As we have reported earlier, Blue Angels and Thunderbirds to go on multi-city ‘Operation America Strong’ flyover tour. A formation of US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds will honor first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Airshowstuff.com put together a supercut of the best clips and stills from the historic spectacle, it features external and in-cockpit footage of the teams not just executing their flyovers, but also refueling via what was a quartet of KC-10 Extender tankers.
A couple of interesting notes:
Some of the jets in the Blue Angels’ formation were using tablets during the flight. There appears to be a commercial ADS-B receiver on the dash of the Hornets. The Blues don’t wear oxygen masks during their performances because they can get in the way during very tight formation maneuvers and the demonstration sticks to low altitudes where they are not needed. During the flyovers, unlike the Thunderbirds, they are seen without masks, as usual, but during refueling, they have donned them due to the higher altitudes involved.
Check it out:
The teams will continue to hit more cities in the eastern and central United States before splitting up and flying over various locales separately, with the Thunderbirds covering much of the western United States and the Blues taking the eastern portion of the country.
America Strong is a collaborative salute from the Navy and Air Force to recognize healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential personnel while standing in solidarity with all Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
