World News

The Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds Joined Forces in the Sky For Rare Display

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Last week over Pensacola Beach, the Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds executed a rare joint flight. Fox 13 News points out that it’s exceedingly rare for the two groups to be in the same place at once since the government wants them to cover as much ground as possible for recruitment reasons.

Joining together for a week-long training session and an ending “double delta” formation performance, the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds were thrilled to meet one another and work together. They all have a great deal of respect for the other organization and admit to being fans of each other’s work. Commander of the Blue Angels, Ryan Bernacchi, said, “I feel like a little kid right now, standing out here with the Thunderbirds flying overhead, watching them park their jets and getting to shake their hands.”

The week wasn’t entirely without incident, though. As the Pensacola Beach News points out, two of the Blue Angels touched while in formation, and “traded paint” due to brush.  Lt. Joe Hontz assured the news, “Two of the jets in the Blue Angel Delta formation encountered unexpected wake turbulence causing a very brief and minor contact between the aircraft.” Everyone was OK, and the planes are already back in service.