Blue Angels

For the 1960 syndicated television series, see The Blue Angels (TV series)
Blue Angels
United States Navy Flight Exhibition Team
Blueangelsformationpd.jpg
The Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets fly in tight diamond formation maintaining 18-inch wing tip to canopy separation.
Active April 24, 1946 to present
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States
Branch US-DeptOfNavy-Seal.svg United States Navy
Role Aerobatic flight demonstration team
Size 16 officers, 110 enlisted
Garrison/HQ NAS Pensacola
NAF El Centro (Winter Airfield)
Colors "Blue Angel" blue
"Insignia" yellow
Insignia
Identification
symbol		 Blue Angels Insignia.svg
Aircraft flown
Fighter 10 - F/A-18A Hornets (single seat)
2 - F/A-18B Hornets (two seat)
*Note - four aircraft are spares
Transport 1 - C-130T Hercules

The United States Navy's Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels, first performed in 1946[1] and is currently the oldest flying aerobatic team. The squadron's six demonstration pilots fly the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in more than 70 shows at 34 locations throughout the United States each year, where they still employ many of the same practices and techniques used in their aerial displays in 1946. Since their inception, the "Blues" have flown a variety of different aircraft types for more than 427 million spectators worldwide.

Contents

Mission

The mission of the Blue Angels is to enhance Navy recruiting, and credibly represent Navy and Marine Corps aviation to the United States and its Armed Forces to America and other countries as international ambassadors of good will.

Air show overview

The Blue Angels show season runs each year from March until November. They perform at military and civilian airfields, and often perform directly over major cities such as San Francisco's "Fleet Week" maritime festival, Cleveland's bi-annual Labor Day Air Show, and Seattle's annual Seafair festival.

During the aerobatic demonstration, the Blue Angels operate six FA-18 Hornet aircraft, split into the Diamond (Blue Angels 1 through 4) and the Lead and Opposing Solos (Blue Angels 5 and 6). Most of the show alternates between maneuvers performed by the Diamond and those performed by the Solos. The Diamond, in tight formation and usually at lower speeds, performs maneuvers such as formation loops, barrel rolls, and transitions from one formation to another. The Solos fly many of their maneuvers just under the speed of sound, showcasing the high performance capabilities of their individual Hornets through the execution of high-speed passes, slow passes, fast rolls, slow rolls, and very tight turns. Some of the maneuvers include both solo F/A-18s performing at once, such as opposing passes (toward each other in what appears to be a collision course) and mirror formations (back-to-back. belly-to-belly, or wingtip-to-wingtip, with one jet flying inverted). The Solos join the Diamond near the end of the show for a number of maneuvers in the Delta formation.

The parameters of each show must be tailored to local weather: in clear weather the "high" show is performed; in overcast conditions a "low" show is performed, and in limited visibility (weather permitting) the "flat" show is presented. The "high" show requires an 8,000-foot (2,400 m) ceiling and visibility of 3 nautical miles (6 km) from the show's centerpoint. "Low" and "flat" ceilings are 3,500 and 1,500 feet (460 m) respectively.

Squadron nickname, insignia and paint scheme

Water condensation in the strake vortices of a Hornet during a tight maneuver.

When initially formed, the unit was called the Navy Flight Exhibition Team. The squadron was officially redesignated as the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron in December 1974. The original team adopted the nickname Blue Angels in 1946, when one of them came across the name of New York City's Blue Angel nightclub in the New Yorker Magazine. The team introduced themselves as the "Blue Angels" to the public for the first time on July 21, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska.

The official Blue Angels insignia was designed by then team leader Lt. Cmdr. R.E. "Dusty" Rhodes and approved by Chief of Naval Operations in 1949. It is nearly identical to the current design. In the cloud in the upper right quadrant, the aircraft were originally shown heading down and to the right. Over the years, the plane silhouettes have changed along with the squadron's aircraft. Additionally, the lower left quadrant, which contains the Chief of Naval Air Training insignia, has occasionally contained only Naval Aviator wings.

Originally, demonstration aircraft were navy blue (nearly black) with gold lettering. The current shades of blue and yellow were adopted when the team transitioned to the Bearcat in 1946. For a single year in 1949, the team performed in a blinding all-yellow scheme with blue markings.[2] The current paint scheme, including yellow stripe markings along the top of the fuselage, and "U.S. Navy" on the bottom of the wings, was designed by team member Robert L. Rasmussen in 1957.

Current aircraft

The "Blues" F/A-18 aircraft are former fleet aircraft that are nearly combat-ready. They can be repainted and readied for combat service in just 72 hours.[3] Significant modifications to each aircraft include removal of the aircraft gun and replacement with the tank that contains the paraffin-based smoked oil used in demonstrations, installation of inverted fuel pumps to increase the time aircraft can spend inverted without fuel starvation, and outfitting with the control stick spring system that is used to facilitate more precise aircraft control inputs. The standard demonstration configuration is such that the pilot must overcome 40 pounds of nose-down stick input to maintain level flight. The Blue Angels do not wear G-suits, because the air bladders inside them would repeatedly deflate and inflate. That would interfere with the control stick between a pilot's legs. Instead, Blue Angel pilots tense their stomach muscles and legs to prevent blood from rushing from their heads and rendering them unconscious.[3]

"Fat Albert" conducting a Jet Assisted Take Off.

The show narrator flies Blue Angel 7—a two-seat FA-18B—to shows sites. The Blue Angels use this jet for backup, and to give demonstration flights to civilians (usually members of the press). The #4 slot pilot often flies the #7 aircraft in Friday "practice" shows.

The Blue Angels use a United States Marine Corps C-130T Hercules nicknamed "Fat Albert" for logistics, carrying spare parts, equipment, and to carry support personnel between shows. Starting in 1975, "Bert" was used for Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) and short aerial demonstrations just prior to the main event at selected venues, but the JATO demonstration ended in 2009 due to dwindling supplies of rockets.[4] "Fat Albert Airlines" flies with an all-Marine crew of three officers and five enlisted personnel.

Team members

The first Blue Angel Flight Demonstration Squadron, 1946–1947 assembled in front of one of their F6F Hellcats (l to r): Lt. Al Taddeo, Solo; Lt. (J.G.) Gale Stouse, Spare; Lt. Cdr. R.M. "Butch" Voris, Flight Leader; Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll, Right Wing; Lt. Mel Cassidy, Left Wing.

All team members, both officer and enlisted, come from the ranks of regular Navy and United States Marine Corps units. The demonstration pilots and narrator are made up of Navy and USMC Naval Aviators. Pilots typically serve two years, and position assignments are made according to team needs, pilot experience levels, and career considerations for members. The team leader (#1) is the Commanding Officer and is always a Navy Commander, who may be promoted to Captain mid-tour depending on if he has been approved for Captain by the selection board. Pilots of numbers 2-7 are Navy Lieutenants or Lieutenant Commanders. There are usually one or two Marines among this group, ranked Captain or Major. The number 7 pilot narrates for a year, and then typically flies Opposing and then Lead Solo the following two years, respectively. The number 3 pilot moves to the number 4 (slot) position for his second year. Blue Angel #4 serves as the demonstration safety officer, due largely to the perspective he is afforded from the slot position within the formation, as well as his status as a second-year demonstration pilot. There are a number of other officers in the squadron, including a Naval Flight Officer, the USMC C-130 pilots, a Maintenance Officer, an Administrative Officer, and a Flight Surgeon. Enlisted members range from E-4 to E-9, and perform all maintenance, administrative, and support functions. After serving with the "Blues", members return to fleet assignments.

Members of the 2010 season USN Blue Angels Team:

Training and weekly routine

The "Blues" support crew watches the team perform in the Grumman F9F-2 Panther jet fighter.

Annual winter training takes place at NAF El Centro, CA, where new and returning pilots hone skills learned in the fleet. Separation between the formation of aircraft and their maneuver altitude is gradually reduced over the course of about two months in January and February. The team returns to their home base of Pensacola, Florida in March, and continue to practice throughout the show season. A typical week during the season has practices at NAS Pensacola on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. The team then flies to its show venue for the week on Thursday, conducting "circle and arrival" orientation maneuvers upon arrival. The team flies a "practice" airshow at the show site on Friday. This show is attended by invited guests but is often open to the general public. The main airshows are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays, with the team returning home on Sunday evenings. Mondays are the only routine day off.

History

1940s

F6F-5 Hellcats in 1946

On April 24, 1946 Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester Nimitz issued a directive ordering the formation of a flight exhibition team to boost Navy morale, demonstrate naval air power, and maintain public interest in naval aviation. However, an underlying mission was to help the Navy generate public and political support for a larger allocation of the shrinking defense budget. In April of that year, Rear Admiral Ralph Davison personally selected Lieutenant Commander Roy Marlin "Butch" Voris, a World War II fighter ace, to assemble and train a flight demonstration team, naming him Officer-in-Charge and Flight Leader. Voris selected three fellow instructors to join him (Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll, Lt. Mel Cassidy, and Lt. Cmdr. Lloyd Barnard, veterans of the War in the Pacific), and they spent countless hours developing the show. The group perfected its initial maneuvers in secret over the Florida Everglades so that, in Voris' words, "...if anything happened, just the alligators would know." The team's first demonstration before Navy officials took place on May 10, 1946 and was met with enthusiastic approval.

On June 15 Voris led a trio of Grumman F6F-5 Hellcats, specially modified to reduce weight and painted sea blue with gold leaf trim, through their inaugural 15-minute-long performance at their Florida home base, Naval Air Station Jacksonville.[1] The team employed an SNJ Texan, painted and configured to simulate a Japanese Zero, to simulate aerial combat. This aircraft was later painted yellow and dubbed the "Beetle Bomb".

The team thrilled spectators with low-flying maneuvers performed in tight formations, and (according to Voris) by "...keeping something in front of the crowds at all times. My objective was to beat the Army Air Corps. If we did that, we'd get all the other side issues. I felt that if we weren't the best, it would be my naval career." The Blue Angels' first public demonstration also netted the team its first trophy, which sits on display at the team's current home at NAS Pensacola.

On August 25, 1946 the Blue Angels switched to the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat and introduced the famous "diamond" formation at the World Air Carnival in Birmingham, Alabama.

The team soon became known worldwide for its spectacular aerobatic maneuvers. On August 25, 1946 the squadron upgraded their aircraft to the F8F-1 Bearcat. In 1949, the team acquired a Douglas R4D Sky Train for logistics to and from show sites. The team's SNJ was also replaced by a F8F-1 "Bearcat", painted yellow for the air combat routine. The Blues transitioned to the straight-wing Grumman F9F-2 Panther on July 13, 1949, wherein the F8F-1 "Beetle Bomb" was relegated to solo aerobatics before the main show, until it crashed on takeoff at a training show in Pensacola in 1950.

Team headquarters shifted from NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, to NAAS Whiting Field, Florida, in the fall of 1949, announced 14 July 1949.[5]

1950s

The "Blues" continued to perform nationwide until the start of the Korean War in 1950, when (due to a shortage of pilots, and no planes were available) the team was disbanded and its members were ordered to combat duty. Once aboard the aircraft carrier USS Princeton the group formed the core of VF-191 (Satan's Kittens).

The Blue Angels were officially recommissioned on October 25, 1951, and reported to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Lt. Cdr. Voris was again tasked with assembling the team (he was the first of only two commanding officers to lead them twice). In 1953 the team traded its Sky Train for a Curtiss R5C Commando.

The Blues remained in Corpus Christi until the winter of 1954, when they relocated to their present home at NAS Pensacola. It was here they progressed to the swept-wing Grumman F9F-8 Cougar.

F9F-8 Cougar formation in 1956

The first Marine Corps pilot, Capt Chuck Hiett, joined the team and they relocated to their current home of NAS Pensacola in the winter of 1954. In August 1954, "Blues" leader LCDR Ray Hawkins becomes the first naval aviator to survive an ejection at supersonic speeds when his F9F-6 became uncontrollable on a cross-country flight.

In Sept 1956, the team added a sixth aircraft to the flight demonstration in the Opposing Solo position, and gave its first performance outside the United States at the International Air Exposition in Toronto, Canada. It also upgraded its logistics aircraft to the Douglas R5D Skymaster.

Grumman F11F-1 Tiger, 1957-69

In January 1957, the team left its winter training facility at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California for a ten year period. For the next ten years, the team would winter at NAS Key West, Florida. For the 1957 show season, the Blue Angels transitioned to the supersonic Grumman F11F-1 Tiger, first flying the short-nosed, and then the long-nosed versions. The first Six-Plane Delta Maneuvers were added in the 1958 season.

1960s

In July 1964, the Blue Angels participated in the Aeronaves de Mexico Anniversary Air Show over Mexico City, Mexico, before an estimated crowd of 1.5 million people.

In 1965, the Blue Angels conducted a Caribbean island tour, flying at five sites. Later that year, they embarked on a European tour to a dozen sites, including the Paris Air Show, where they were the only team to receive a standing ovation.

The Blues toured Europe again in 1967 touring six sites. In 1968 Skymaster transport aircraft was replaced with a C-121J Constellation. The Blues transitioned to the two-seat McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II in 1969, nearly always keeping the back seat empty for flight demonstrations. The Phantom was the only plane to be flown by both the "Blues" and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. That year they also upgraded to the 'Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation for logistics.

1970s

McDonnell F-4J Phantom IIs

The Blues received their first U.S Marine Corps Lockheed KC-130F Hercules (Bureau Number 150690) in 1970. An all-Marine crew manned it. That year, they went on their first South American tour. In 1971, the team conducted its first Far East Tour, performing at a dozen locations in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Guam, and the Philippines. In 1972, the Blue Angels were awarded the Navy's Meritorious Unit Commendation for the two-year period from March 1, 1970 - December 31, 1971. Another European tour followed in 1973, including air shows in Tehran, Iran, England, France, Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

In December 1974 the Navy Flight Demonstration Team downsized to the subsonic McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II and was reorganized into the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. This reorganization permitted the establishment of a commanding officer (the flight leader), added support officers, and further redefined the squadron's mission emphasizing the support of recruiting efforts. Commander Tony Less was the squadron's first official commanding officer.

All six Blue Angel A-4F Skyhawks fly in delta formation, smoke on.

1980s

On November 8, 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 Thunderbirds.

Also in 1986, LCDR Donnie Cochran, joined the Blue Angels as the first African-American Naval Aviator to be selected. He would return to lead the team in 1993.

1990s

In 1992 the Blue Angels deployed for a month-long European tour, their first in 19 years, conducting shows in Sweden, Finland, Russia (the first foreign flight demonstration team to perform there), Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, the United Kingdom and Spain. In 1998, CDR Patrick Driscoll made the first "Blue Jet" landing on a "haze gray and underway" aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).

2000s

Performing in San Francisco

In 2006, the Blue Angels marked their 60th year of performing.[6] On October 30, 2008 a spokesman for the team announced that the team would complete its last three performances of the year with five jets instead of six. The change was because one pilot and another officer in the organization had been removed from duty for engaging in an "inappropriate relationship". The Navy stated that one of the individuals was a man and the other a woman, one a Marine and the other from the Navy, and that Rear Admiral Mark Guadagnini, chief of Naval air training, was reviewing the situation.[7] At the next performance at Lackland Air Force Base following the announcement the #4 or slot pilot, was absent from the formation. A spokesman for the team would not confirm the identity of the pilot removed from the team.[8] On November 6, 2008 both officers were found guilty at an admiral's mast on unspecified charges but the resulting punishment was not disclosed.[9]

Fat Albert performed its final JATO demonstration at the 2009 Pensacola Homecoming show, spending their 8 remaining JATO bottles. This demonstration not only was the last JATO performance of the squadron, but also the final JATO profile of the entire US Marine Corps.[10]

Aircraft timeline

The "Blues" have flown nine different demonstration aircraft and five support aircraft models.

Demonstration aircraft

  1. Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat - June-August 1946
  2. Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat - August 1946-1949
  3. Grumman F9F-2 Panther - 1949-June 1950 (first jet);
  4. Grumman F9F-5 Panther - 1951-Winter 1954/55
  5. Grumman F9F-8 Cougar - Winter 1954/55-mid-season 1957 (swept-wing)
  6. Grumman F11F-1 Tiger - mid-season 1957-1969 (first supersonic jet)
  7. McDonnell F-4J Phantom II - 1969-December 1974
  8. Douglas A-4F Skyhawk - December 1974-November 1986
  9. McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18A/B Hornet - November 1986–Present. They are currently transitioning to the F/A-18C/D.

Support

  1. Douglas R4D Sky Train — 1949–1955
  2. Curtiss R5C Commando — 1953
  3. Douglas R5D Skymaster — 1956–1968
  4. Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation — 1969–1973
  5. Lockheed C-130 Hercules "Fat Albert" — 1970–Present

Miscellaneous aircraft

  1. SNJ Texan
  2. Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
  3. F7U Cutlass

Show routine

The solos make a "knife-edge" pass. The far aircraft is actually slightly higher than the near aircraft to make them appear in-line to the audience.
Blue Angels aircraft perform the "Section High Alpha", the slowest maneuver of their show. During the maneuver the two jets slow down to 125 knots (232 km/h) as they pitch the nose of the F/A-18 up to 45 degrees.
Blue Angel number seven roars past during the Fleet Week 2007 air show over the San Francisco Bay.
Blue Angels on Delta Formation.

Source: Videos of these maneuvers

Accidents

During its history, 26 Blue Angels pilots have been killed in air show or training accidents.[12] Through the 2006 season there have been 262 pilots in the squadron's history,[13] giving the job a 10% fatality rate.

Other incidents involving former Blue Angels

In the media

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John with Blue Angels, 1982
Today is a very special and memorable day in your military career that will remain with you throughout your lifetime. You have survived the ultimate test of your peers and have proven to be completely deserving to wear the crest of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

The prestige of wearing the Blue Angels uniform carries with it an extraordinary honor — one that reflects not only on you as an individual, but on your teammates and the entire squadron. To the crowds at the air shows and to the public at hospitals and schools nationwide, you are a symbol of the Navy and Marine Corps' finest. You bring pride, hope and a promise for tomorrow's Navy and Marine Corps in the smiles and handshakes of today's youth. Remember today as the day you became a Blue Angel; look around at your teammates and commit this special bond to memory. "Once a Blue Angel, always a Blue Angel," rings true for all those who wear the crest of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Welcome to the team.

Notable alumni

Air show schedule

A link to the current Blue Angels schedule can be found in the External links section below.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 History of the Blue Angels, Blue Angels official website.
  2. ↑ Campbell, War Paint, p171
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Blue Angels Frequently Asked Questions
  4. ↑ McCullough, Amy (2009-11-09). "Abort Launch: Air shows to do without Fat Albert’s famed JATO". Marine Corps Times (Gannett Company): pp. 6. 
  5. ↑ Fort Walton, Florida, "'Blue Angels' To Pensacola - Navy Flight Exhibition Team Is Transferred", Playground News, Thursday 14 July 1949, Volume 4, Number 24, page 2.
  6. ↑ Blue Angels Monumental Moments
  7. ↑ Moon, Troy (2008-10-31). "Blues Angels Pilot, Other Grounded". Pensacola News Journal. http://www.pnj.com/article/20081031/SPORTS1001/810310363. Retrieved 2008-11-04. 
  8. ↑ Griggs, Travis (2008-11-02). "No. 4 jet missing from Blue Angels". Pensacola News Journal. http://www.pnj.com/article/20081102/NEWS01/811020335/1006/NEWS01. Retrieved 2008-11-04. 
  9. ↑ Scutro, Andrew, "2 Blue Angels found guilty, await punishment", Military Times, November 8, 2008.
  10. ↑ "End of JATO for Blue Angels!", blueangels.navy.mil, November 2009
  11. ↑ Blue Angels FAQ
  12. ↑ Investigators probe Blue Angels crash, MSNBC, April 22, 2007
  13. ↑ Blue Angels Alumni FAQ, last updated March 17, 2007.
  14. ↑ Blue Angels crash artifacts found 50 years later, Associated Press, March 3, 2009
  15. ↑ Basham, Dusty, "Blue Angel Pilot Killed - Jet Fighter Falls Near Apalachicola", Playground Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Monday Morning, 16 March 1964, Volume 18, Number 27, pages 1, 2.
  16. ↑ "Navy Blue Angel Aviators Die in Crash", October 28, 1999, accessed April 23, 2007
  17. ↑ "Pilot Blamed In Blue Angel Crash", Pensacola News Journal, June 13, 1990, archived at The Moneymaker Family Tree, accessed April 23, 2007
  18. ↑ "Blue Angel crash victims identified", CNN, October 28, 1999, accessed April 23, 2007
  19. ↑ "Blue Angels Pilot Ejects Before Plane Crashes", Fox News, December 2, 2004, accessed April 23, 2007
  20. ↑ Pilot killed in S.C. Blue Angel crash"
  21. ↑ U.S. Navy "Blue Angels" jet crashes
  22. ↑ Blue Angels Pilot fascinated by flying
  23. ↑ Blue Angels TV series, 1960
  24. ↑ [1]
  25. ↑ Blue Angels: A Year in the Life
  26. ↑ "Blue Angels: A Year in the Life" (2005)
  27. ↑ "Combat pilot in two wars led Blue Angels". Los Angeles Times. 2007-12-07. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-rhodes7dec07,1,4242966.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california. Retrieved 2007-12-13. 

Further reading

External links
Portal Portal: United States Navy  · Category Category:United States Navy
Leadership
Secretary of the Navy · Under Secretary of the Navy · Chief of Naval Operations · Vice Chief of Naval Operations · Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy · 4-star admirals · House Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces · Senate Subcommittee on Seapower

Organization
Navy · Navy Reserve · Fleet Marine Force · Expeditionary Combat Command · Merchant Marine
Major commands
Fleet Forces Command · Naval Forces Europe · Pacific Fleet · Naval Forces Central Command · Naval Forces Southern Command · Military Sealift Command · Naval Special Warfare Command
Numbered fleets
Second Fleet · Third Fleet · Fourth Fleet · Fifth Fleet · Sixth Fleet · Seventh Fleet · Tenth Fleet
Structure
The Pentagon · Units · Aircraft wings · Aircraft squadrons · Installations · Naval Observatory
Ships

A–B · C · D–F · G–H · I–K · L · M · N–O · P · Q–R · S · T–V · W–Z

Aircraft carriers · Airships · Amphibious warfare ships · Auxiliaries · Battleships · Cruisers · Destroyers · Destroyer escorts · Escort carriers · Frigates · Mine warfare vessels · Monitors · Patrol vessels · Sailing frigates · Steam frigates · Steam gunboats · Ships of the line · Sloops of war · Submarines · Torpedo boats
Personnel and training
People · Officers: Officer insignia / Designators · Enlisted: Enlisted insignia / Ratings / Classification
Personnel: Chaplain Corps (Chief of Chaplains)  · United States Navy EOD · Medical Corps · Dental Corps · Nurse Corps · Medical Service Corps · Supply Corps · Civil Engineer Corps · JAG Corps (JAG) · NCIS · Hospital Corpsman · Naval Aviator · SEALs · Seabees · SWCCs · Hispanic sailors
Training: Recruit training · United States Naval Academy · Officer Candidate School · STA-21 · NROTC · BESS · BFTT · CNATT · COMPTUEX · NAWCTSD · Naval Chaplaincy School · Naval Hospital Corps School · Naval Justice School · Naval Postgraduate School · Navy School of Music · Navy Senior Enlisted Academy · Navy Supply Corps School · Naval War College · Nuclear Power School · JMTC · TOPGUN · USNTPS · Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Equipment
Uniforms · Awards · Badges · Current fleet · Reserve fleet · Aircraft · Weapons · Naval reactors
History and traditions
History · "Anchors Aweigh" · Blue Angels · Continental Navy · Ensign · Fleet bands · Fleet Week · Jack · Line-crossing ceremony · National Museum · Navy Band · Navy Flag · Navy Hymn · Navy Memorial · Navy service numbers · Sailor's Creed · Ship commissioning · Ship decommissioning · USS Constitution  · Wetting-down
Modern aerobatic teams
Military
   

Canada CF Snowbirds
People's Republic of China PLAAF August 1st
Finland FiAF Midnight Hawks
France FAF Patrouille de France
India IAF Surya Kiran
India IN Sagar Pawan
Republic of Ireland IAC Silver Swallows
Saudi Arabia RSAF Saudi Hawks

Israel IAF Aerobatic Team
Italy IAF Frecce Tricolori
Japan JASDF Blue Impulse
Pakistan PAF Sherdils
Philippines PAF Blue Diamonds
Philippines PAF Red Aces
Philippines PAF Golden Sabres
Poland PAF Team Iskry

Portugal PoAF Asas de Portugal
Russia VVS Russian Knights
Russia VVS Strizhi
Singapore RSAF Black Knights
South Korea ROKAF Black Eagles
Spain SAF Patrulla Aguila
Sweden SAF Team 60

Switzerland SAF Patrouille Suisse
Turkey TUAF Turkish Stars
Ukraine UAF Ukrainian Falcons
United Kingdom RAF Red Arrows
United States USAF Thunderbirds
United States USN / USMC Blue Angels
   

Argentina FAA Escuadrón Cruz del Sur
Australia RAAF Roulettes
Brazil FAB Smoke Squadron

Chile FACh Halcones
Croatia CroAF Wings of Storm
Jordan RJ Royal Jordanian Falcons

Morocco RMAF Marche Verte
New Zealand RNZAF Red Checkers
Poland PAF Orlik Aerobatic Team

South Africa SAAF Silver Falcons
Switzerland SAF PC-7 Team
Rotary aircraft
   

India IAF Sarang
Poland AoPLF Scorpion team

Portugal PoAF Rotores de Portugal
Spain SAF Patrulla Aspa

United Kingdom AAC Blue Eagles

United Kingdom RN Black Cats
Civilian
France Breitling Jet Team · United States Patriots Jet Team · United States Starfighters_Inc
United States Horsemen Aerobatic Team · United States GEICO Skytypers