each show. Six demonstration pilots — Navy and Marine Corps aviators pulled from the fleet for a two-to-three-year tour — fly tight formations that bring jets as close as 18 inches apart during the signature Diamond 360 maneuver, alongside high-speed solo passes that showcase the Super Hornet’s raw performance.