MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAI'I — The anticipation was palpable yesterday as dozens of earplug-wearing Marines, sailors and civilians waited at the Marine Corps Air Facility overlooking Kane'ohe Bay to watch four F/A-18 Hornets land.

And not just any jet fighters.

These were four of the eight famed Navy Blue Angels, in town to perform two air shows this weekend at the base.

Just before 1 p.m., four of these 56-foot-long, blue-and-gold jet fighters — which can fly at Mach 1.7 (or 1,200 mph) — passed overhead in formation before landing on the runway.

Five bikini-clad women with grass skirts and orchid lei met the four pilots with smiles and bottles of beer.

Some Marines snapped photos with their cell phones; mothers led their giddy kids to the aircraft.

"I remember seeing air shows as a kid and looking up and thinking, 'That's pretty darn cool.' And I still feel that way," said Lt. Col. Glen Butler, commander of the air facility and father of three. "We know it's a working week here, but everyone's smiling while we're working."

This air show marks the third time the Blue Angels have performed in the Islands in 20 years, and they're expected to attract 100,000 people during the shows this weekend. (The other two shows were in 2004 and 1995.)

The Navy squadron will be the highlight of this weekend's five-hour air shows. Among the many other events during the air shows will be a stunt involving a 500-foot-tall, 2,000-foot-long wall of flames (details are under wraps).

"We've got a couple of things you gotta be here to believe," said Pete O'Hare, air show director.

TRAFFIC, NOISE

Organizers have been telling the surrounding community about the event, which will increase area traffic and noise.

So far, O'Hare said, residents have been supportive of the event, which is free and open to the public.

"I think it's great," said Roy Yanagihara, chairman of the Kane'ohe Neighborhood Board, who plans to watch the show from his home. "I've lived along the bay all my life, and I've seen jets all the time ... The noise doesn't faze me a bit. I'm looking forward to the performance."

Lucinda Souza, a 30-year-old Kane'ohe resident and management trainee at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, plans to bring her two children Saturday.

Her son, now 9, watched the Blue Angels perform in Hawai'i three years ago. And he can't wait to see them fly again.

"Oh, he loved it," said Souza, who came to watch the Blue Angels land yesterday. "I get these butterfly feelings in my stomach (when I see the planes). Makes me want to marry a pilot!"

Maj. Rich Patteson brought his family on his day off to see the Blue Angels up close.

Like his 6-year-old son, who loves to play with his Blue Angels toy, Patteson has had a fascination with airplanes since he was a child.

Now, he flies a C-20 — called the Gray Ghost — for the U.S. Marines.

For about four years, he flew the same F/A-18 Hornets, just not with the Blue Angels.

"With flying, you get to do something that not many people get to do," Patteson said. "There are very few thrills in this world that can come close, touch or even match flying an F/A-18."

Part of the purpose of this weekend's event is to strengthen the Marines' ties with the neighborhoods surrounding the base.

"We want everyone to have fun, for the kids to enjoy it, for people to have a great time," Butler said. "But we also want to grow that relationship we have with the local community."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.