JP-5 Converters Overhead - AKA Blue Angels

I have watched them practice at Pcola twice a year for the past 30 years. We used to sit in a rented convertible in their parking lot and talk to them before they went in to the hanger.
It was mostly for my wife's sake - because they were all young, handsome, and friendly - and she is absolutely shameless. ;)

You can't do that anymore. Now, you have to go to the bleachers or stand by one of the static display aircraft. The days of hanging out by their hanger or the water tower were over after September 11th.
 
Have watched so many practices in P Cola I have lost count. My best friend spent 3 years on the team. Every year his wife and I would pick out places we had never been to check out shows. Was a fun way to see the country. Out of all the shows and practices I saw over the years... my very favorite... his jet broke on practice day. So he got out of the jet... we got to sit and watch the diamond practice and catch up. The simple things.
 
Oh yes. Fat Albert with the JATO packs on the side. That was always my favorite. They stopped doing that because those packs were made during the Vietnam War, and the supply just ran out.
Apparently, no one makes them anymore. End of that era, too.

I love the Herky Bird.

 
I just read the Blue's retired Fat Albert. I was fortunate enough to see Bert do a jet assisted take off (JATO) before the inventory of rockets ran out.

Edit: Just read the above posts.
 
I went to my first USNA graduation 3 years ago (nephew). I will admit that the Navy folks can put on a heckuva show, starting with the Blue Angels! Nothing like those F-18s buzzing overhead.
 
There are 3 USNA grads on the team. You know they pinch themselves when they do the USNA show and flyover at graduation, never having thought they’d actually be in that particular Hornet seat some years after their own graduations.
 
Oh yes. Fat Albert with the JATO packs on the side. That was always my favorite. They stopped doing that because those packs were made during the Vietnam War, and the supply just ran out.
Apparently, no one makes them anymore. End of that era, too.

I love the Herky Bird.


Darn. I didn’t realize the jet packs were obsolete. At least I saw my share of shows with Fat Albert over the years.
 
Yesterday - during practice - they had four (4) of them for most of the time, but then the other 2 hornets joined them. Those guys were doing head-on passes up and down the Severn. They appeared to be at tree level, when looking at Triton Light. One pass by just one of them was at Mach .89 or so, because he was making things rumble before he got there. I saw vapor on his leading edges and the sound was great. It set off a dozen Firstie car alarms.

I would be interested in hearing from someone who went to the show today, if they did any "sneak passes" at high speed. Alas, I did not go to the show as I was driving back home.

We attended the practice show on Tuesday, weather was perfect btw. I've been to a couple of their shows, most recently at Oshkosh two years ago and this show was awesome, as it seemed like they were performing lower than I've seen at other locations. Regarding the "sneak pass" , I think there was one, but it wasn't like I've experienced before. He passed a bit higher and didn't seem to have the speed, so it really wasn't "sneaky". It was a tad disappointing because it's usually one of my favorite moments. My favorite parts are whenever you can feel the rumble in your chest as they fly by. I will say that the USAF Thunderbird shows I've seen provide more of those "rumble" moments. Seeing them taxi at Oshkosh at the start of their show (maybe 2016?) was probably the coolest airshow moment I've ever experienced, but watching the Blues fly over Annapolis before and after noon formation on Tuesday was truly special.
 
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Is graduation in the stadium open to the Public tomorrow?
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Thinking of taking the day off and heading over there with DD (next NAPS class of 2020).
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Wife is heading south to do some furniture shopping.
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Is graduation in the stadium open to the Public tomorrow?
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Thinking of taking the day off and heading over there with DD (next NAPS class of 2020).
.
Wife is heading south to do some furniture shopping.
.

No, I don’t believe so. Graduating mids are allotted x tickets for attendees. No ticket, no entrance. Depending on the speaker and senior attendees, security is tight. The whole area is a zoo all day - think Super Bowl.

The ceremony is usually on TV or streamed - speeches, stage walk, flyover, hat toss, etc.

See link below: watch it on your computer and get some good take-out.
https://www.usna.edu/CommissioningWeek/index.php
 
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Darn .... no excuse for calling in sick .... Will watch in the corner of my Work Computer.
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I've seen the Blues more times than I can remember - starting at AOCS in Pensacola where the USMC drill instructors would punish us if we looked up at them, and later at VT-10 where our hangar was right next door to theirs.

But this year was the first time seeing them from a boat, which was the best ever - made more so by sharing the boat with a bunch of former plebes.
 
When I click the link I get the Herndon Climb video ! Hoping the livestream for graduation kicks in.
 
Thanks. I thought it was just me.
 
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