Blue Angels Skyhawk to Hornet

On 8 November 1986 the Blue Angels completed their 40th anniversary year during ceremonies unveiling their present aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, the first multi-role fighter/attack aircraft. The power and aerodynamics of the Hornet allows them to perform a slow, high angle of attack "tail sitting" maneuver, and to fly a "dirty" (landing gear down) formation loop, the last of which is not duplicated by the USAF Thunderbirds.
Prior to the Hornet, the Blue Angels used the Douglas a-4F Skyhawk II.
The official transition happened in Pensacola, where Cliff Skelton, the team's narrator for the 1987 season, taxied onto the flight line, debuting the Hornet in Blue Angels' colors for the first time.
The team originally started flying the delta-wing Douglas Aircraft a4-F Skyhawk II back in 1972.
Video originally produced by March 2 Entertainment

[@choward874]

The Skyhawk was and always will be my favorite platform for the angels.

[@jerrywhite3095]

craig howard . My favorite also Craig. Guess I am a little partial; I was a Crew Chief with the Blues 1975-1978. A lot of nice memories.

[@nocalsteve]

I agree. There were several maneuvers that the Blues did with the Skyhawks that they can't do with the Hornets. The Skyhawk shows were always more fun.

[@boblivingston4841]

A-4 was the best airshow jet aircraft the Blues ever flew.

[@oldfriend327]

Wow! Thank you and God bless you a million times for this very precious video footage. If I may comment for any of the military aviation and/or Blue Angeles. I was lucky enough to see the Blue Angels with both the A-4 and the F-18. Looking back, I am so grateful to my parents for giving into my demands to go these airshows in the 80's all of us in the blistering hot summers with two to three hour drives to and from Miramar, El Toro, Pt. Mugu, Edwards, Van Nuys. To this this day after forty years of military aviation love and no exaggeration, both the A-4 Skyhawk and the F-18 Hornet are still two of my all time favorite aircraft. Those two models have something, can't pinpoint it. What was always amazing to me about the A-4, it was just as nimble as the F-16 used in the Thunderbirds at the same time.

[@parkerpatricia]

I tear up when I see them I started taking my twin at the age of 10 and now they're 46 I haven't missed but a few but my children was there and send me pictures or hold the phone so I can hear them. They're such beautiful jet and pro-form's are fantastic thank to all our pilots. Great job! "Go Navy" I can't wait to see the new jets.

[@garypugh1153]

Im 66. I saw blue angels first in early 60's flying tigers.... i remember the red, wite and blue smoke coming from the wing tips. I thought that was very nice. They quit doing that.

[@DeltaFoxtrotWhiskey3]

They got the F/A-18 in 1986 There was a film about the Blue Angels, called Blue Angels In Razor Sharp (available on KZbin free), that shows them in the A4 Skyhawk. Except at one split second in the film. There's footage of the six aircraft in formation doing a loop where they're flying F/A-18s. In a video that was filmed five years prior to them getting the Hornet.

[@12345fowler]

I can't believe what I just saw : 6 ships LANDING together ? There are some skills at work there... incredible !

[@drod103164]

That is something they don't do anymore. Not sure why they just don't. I was always impressed with that landing.

[@bobsracing34]

@@drod103164 The reason why the Blues no longer do the Delta landing is due to the design of the F/A-18 landing gear. The Hornet has experienced "planing link" failures in the landing gear making it unwise to perform formation landings. I was fortunate to fly the A-4 Skyhawk with the Blues in '81-82 and later had command of an F/A-18 Hornet squadron.

[@xradrd]

bobsracing34 thank you for your service!

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

My first time seeing the Blues was the last year withe Tiger. The Phantom was a beast a force to be reckoned with. The Skyhawks seemed dainty next to the others. The 720/sec was something to behold. The subsonic speed was not noticed as they were not allowed to bust the sound barrier. The power of the Hornet is impressive in their slow flight demo. Watching them in Annapolis for over 5 decades they are a treat to watch.

[@erikerice9068]

It's amazing how many years ago this was and now how many years the hornet as been with us now and continues to be with us. And now they just updated to the Super Hornet and how long they'll be with us. I cant wait who's gonna be next.🤔

[@SuperScottCrawford]

because they were subsonic, i wasn't a fan of the skyhawk when the blue angels had them. then i watched a documentary on the a-4. you know the thing about not appreciating something until it's too late? that's me with the skyhawk. man, what an amazing, durable, versatile, and all around special little plane.

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

I've never had the privilege of seeing the Blues in anything but a hornet. I'd obviously love to go back in time and see them in F4 Phantoms.

[@yuriivashchenko7668]

Last year during the Blue Angels home coming, someone brought a late model A-4. I couldnt help but thing how lovely it must have been to see the Blues with the Scooters.

[@bobsloan8349]

Blue Angel Phantoms I was privileged to be able to see them them as F4's, then A4's. What a different between the Phantoms towards the A4's. Back in the 1960's the F4's were so loud it was amazing. They used afterburners with the whole main group. Never forget those days. Then the A4's came out. What a difference in sound. Nothing like the F4's. Then the F18 was the choice of the Blue Angles. The solo pilots really pushed the aircraft pretty hard. They were great. The main group couldn't touch the F4's. Not half as loud. Afterburners were not used as much as in the 1960's. I always thought the original F/A18 was slow on power. Then the Super hornets came out. They didn't change to the blue angels as of yet, but they have the power the original hornet lacked. They also could have changed to F14's. What a show that would have been. Now all our bases are either gone or have no jets anymore. Sad, I would practically park by my base all summer to see takeoffs and landings. Such is progress.

[@SuperScottCrawford]

when i was like 13, i spent the day with my pops when he used to work for the navy (after his navy career) at nas north island. he took me for a drive around the base to show me the planes, ships, etc. the one thing that stands out about that 30+ yr old memory was watching the testing (or whatever they were doing) of an f-4 phantom. without a doubt, it was the LOUDEST thing i've heard in my life. we were like 100 yrds away, i guess, and i absolutely could not block out the volume no matter how hard i pressed my hands to my head. it was great. i remember my dad, fingers in ears, yelling to me "those are the afterburners!" i said "WHAT?!" and he said "the afterburners just came on!"

[@MrScotty51]

The first time I ever saw the Blue Angels was at an air show at Indian Springs, Nevada (a bombing range belonging to Nellis AFB) outside Las Vegas......the Angels were flying the F-11F Tiger at that time. The air show was some sort of culmination of a "Weapons Meet" at the range. This was back in the late 1950's. There was an aerobatic team from Japan flying nine F-86 aircraft in a nine ship diamond formation - I remember they had the tails painted white with black stars. A B-58 Hustler was flown for a demonstration.....an F-101 Voodoo screamed across the grandstands taking a photo of the crowd.....that photo was returned via helicopter later in the demonstration and passed among the crowd to show us how good the results could be......it was one hell of a show. The Thunderbirds also performed in their F-100 aircraft. When we moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1964, a small town outside of Phoenix called "Litchfield Park" was the home of the Blue Angels in their F-11F aircraft...it was Litchfield Naval Air Station and would eventually be deactivated sending the Blues to Pensacola as their home. Got to attend the Blue Angels last performance at Litchfield NAS.

[@swede5209]

Those guys are “Living The Dream”. But I am sure they earned it.

[@lefkadapao13]

I still have great memories from the Skyhawk 😀😊

[@TheSearchandfind]

I remember LT. Skelton. I got his autograph back in '88 at the Memphis Naval Airshow in Milington TN. I wonder what ever happen to him when he left the team?

[@katsuhikotaniguchi2925]

Great video.

[@skywarp1]

I can't wait to see the transition from the Hornet to the Super Hornet

[@mapquest681]

There was a video done by Top Gun Video Productions from 1989 that was of the ENTIRE airshow from the moment they got in the jets until they got out. It was a rear facing video of the number 2 Kevin Lauver "Towbar" jet over San Francisco Bay. It had all of the comms on it.There was no breaks in the video. Just one long 58 minute +- video. It was really cool. The name of it eludes at the moment... I will update if the name comes back to me...

[@elifoust7664]

Glad to be present at the last show..Sherman CRASH Rescue..1978-2005.

[@mrandrossguy9871]

Also I love to imagine the F-15c as a ThunderBird but that would be to big and costly The closest we got was F-4 which is just as OP too bad I wasn’t alive at that time

[@harshtruth5003]

Nice video first time I ever saw the blue angels fly was in 1983 at the Canadian international air show with the skyhawks they put on a great show that I still remeber! Years later saw them fly at the 2009 show with the Hornets still it was a great show! Skyhawk or hornet? I have no favorites the blues always put a good show!

[@bobsloan8349]

+ Scott Speed. Yes I have heard a person who is now gone tell me he used to test the afterburners of F-4's. He would stand directly behind of course out of the way of the back of the jet, to make sure they were lit and working properly. He said he would stand there and his body would be shaking all over the place from the exhaust. Wish many or these and other jets could be saved from the boneyard,and drone use.

[@gcHK47]

Bob Sloan F drones.

[@e.l.norton]

Saw the Blues in their first season with the Hornet in 87. I can't believe they've been flying the same aircraft for 30 years. Go back from 87 to 57 and see how many aircraft types they went through. One bird for 30 years. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

[@roccop3760]

Pete Venkman I would rather have the f-18 then any other current aircraft

[@joevignolor4u949]

I spoke with a Blue Angels maintenance guy at an airshow once. He told me they get the oldest and highest time airplanes coming off the fleet. Then they fly them for a year or two to wring the last flight hours and flight cycles out of them. Then they get retired and either go to the boneyard or they get put on static display someplace. A few are even made unflyable and sold to private collectors. One actually ended up on Ebay.

[@kimdossett1]

Pete Venkman 1st of all they started flying the A4 in 1973 not 1957. 1957 is when the A4 first appeared. In 1973 the Blues left their previous airplane the F4 Phantom. The A4 is a highly maneuverable airplane. And was used as an adversary in top gun training because it out maneuvered the F14 and the, wait for it........ Yes, even the F18. You don't like subsonic airplanes. Well, supersonic only gets you there and back. Burning tremendous amounts of precious fuel. All dog fighting, even to this day. All dog fighting is done at subsonic speeds. I first saw the Blues in 1973. Just before they transitioned into the A4. I first saw the T-birds also flying the F4. Three generations of airplanes. Do some research before you spout off and show your Aviation History Ignorance. As this younger generation likes to say. I just dropped the mike.

[@jamesgault7383]

@@kimdossett1 100% Nice burn job!

[@jamesackley1058]

The Naval Flight Demonstration Team was reorganized into the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron in December 1974.

[@bobbycvsixfour5258]

Did you all here that, the A4's first show was in OMAHA, NE :-)

[@chrisbrackin9678]

All this footage of the Blues flying over either the Rockies or the Sierras. Where and when did that all take place? It's been in every Blue Angels documentary I've ever seen. I'd assume that it was the first F-18 team in 1987. Maybe some Clay Lacy footage?

[@gcHK47]

MY CHILDHOOD!!!!!!!!

[@video1974]

The F-18 engines (GE F404's) make all the difference in the world. The A-4's were cool, but didn't have the ability to kick in the afterburners for added noise and speed due to their small non AB engines.

[@joevignolor4u949]

Agreed. Noise is the main impact an airshow airplane can have directly on the crowd. The F-18 is more impressive then the A-4 because of the extra noise it makes. However, in 1974 I saw the Thunderbirds when they were flying F-4's. That's the most impressive performance I ever saw. Back then they allowed a demonstration aircraft to fly right over the crowd. I remember one F-4 coming right over me and lighting it's two afterburners. You didn't just hear it. You felt it.

[@nocalsteve]

The A-4s are actually pretty freaking loud. They made plenty of noise.

[@gcHK47]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Where did you find this?! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for it!

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

Thanks for watching. Here is a link to the full film. (don't forget to subscribe) kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3PCqY1-nsugZpY

[@gcHK47]

You, sir, have made me the happiest man in the Universe! I've liked and favorited the video, plus subscribed to you. You can't imagine how happy you've made me; that documentary played an enormous part in shaping who I am! I thank you with all my heart!

[@k.ottophillips4303]

Is the rest of this video production available on KZbin? I remember this being about an hour long or so.

[@darkshadow7709]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3PCqY1-nsugZpY

[@luciusvorenus9445]

From the Scooter to the Bug. I wonder how the transition from the Rhino to the Scooter went.

[@747heavyboeing3]

F 4 was AWESOME

[@mrandrossguy9871]

Damn , bittersweet ! But How can you go from F-4 to A-4 it’s just baffling To me, I mean the BlueAngel before Phantom was an Afterburner too right ? Also the F-4 Phantom is The Only Aircraft to serve Both BlueAngels AND ThunderBirds which is somthin truly special ! Now another Special thing with them is the F/A-18 and the F-16 have been serving Blues & Birds For Just About Over 30 Years!! WTH ?! LoL Just goes to show that really maintenance and money is what it’s about ?

[@Chicken_Wing91]

I still never understood why the blue Angels never flew the F-14

[@slay8467]

1. Operational costs 2. Size of aircraft 3. Hornet was the latest and greatest. Remember, the Blues are there to recruit.

[@bobbycvsixfour5258]

I agree with Clay Hackett, while I love the F14, the GREATEST INTERCEPTOR EVER. Would have made no sense like the F4 Blue Angels. The A4 was the best plane ever for the Angels. Thank You Clay for your post. (USS CONSTELLATION CV64, AIMD, IM2 DIVISION 77-81)

[@ILSRWY4]

name of channel: "Blue Angels Phantom" Topic of this video: "Blue Angels Skyhawk to Hornet" ummm... what did I miss?

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

Answer: The channel description.

[@RCKTBOY7]

You wouldn't happen to have the entire video would you? I used to have this on VHS but it was destroyed by flooding from a hurricane back in 2004.

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

Hi there, in fact, I do have the entire video. Will post in the next 24 hours for you. Sorry to hear about the flooding.

[@RCKTBOY7]

Thank you!

[@RCKTBOY7]

Any update on the upload?

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

Check your KZbin inbox.

[@MzzJazzmynn]

Hi there! I just stumbled upon this video...my former songwriting partner and I did the music for this project and I sang the vocal song toward the end of the documentary. I, too, would love a copy of the full video, if that would be possible. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

[@tysoncott7402]

I loved when the blues went to the F-18, even as a kid in the 80’s i never cared for the A4’s, i still dont either! Now im hoping the blues will get superhornets & eventually F35’s

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

Sounds like they will be in the Superhornets within the next 3 years. I wish they'd do something more dramatic like the F35, but I will take what I can get!

[@tysoncott7402]

Yeah i hear ya there. I read last night that the blues may transition to the super hornets in 2019 but could even go past that, problem is the blues prefer the “legacy” hornets due to there light weight, good acrobatics etc etc but parts for them are getting hard to get.

[@MrScotty51]

I worked on A-4's for my 21 year Marine Corps career - it's a tough little bird and was definitely a worthy aircraft for the show that the Blue Angels did - they never go supersonic during any performance, so what was the need for an aircraft that can do it? Rode in the back seat of our TA-4's numerous times during my career and went supersonic a few times (during a dive from 35,000 feet on an engine performance check)..........interesting experience watching the sound shock wave come across the canopy back towards the tail as it broke the sound barrier and then watching that shock wave come back the other way as it would slow down. Even had the experience on one test hop out over San Clemente Island of having Lt. Denny Sapp (Blue Angel # 6) come up on our wing in his bird to fly with us for awhile - the pilot (Major Ron Akin) of the bird I was in had been Lt. Sapp's instructor way back at Beeville, Tx., when he was a "nugget" - found out we were out there and decided to say hello............wish I had taken a camera with us.

[@BlueAngelPhantoms]

I think that flying in the back of an A4 would scare the heck out of me. If you haven't seen it, back out the Jerry Tucker interview on my channel. He talks about why the A4 was his favorite airshow plane, even over the F4 Phantom, during his time with the Blue Angels.

[@MrScotty51]

Nothing to scared of in the back seat of the TA-4.....loved every minute that I got to fly in those birds and wish I could do it all again. I was put on "test skins" while at H&MS-13 OMD at El Toro MCAS which meant that when one of our birds had to be flown on a test hop, we got to go and were paid the immense sum of $65.00 for the month - but you had to get at least 4 hours of flight time, so if the end of the month was coming and you didn't have your 4 hours, you got put in the back seat of any TA-4 that was going out, no matter what for. Had several flights that were "ACM's" (Air Combat Manuver - "Dog Fighting") against the F-4's of VMFA-314 and VMFA-323. Now THAT'S a head rush!!! We'd go out into the "Restricted Area"....W-291 off the coast of Southern California over San Clementi Island and "Beaver Control" would tell you where to go, then at one point, they would direct the aircraft towards each other and tell us "it's on" - we'd have to look for the "aggressor" aircraft and fight. The F-4's were usually very easy to see since you could track their location and direction by the smoke coming off of the engines. There was "smoke abatement" for them, but since we were in peace time, the squadrons didn't want to spend the money on that stuff, so we'd just look for the smoke trail and since we were usually higher than they were, we'd roll over and dive down on them - it was a ball. I'd do it again in a New York second if I could.

[@phillhookz3080]

No match for the Russian Knights

[@greenseaships]

30+ years later, it's still uglier than the Skyhawk.

[@GeorgeJansen]

Next up... F35s

[@bmezay2003]

GeorgeJansen no