| Formed in 1946, the Blue Angels of the US Navy | | | | many early jets. |
| (USN) are the world's first officially sanctioned military | | | | Grumman F9F-2 Panther (1949 - 1954) |
| aerial demonstration team. The group performs more | | | | The Panther was the most widely used USN jet |
| than 70 shows at 34 locations throughout the United | | | | fighter of the Korean War. It flew 78,000 sorties and |
| States each year, where they still employ many of | | | | was responsible for the first air kill by the Navy in the |
| the same practices and techniques in their aerial | | | | conflict. It was the first jet aircraft flown by the Blue |
| displays as in 1946. Their first performance was in | | | | Angels. |
| 1956 in Toronto, Canada. During the four-day Paris Air | | | | Grumman F9F-8 Cougar (1954 - 1957) |
| Show in 1965, the Blue Angels were the only team to | | | | The Cougar is a carrier-based fighter aircraft based |
| receive a standing ovation. Since their inception, they | | | | on the Panther. It replaced the straight wing of the |
| have flown for more than 427 million spectators | | | | Panther with a more modern swept wing. |
| worldwide. The team has operated eight aircraft so | | | | Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (1957 - 1969) |
| far, including the current F/A-18 Hornet. | | | | The Tiger is a single-seat carrier-based fighter |
| Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat (1946) | | | | aircraft, best known for its use as a demonstration |
| Descended from the F4F Wildcat, the Hellcat was | | | | plane. Its career as a fighter lasted only four years, |
| one of the two primary USN carrier fighters in the | | | | but the Blue Angels flew it for nearly ten. It was the |
| second half of World War II. It was the most | | | | squadron's first supersonic jet. |
| successful aircraft in naval history, destroying 5,163 | | | | McDonnell F-4J Phantom II (1969 - 1974) |
| aircraft in service with the US Navy and Marine | | | | The Phantom II is a tandem-seating, supersonic, |
| Corps, and an additional 52 with the Royal Navy's | | | | long-range, all-weather fighter-bomber. It was the |
| Fleet Air Arm during World War II. The Blue Angels, | | | | primary air superiority fighter and a workhorse |
| known simply as the "Navy Flight Exhibition Team" | | | | fighter-bomber for the US Air Force (USAF), Navy |
| back then, flew three specially modified Hellcats | | | | and Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. It was the |
| during their inaugural performance at Craig Field, | | | | only plane to be flown by both the "Blues" and the |
| Florida. On July 19, 1946, the team officially adopted | | | | USAF Thunderbirds. |
| the name "Blue Angels" after a popular nightclub in | | | | Douglas A-4F Skyhawk (1974 - 1986) |
| New York City. | | | | In December 1974, the team downsized to the more |
| Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat (1946 - 1949) | | | | economical subsonic Skyhawk. It was the Navy's |
| The Bearcat was the last piston-engine carrier-based | | | | primary light bomber in the early years of the |
| fighter plane built by Grumman. Affectionately called | | | | Vietnam War. The Skyhawk was also the pioneer of |
| "Bear", it was intended to be an interceptor aircraft. | | | | the "buddy" self air-to-air refueling concept, allowing |
| It is often mentioned as one of the best handling | | | | aircraft to supply fuel to others of the same type |
| piston-engine fighters ever built, even outperforming | | | | without the need for a dedicated tanker. |