The Blue Angels Quiz Book by Astin Snow

Author:Astin Snow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Quiz, Blue Angels, Jets, Flight, Stunt, airplanes, pilots, exhibition, topgun, USA, air show, trivia, pub, questions, fun, facts
ISBN: 9781782346616
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2013
Published: 2013-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

1) Grumman F6F Hellcat, June-August 1946

2) Grumman F8F Bearcat, August 1946-1949

3) Grumman F9F-2 Panther (first jet), 1949-June 1950 and Grumman F9F-5 Panther 1951-Winter 1954/55

4) Grumman F9F-8 Cougar, Winter 1954-55-mid season 1957

5) Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (first supersonic jet), mid season 1957-1969

6) McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II, 1969-December 1974

7) McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II, December 1974-November 1986

8) Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, November 1986-Present

The Blue Angels currently have 16 jets: four single seat F/A-18 A models, nine single seat F/A-18 C models, one 2-seat F/A-18 B and two 2-seat F/A-18 D models.

All of the Blue Angels’ jets are carrier-capable and can be made combat ready in about 72 hours. The squadron’s C-130 (“Fat Albert”) is manned by an all-Marine Corps crew and was not designed for carrier operations.

The demonstration pilots fly the jets to each show site.

The basic acquisition price of a single F/A-18 A Hornet is approximately $21 million. The cost of additional weapons-related equipment varies according to the configuration and use of each aircraft can significantly increase the total price.

The F/A-18 can reach speeds just under Mach 2, almost twice the speed of sound or about 1,400 mph. The maximum rate of climb of the F/A-18 is 30,000 feet per minute.

An F/A-18 weighs about 24,500 pounds empty of all ordnance and aircrew.

The jets bear the official colors for the U.S. Navy.

The F/A-18 can travel approximately 1,000 miles on a full load of fuel without external tanks. Adding the external tanks extends the range to approximately 1,200 miles.

The smoke is produced by pumping biodegradable, paraffin-based oil directly into the exhaust nozzles of the aircraft where the oil is instantly vaporized into smoke. The smoke provides a traceable path for spectators to follow, so they can see the flight profile that has been flown. It also enhances safety of flight by providing a valuable means by which the solo pilots can see each other during opposing maneuvers and conditions of lowered visibility or haze. The smoke poses no hazard to the environment.

Since all maneuvers are preceded by radio communication broadcasting these radio calls or making the frequencies of their radios publicly available could interfere with pilot communication, thereby jeopardizing the safety of flight.

“Fat Albert” is a nickname given to the plane by Marine Corps Blue Angel pilots in the 1970s because of its size and shape and is a reference to the popular children’s cartoon of the same era.

“JATO” stands for Jet-Assisted Take-Off. JATO was used by the Lockheed-Martin C-130 to take off from short runways and gain high altitude in a short period of time, as required in combat situations. The first Blue Angels JATO performance took place at NAS Pensacola in November 1975. Eight solid fuel JATO rocket bottles, each producing 1,000 pounds of thrust, helped propel Fat Albert skyward and captivated millions of spectators each year.

JATO bottles were produced in the Vietnam era. The last known stockpile of JATO bottles were expended during the Blue Angels’ 2009 show season. The last JATO performance for Fat Albert was at the NAS Pensacola, FL Air Show in November 2009.

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