Blue Angels!

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wfooshee

O, Woe is me!!
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Took a day off from Michael recovery and went to Pensacola for my annual trek to the final Blue Angels demonstration of the year. Humidity was very low after a cold front from the north the previous day. Temperature was good, got back into the 70s, but Arizona dry! Still, an absolutely gorgeous clear blue sky, calm wind.

F-22 demonstration. This is the most vapor I got in any shot. In "normal" Florida humidity, the tail would probably be all we could see of the aircraft.
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Photo pass.
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Compare the above to this shot from 2015, a rainy day at Tyndall (although the rain had stopped by this time.)
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High speed flat pass, just barely subsonic.
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USAF heritage Flight.
The P-51 is closer, with the F-22 flying his left wing.
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I was at the very right-hand end of the crowd line, almost a mile from my "regular" place just a bit left of center. That meant I could see some formations approaching from behind the crowd, though, like this photo pass, behind and to the right as they approach. This view lets you see how they "stack" the formation in an offset manner to give the overlap view that the crowd sees in front of the show line. Each aircraft is actually a bit to the right of a "centered" formation on the leader.
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And in front of the crowd:
#3 is under #1's wingtip, about 18 inches clearance. It looks like #2 is as well, but that would be impossible, as 2 and 3 would have to overlap each other. That's the perspective trick from the offset formation. Then #4 is under #2's wing, the same as 3 under 1, but the perspective makes it look like he's splitting the difference.
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Carrier landing configuration, with #5 inverted
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Heat haze!!!! If I can't get vapor, at least I got me some heat haze!
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#1 and #4 inverted, what they call the Double Farvel
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Echelon right, again still behind the crowd from the right
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And in front of the crowd
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I only got one opposing crossover shot today
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5-ship line abreast loop
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Delta roll
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Pitch-up for landing.
I've never shot this before, as from my usual spot, they've passed me by the time this happens.
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First day out with my "new" D7200, rather than my "old" D7000. The 7200 is much improved as far as continuous burst speed and buffer size. The 7000 was done at 9 shots, max 6 fps. The 7200 can do 8 fps for 25 or 30 shots. It also has a generation newer image processor with MUCH lower noise and MUCH higher ISO available, and better auto-focusing, although the same number of sensors as the 7000.
 
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Nice camera work. I grew up a couple of miles from Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia. The Blue Angels came there every year. Their practice sessions were as good as their show.

 
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Great pictures! I love a good airshow.

The F22 was at Beale AFB back in April this year on a cloudy day, what an aircraft...badass and loud!!!!

 
Looks like it was perfect conditions for them Angels. Those formations look closer than usual. You could make a calendar out of those excellent pictures.

Great Photos, Thanks for posting them!
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Awesome shots! I've seen the Blues a few times and have always been impressed with the entire program, including the choreographed walk to the planes, the preflight checks, etc. First time I saw them was at Miramar in the late 80's, when it was still a Naval Air Station and I think it was still the Top Gun base.

 
I've gotten to see them for a few years now at the Memorial Day air show here at Jones Beach, fortunately at 'show center'. Your pictures blow away anything I could have described. Thanks for posting them.

 
Those formations look closer than usual.
The one photo pass is extra tight, and they actually tighten it up as the season progresses. I saw them twice in 2009, in March and in November. Here's the comparison of the March photo pass to the November pass. Same team, same pilots, nine more months of flying together.

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As for the other formations, like the basic delta or diamond, the spacing for those is pretty much constant throughout the show. When they travel, they fly in formation, but not quite so tightly.

 
Loved watching the Blue Angels when the Navy had airshows at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Best show ever was back in the late 80's or early 90's, an evening performance by the Blues with the afterburners lighting up the sky. Also had B-1, F-16, F-15, and a MIG that was lit up like a sparkler. Pretty awesome!

 
Very nice pictures, being from the Seattle area and from the aerospace industry and the old man being a avid hydro guy I've seen the Blues a few times and at least a couple of the different versions of the Blues during Seafair.

A story I'll never forget and wish I could have witnessed was my little sister taking mom to a hill on the south end of Lake Washington during a Blues practice for Seafair. I remember mom saying "I saw them coming from the floating bridge and I thought they crashed as I thought they crashed into the hill below me! The next thing I know was those Sea Biscuits flew right up my nose and I almost peed my pants!"

Makes me smile thinking of them both.

 
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Seen them a couple of times. They are good.

Almost as good as the Red Arrows :innocent: .

 
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Nice view of the top of the Raptor. I like the way the gold color (Indium Tin Oxide) shows up the canopy. Very impressive aircraft, watching it do what seems impossible made me feel better about the taxes I pay.

 
That's why these shows exist. Just like these shows are for their home countries.

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