Admiral Chester W. Nimitz ordered the the formation of a Navy flight demonstration team at the end of World War II, and in June 1946 the Blue Angels flew their first air show at NAS Jacksonville in propeller-driven F6F Hellcats.

     During the Korean Conflict the Blue Angels, who fly standard combat-ready fighters, became the nucleus of fighter squadron VF-191, "Satan's Kittens," flying combat missions from USS Princeton. In 1951 the "Blues" were based at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, and in 1955 they moved to their present home at Sherman Field, NAS Pensacola, Florida. From January through March each year, the squadron trains at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California.

     During their 55-year tour, the squadron has flown the F6F Hellcat (1945-46), F8F Bearcat (1946-49), F9F Panther (1949-1957), F11F Tiger (1957-69), F-4J Phantom (1969-74), A-4F Skyhawk (1974-86), and F/A-18 Hornet (1986-Present).

     Blue Angels' flight demonstrations are choreographed refinements of Navy flying skills. They include graceful aerobatic maneuvers in a four-plane diamond coordinated with high-performance maneuvers by two solo pilots. The team also flies difficult precision maneuvers in a six-jet delta formation.

     The Blue Angels fly nearly 70 air shows at over 30 locations each year. They have performed in the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, United Kingdom, and Spain. They perform for more than 17 million spectators each year and have flown for over 374 million fans since 1946.

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