The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron, formed in 1946, features F/A-18 Hornets that are 56 feet long — more than 40 feet from wingtip to wingtip — and weigh 56,000 pounds at take-off.

A Hornet can hit speeds of 1,200 mph (Mach 1.7+). Pilots hold their Hornets in formations just inches apart while performing complex maneuvers.

Their support aircraft, a U.S. Marine Corps C-130, also shows off with a spectacular Jet-assisted take-off, reaching 1,500 feet at a 45-degree angle in just seconds. Known as "Fat Albert," it carries 25,000 pounds of cargo, 45,000 pounds of fuel, and transports the squadron's support and maintenance crew to each show site.

The Blue Angels' mission is to enhance Navy and Marine Cops recruiting and to represent the Naval service to the United States civilian community, its elected leadership and foreign nations. The Blue Angels serve as positive role models and goodwill ambassadors for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

A Blue Angels' flight demonstration exhibits the choreographed refinements of Navy-trained flying skills. It includes the graceful, aerobatic maneuvers of the four-plane Diamond Formation, in concert with fast-paced high performance maneuvers of its two solo pilots. The team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.