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Blue Angels F/A-18E/Fs


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Figured it would only be a matter of time. Good condition, early model Hornets are at a bit of premium lately. Seems like it might be a step backwards though.

“While the Super Hornet has more recent technology, the Hornet is more suitable to the needs of the current team due to its light weight and slick maneuverability,” the navy document says.

The Blues haven't been the same since they turned in their A-4's :)

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Figured it would only be a matter of time. Good condition, early model Hornets are at a bit of premium lately. Seems like it might be a step backwards though.

“While the Super Hornet has more recent technology, the Hornet is more suitable to the needs of the current team due to its light weight and slick maneuverability,” the navy document says.

The Blues haven't been the same since they turned in their A-4's :)/>

The A-4s were great. At least they're not considering the T-45! Though that would make for a cool little "What-If".

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I think this is more of a matter of necessity, than show-casing the newest jet in the fleet.

The Legacy Hornets are falling apart. And if the Blue's maintenance cant keep parts from falling off...

I agree though. The A-4 days were some amazing flying. We'll see how the heavier Supers will perform.

-Jeff

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Maybe they'll update the paint scheme while they're at it.

FA-18F_BA_01.jpg

We'll see how the heavier Supers will perform

They'll do fine. The solo Super Hornet displays they put on now are pretty good. Without anything under the wings, and a decent fuel loading, the Super Hornets can really move.

Edited by Trigger
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Maybe they'll update the paint scheme while they're at it.

FA-18F_BA_01.jpg

They'll do fine. The solo Super Hornet displays they put on now are pretty good. Without anything under the wings, and a decent fuel loading, the Super Hornets can really move.

Ricardo Traven's solo display was awesome when I saw it back in 2007.

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Yup, VX23 will be evaluating the blue angels maneuvers with the super hornet this winter/spring. Apparently the legacy hornets are too beat up to sustain the BA's.

Just recently attended an Airworthiness class over at NavAir, they showed a cockpit video of when they were evaluating the F/A-18A for the Blues. They tried doing the A-4 solo aileron role, I don't know how many rolls the A-4s could do but after 4 in the Hornet that thing departed flight, recovered at 500' over the Chesapeake. That pilot was huffing and puffing...

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It's going to be a while before that happens. We just got a "C" model in the hangar this week getting converted to a BA jet. On the other hand, we also have the first "E" model to be converted to a BA jet, stored over at the end of the base for whenever it happens.

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Maybe they'll update the paint scheme while they're at it.

FA-18F_BA_01.jpg

I really hope NOT.

i think that the classic "blue angels"(with its own classical lettering) with the big yellow number on tails, the US NAVY (better branding than the long version...) on sides... is way more elegant than a "NFL style" blue angels...

anyway, overall design and layout is rather similar from aircraft to aircraft for the last 5 decades... so odds are against.

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Just recently attended an Airworthiness class over at NavAir, they showed a cockpit video of when they were evaluating the F/A-18A for the Blues. They tried doing the A-4 solo aileron role, I don't know how many rolls the A-4s could do but after 4 in the Hornet that thing departed flight, recovered at 500' over the Chesapeake. That pilot was huffing and puffing...

The A-4F Super Fox could do 2 and a half rolls per second at max stick deflection.

I got to chat with Capt. Gil Rud at the 86 El Toro show for about an hour. We talked about the coming transition from the A-4 to the F-18 and the differences that were going to happen. He was saying how the F-18 would never match the Scooters roll rate but the Hornet had way more horsepower under the hood so it was opening up the show for a more powerful routine.

As for fuel duration, I seen the Phantom II shows where they would land and fuel up during a short intermission ...

-Gregg

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The A-4F Super Fox could do 2 and a half rolls per second at max stick deflection.

-Gregg

Yeah! That roll rate is crazy, you watch some of the old videos of them with the A-4 (like Van Halen's "Dreams") and that thing is just whipping around.

I think it was at either El Toro or Mirimar that they lost a solo while doing that maneuver...:(/> Just kept losing a little bit of altitude at a time and hit the deck.

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Not sure what fuel had any thing to do with it. The rhino carries more internal fuel than the hornet so if anything the show could be longer. ..

I would think that depends upon burn rates. More doesn't always mean longer times.

Bill

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Honestly, I don't really expect either the paint scheme on the jets or the show itself to be significantly different from the last 29 years. It would be rather cool, though, if they went a bit retro and painted number 7 in a reverse scheme - overall yellow with blue trim instead of blue with yellow trim.

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I would think that depends upon burn rates. More doesn't always mean longer times.

Bill

I was thinking the same. I'm guessing GE 414 x2 on average burn less fuel than their older family members GE J-79 x2. Plus I also guess in at least clean configuration F-18E/F is a more efficient air foil than the F-4 was.

Just spit ballin. B)

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I guess I'm probably the only one here, but I'd really rather see the blues switch to T-45s.

Ya know honestly, giving it some thought, that probably wouldn't be so bad. It's a decent sized, nimble jet.

The European teams and the Snowbirds (speaking of, they need to switch to BAe Hawks) flying trainer types put on a heck of a display.

I guess the drawback being the lack of noise and power that we're all used to seeing. Airshow wise though, you get plenty of that with the various demos from the different branches of service...F-16, F/A-18, A-10, F-15, F-22...soon F-35 (?).

But, as long as the Thunderbirds are flying F-16s...there's no way the Blues are going to step back to a trainer.

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The last few airshows I've been to (sometimes the Blues were there, sometimes the Tbirds), there have been NO military demos. Just civilian. Yawn.

Last year the F-22 was there, but that's the first military demo in years (6?). Prior to the drought, an F-15E did a demo at a show the Tbirds were at. Still not enough. They don't even have display aircraft! What's the deal?

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