This is a question that I do not have the experience to answer and I was wondering what other people thought about it. As far as demonstrations teams go, are the Blue Angels more skilled than the Thunderbirds or the other way around? I've seen the Thunderbirds perform a couple of times and I got to say they are pretty tight

Edited December 22, 200717 yr by PaddyPilot

I would file that under the "Ford/Chevy question" file.

this could bring some fun answers, I'm gonna go find some popcorn.

this could bring some fun answers, I'm gonna go find some popcorn.

2

For what my 2 cents are worth....I have always heard that the Blue Angels were so much better. I am 37 yrs old, coming up on twenty years this summer, spent almost six years in the canoe club before joining big blue and saw the Angels for my first time this past summer. I've seen the Thunderbirds on numerous occasions. I stood out in the sweltering heat of the Tinker flightline all day, roasting ass back in June/July just to see the mythical Blue Angels. Let's just say that I wasn't anymore impressed than I was seeing the Thunderbirds. I think the Ford/Chevy analogy sums it up.

Blue Angels > T-Clones

I've never seen the Blues perform, but the rumor I've heard is that their performance is generally more exciting for someone who isn't a pilot. That said, I have seen the T-Clones perform, and the precision in flying they show is very impressive from a pilot perspective.

Personally, I like the Thunderbirds more than Blue Angels, Chevy more than Ford, Coke more than Pepsi, Blu-ray more than HD-DVD, and PC more than Mac. Did I miss any?

In my opinion from years of having seen both teams as well as the Canadian, Itailan and British Teams. I think that the Blue's are better at public PR and glad handing but agree that from a pilot's point of view the TBirds are much more fun to watch.

I think that the Blue's are better at public PR and glad handing but agree that from a pilot's point of view the TBirds are much more fun to watch.

Too funny! I was going to say the opposite. Oh well.

The pilots are all just as skilled as the next. The Blues' solos fly very low on the sneak attack pass, and I like the way the Hornet looks in formation better. But each of the pilots is very skilled.

Just like the pilots on this forum.

Too funny! I was going to say the opposite. Oh well.

The pilots are all just as skilled as the next.

But each of the pilots is very skilled.

Just like the pilots on this forum.

Agreed and I should have stated that in my original post that any of these demonstration pilots who are typically flying between 2-3 feet apart are excellent pilots and deserve credit for being good at what they do. I however prefer to watch an F-16 vs an F-18 and therefore like the TBirds better.

The Blues (again in my opinion) seem more focused on image out of the jet which is why I tend to think they are better on the PR side of it.

As everyone has said it is a coin toss.

you all make good points, i have to agree with most of you, as a pilot, the t-birds are always a good show. the blues have some pr skills granted, but as far as airmanship goes, the t-birds are better imho.

*edit*

this is my favorite movie of all time, hands down. i thought the part where the crap is flying around in the cockpit and the tbird pilot just reaches up and puts it away while completing his maneuver was pretty sweet.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=y8LF0xp53W0

p.s. what do you think of the red arrows?

Edited December 20, 200717 yr by PaddyPilot

*edit*

this is my favorite movie of all time, hands down. i thought the part where the crap is flying around in the cockpit and the tbird pilot just reaches up and puts it away while completing his maneuver was pretty sweet.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=y8LF0xp53W0

Pretty sure that is a passenger as the jet is still maneuvering while the right hand is chasing down floating crap for one, and I guarantee that the Tclones' pilots are very disciplined about the crap in their cockpit like any fighter pilot would be to avoid having something come up in the middle of a hairy situation. Just my $.02, but I bet this is the case.

Pretty sure that is a passenger as the jet is still maneuvering while the right hand is chasing down floating crap ...

I've got a different theory.

https://www.dosgringosrocks.com/audio/DOS_G..._Inch_Penis.m3u

Pretty sure that is a passenger as the jet is still maneuvering while the right hand is chasing down floating crap for one, and I guarantee that the Tclones' pilots are very disciplined about the crap in their cockpit like any fighter pilot would be to avoid having something come up in the middle of a hairy situation. Just my $.02, but I bet this is the case.

well when i finished ft a couple years ago our "graduation speaker" was a thunderbird pilot who had just finished his tour in it. he was known for stuff flying around in the cockpit. he showed a couple of compiled videos of him with everything flying around. snickers bars, checklists, and all sorts of stuff. a cool part was some books bouncing around and him giving the finger to the other guys in formation who are talking shit to him. another part was the flight doc forgetting his lap belt and falling into the canopy. cant remember his name. this would be ft 3 years ago soon after he finished, he was an a-10 pilot and a the lead solo.

I have heard, but I don't know if it's true...

The Navy treats the Blues like rock stars. Whatever airspace they want, whatever shows they want, etc, while the AF views the T-Birds as a liability (every airshow is a mishap waiting to happen).

Edited December 20, 200717 yr by pawnman

well i dont know whether it was a passenger or not, but that is my new favorite song

"Well the hardest part was the ILS, cause I thought about your mom and I ended up well off track. Yea, slightly above glide slope and climbin'."

Seen both. Love Big Blue, but nothing like sitting on the beach with a cooler half full of cold beer (other half in my belly) in Pcola watching the Blue Angels. Big Blue needs to beef up their PR on the Tbirds, give them some 22s, and then go ask Congress for more money.

Pawnman hit it on the spot.

I guarantee that the Tclones' pilots are very disciplined about the crap in their cockpit like any fighter pilot would be to avoid having something come up in the middle of a hairy situation. Just my $.02, but I bet this is the case.

So apparently you didn't see

over in the military aviation thread.

The Blue Angels and the T-Clones are both equally annoying.

HD

So apparently you didn't see

over in the military aviation thread.

You're right, these few incidents prove that all you fighter jocks are slobs in the cockpit. I was only trying to defend what I thought would be standard discipline. Lesson learned.

Besides, I'd still like to see a T-Clone maneuver his jet while his right hand is chasing FOD in the cockpit.

EDIT: That was a pretty funny link though

So apparently you didn't see

over in the military aviation thread.

What is that that keeps flying up in the beginning - a piddle pack?

The Blue Angels and the T-Clones are both equally annoying.

HD

https://youtube.com/watch?v=vglQqEL0KYA

If any of you ever talk this much during AR, I'm punching you off the boom.

A few great pics of the Blues....I don't think we'd ever see the TBs do this....

A few mates of mine headed to the Royal International Air Tattoo this year and found the T-Birds dull beyond belief. They couldn't fault their flying skills, but after seeing endless high speed precision passes it just became dull. The Red Arrows weren't as tight but just wowed the crowd, which, as a PR exercise, is surely the point.

A few mates of mine headed to the Royal International Air Tattoo this year and found the T-Birds dull beyond belief. They couldn't fault their flying skills, but after seeing endless high speed precision passes it just became dull. The Red Arrows weren't as tight but just wowed the crowd, which, as a PR exercise, is surely the point.

The Reds are impressive; putting nine jets up vs six is always cool.

However, it says much when one unit is flying a fighter, the other a trainer.

(and yes, I remember the T-38 T-birds. I would have loved to have seen the F-4 or even F-105 teams!)