@ Pt Mugu, CA
March 2023
Blue Angel #5 shows its underbelly during the Blue Angels performance at the 2023 Point Mugu Air Show. First formed in 1946, the Blue Angels transitioned to the new F/A-18 Super Hornet in 2020. Previously they had been flying some of the oldest jets in the fleet. Designed and initially produced by McDonnell Douglas, the Super Hornet first flew in 1995. Compared to the legacy Hornet, this aircraft’s wing is 25% bigger, carries 33% more fuel, has 50% better mission endurance. With 35% more thrust, no afterburner is required for Super Hornet catapult launches. The Super Hornet’s rectangular inlets provide 18% more airflow to the engines.
