Favorite Blue Angels or Thunderbirds planes

3,085 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 8 mo ago by UTExan
Smeghead4761
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6:14a, 4/5/25
I've never seen the T-birds, but I've seen the Blue Angels I think 4 times (twice at Moffet NAS, once each at Watsonville CA and Seattle Sea Fair).

Personally, my favorite plane was the A-4 Skyhawk. Back in the mid-1980s.
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JA83
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9:44a, 4/5/25
AG
The Thunderbirds have a cooler paint scheme, but the Blue Angels fly more aggressively. Oh yeah, for the youngsters who don't remember MTV in the '80s: Blue Angels - Van Halen - A4 - BEST QUALITY
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Rabid Cougar
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12:03p, 4/7/25
AG
T-birds' F-16s are twitchy maneuverable but don't create the shock and awe of the F-18 Super Hornets.... NOTHING beats the F-4's they both flew in the early '70's in regards to power and noise. You literally felt the show in the chest....at least I did as a little kid.

Blue Angel IMAX show cannot be beat... period. Wing tips bouncing off canopies.. The Yankee position... ALL of it.


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F4GIB71
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3:15p, 4/7/25
I can't comment as a disinterested bystander since I have over 1500 hours in the thundering Rhino. When the Thunderbirds went from F-4 to T-38, you might put you fingers in your ears when the T-38 4 ship flew over as opposed to definitely plugging your ears when just a single ship F-4 flew over.

When the T-Birds went to T-38s, the Blues went to A-4s. Mark Larkins '70 flew in Navy but was on an exchange tour with Air Force Fighter Weapons School at Nellis where the T-Birds were based. There was a Dining Out for FWS graduation. The Thunderbirds were invited to attend. Larkins got up to propose a toast. "A toast to the only armed forces aerial demonstration team that flies an operational fighter… to the Blue Angels!"
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TX_COWDOC
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7:31a, 4/8/25
AG
F-4 Phantom II in both schemes. Never been a cooler jet.
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vin1041
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12:26p, 4/9/25
AG
Both put on an incredible show!
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Southlake
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10:36p, 4/11/25
AG
Well, since I flew the T-38…
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Hey Nav
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11:23p, 4/11/25
AG
I was on active duty when the 1982 accident happened.

It always gives me some sadness whenever there is an airshow.

A 10 cent screw causing a jammed stabilizer.

Life is precious. That's all I got...
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rsemingson
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3:54a, 4/20/25
The T birds also flew the F-100 in the 60's. I saw several performances. Not as loud as the F-4 but impressive and fast.
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Gunny456
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9:29a, 4/22/25
AG
Got to meet both the crews of the Blue's and the Thunderbirds at many CAF shows over the years. The T-Bird guys were kinda stuck up…. the Navy Aviators wanted to have fun and talk good bull.

My favorite plane for both was the F4.
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cavscout96
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1:31p, 4/25/25
AG
love the F4, but never saw an exhibition be that jet. LOVE the F-16.
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Rabid Cougar
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In reply to cavscout96 • 1:47p, 4/25/25
AG
cavscout96 said:
love the F4, but never saw an exhibition be that jet. LOVE the F-16.
T-bird No 4 had a black tail fin from No.1's exhaust. Both teams did sonic booms until they were outlawed....
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TX AG 88
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8:41p, 4/27/25
AG
Admittedly I'm an infrequent visitor to the Military board, but someone ought to tell y'all about TexAgs Rule #1
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USAFAg
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In reply to TX AG 88 • 1:53p, 4/29/25
AG
TX AG 88 said:
Admittedly I'm an infrequent visitor to the Military board, but someone ought to tell y'all about TexAgs Rule #1



My favorite - F100




12thFan/Websider Since 2003
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USAFAg
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1:57p, 4/29/25
AG


Hellcat or Bearcat would have to be my BA favs

12thFan/Websider Since 2003
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USAFAg
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2:00p, 4/29/25
AG

12thFan/Websider Since 2003
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n_touch
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7:13p, 4/30/25
I wish I could have seen the F-4 in either. Just looking at that beast and thinking how good they had to be to use it as their demo aircraft
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BQ_90
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In reply to n_touch • 9:56p, 4/30/25
AG


Includes 70s theme show musics and narrator
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Smeghead4761
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In reply to USAFAg • 11:19p, 4/30/25
USA*** said:
Just leaves out the Blue Angels first plane - the F8F Bearcat.
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DevilD77
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2:00p, 5/7/25
AG
For the Blue Angels it is the Grumann F-11 Tiger since that was the ship they were flying the first time I got to see them. For the Thunderbirds, it's the F-100 Super Saber for the same reason.
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UTExan
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In reply to DevilD77 • 4:49p, 5/16/25
DevilD77 said:
For the Blue Angels it is the Grumann F-11 Tiger since that was the ship they were flying the first time I got to see them. For the Thunderbirds, it's the F-100 Super Saber for the same reason.


From Wiki:
" The Tiger gained the dubious distinction of being the first jet aircraft to shoot itself down.[8][9] On 21 September 1956, during a test-firing of its 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons, pilot Tom Attridge fired two bursts midway through a shallow dive. As the trajectory of the cannon rounds decayed, they ultimately crossed paths with the Tiger as it continued its descent, disabling the aircraft and forcing Attridge to crash-land the aircraft; he survived with a broken leg and multiple broken vertebrae.[10][11]"
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