Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience was produced during the Blue Angels F-4J Phantom II era. Widely recognized as the best Blue Angels film, it portrays not only the all-business jet pilot Blues, but also the relaxed on-their-own-downtime Blue Angels. Directed by Paul Marlow and narrated by Leslie Nielsen, Threshold paints the Blue Angels as the extraordinary human beings they are, but not as super-humans. The film, shot during the 1972 and abbreviated 1973 show seasons and released in 1975, was uploaded to YouTube by dearkoroberry.
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The film also portrays the Blue Angels elite ground crews and maintainers working on the team’s jets. In 1972, the Blue Angels were awarded the Navy’s Meritorious Unit Commendation for the two-year period from 1 March 1970 through 31 December 1971. The team’s F-4Js were replaced by the Douglas A-4F Skyhawk for the 1974 show season- somewhat ironically before the release of the film to the public. The Blue Angels also went from being a flight demonstration team to a flight demonstration squadron in 1974. The team went on to fly their A-4F Skyhawks for twelve years before their transition to the McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornet strike fighter- their current jets.
BONUS- Behind the Scenes of Threshold The Blue Angels Experience uploaded to YouTube by Blue Angel Phantoms.
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I owned this blue angels video on VHS and always loved it. At times it’s a bit corny and over the top, but the flying footage is incredible and you really get a sense of the whole pilot experience. Thanks for posting this – I had forgotten how much I loved this documentary.