On our way to dinner at Steve and Laura's, we needed to stop by the Minden Airport so Steve could purchase tickets for the Aviation Round Up Airshow happening here this weekend. Attending is a Haerr Man Day so this was the show for me.
I think everyone knows about the awesome Blue Angels. Being as I'm a Navy gal, they are my favorite demonstration jet flyers with 72 Years of aviation excellence.
After being in their powerful presence, I wanted to know more about their history. Here you go... 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 1940s, they thrilled audiences with their precision combat maneuvers in the F6 Hellcat, the F8 Bearcat and the F9 Panther. During the 1950s, they refined their 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 1960s, the Angels were flying the F-4 Phantom, the only two seat aircraft flown by the delta formation. In 1974, they transitioned to the A-4 Skyhawk, a smaller and lighter aircraft with a tighter turning radius allowing for a more dynamic flight demonstration. And in 1986, they celebrated their 40th Anniversary by unveiling the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, which they still fly to this day. By the way, I have no idea what any of those previous planes are, but man, I'm loving the Hornet. Wow.
Here's just a brief video clip of the awesomeness the boys are going to experience. I'm so glad I got to see the pre-show.
Then at the end of the day, Mother Nature did her own show for us. Wow.
"Airpower is like Oxygen.
When you have enough, you don't have to think about it.
When you don't have enough, that's all you can think about."
2 comments:
We always try to see them whenever they are here for a show! They are so amazing! Great pictures too!
Who needs to go to the show when you can see them practice!?
How cool.
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