Tasty Stuff Shot From the Back Seat of #7
During December of 2020, the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels, completed their transition to their new Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft. The team took the opportunity to use one of their “legacy” #7 F/A-18D two-seater Hornets to shoot some truly magnificent air-to-air video and still photography. In the back seat of the photo jet was none other than MC2(SW) Cody Hendrix. Hendrix captured some beautiful imagery and some of the video and stills were uploaded to YouTube by AirshowStuffVideos. Enjoy!
[youtube id=”lP1YrS2JrHc” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]
The Blues Never Seem to Get the Pick of the Litter
It’s not widely publicized but the Blue Angels, going back to the A-4F Skyhawk era, flew some of the most “experienced” airframes in the service. The Super Hornet era will be no different. There are no new-build or even recent-build airframes wearing those striking blue and gold colors. All 11 team jets (nine F/A-18Es and 2 F/A-18Fs) are either early production aircraft used primarily as test aircraft and/or have been in long-term storage at one time or another. At least one of the jets was used for the aerial sequences in TOP GUN: Maverick.
Blue Angels 2021 Team Officers and Key Enlisted Men
#1 Commander BRIAN C. KESSELRING USN- Flight Leader / Commanding Officer
#2 Lieutenant Commander JAMES HALEY USN- Right Wing
#3 Major FRANK ZASTOUPIL USMC- Left Wing
#4 Lieutenant Commander JAMES COX USN- Slot
#5 Commander BEN WALBORN USN- Lead Solo
#6 Lieutenant Commander CARY RICKOFF USN- Opposing Solo
#7 Lieutenant JULIUS BRATTON USN- Narrator
#8 Lieutenant KATLIN FORSTER USN- Events Coordinator
Commander TODD ROYLES USN- Executive Officer
Captain RICK ROSE USMC- C-130J “Fat Albert” Pilot
Captain WILLIAM HUCKEBA USMC- C-130J “Fat Albert” Pilot
Captain JACKSON STREIFF USMC- C-130J “Fat Albert” Pilot
Lieutenant BRIAN ABE USN- Maintenance Officer
Lieutenant HENRY CEDEÑO USN- Assistant Maintenance Officer
Lieutenant MONICA L. BORZA USN- Flight Surgeon
Lieutenant KRISTIN A. TOLAND USN- Supply Officer
Lieutenant CHELSEA DIETLIN USN- Public Affairs Officer
CMDCM(AW/SW) Eric McDermott USN- Command Master Chief
AVCM(AW/SW) James Hernandez USN- Maintenance Master Chief
