Product Description

In 1946 the Blue Angels first took wing; a team of four pilots flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat, in daring air shows conceived by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations. And in the 60 years since then, "V" and "Echelon" formations gave way to awe-inspiring "Diamond" maneuvers and solo tricks like the "Dirty Loop" and the "Tuck-away Break." The six-man teams moved into the jet age with the McDonnell Douglas IA-18 Hornet. More than 350 million spectators around the world have thrilled to the Blue Angels’ precision flying.

Arriving on the Blue Angels’ 60th anniversary, this book is a fitting tribute to these representatives of naval aviation and international ambassadors of good will. In soaring words and photographs, The Blue Angels: A Fly-By History celebrates the popular unit’s feats, key figures, and aircraft: from Flight Leader Roy "Butch" Voris’ first outing in 1946 to the time of the Korean Conflict, when the Blue Angels formed the nucleus of a fighter squadron known as "Satan’s Kittens"; from 1974, when the team donned a new aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II, to the breathtaking air shows of today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #696033 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

Review

From the Back Cover
Air & Space Smithsonian "Naval enthusiasts will find plenty to cheer about."

In Flight USA "An impressive tribute to the fascinating history of this venerable flight exhibition team. The images and photos are as impressive as the compilation of history and interviews that Veronico weaves in and out of his work."

Air shows have a way of bringing out the childlike wonderment in all of us. The beauty, grace, and daring of low-altitude aerobatics invariably grabs the attention of all, young or old. Whether you are an aviation expert, avid enthusiast, curious novice, or someone who simply enjoys finding out how some of America's bravest young pilots accomplish their extraordinary aerial feats, this celebration of the navy's Blue Angels is for you. Filled with rare photographs, this book is a perfect balance of men and machines. [If copy runs long we will cut from this paragraph, up to and including the entire paragraph.--Richard]

The Blue Angels: A Fly-By History puts you in the cockpit as you follow the team from their establishment in 1946 to today's hugely popular air shows. Starting as a team of four pilots flying Grumman F6F Hellcats and growing over the decades into six-man teams in the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, "V" and "echelon" formations gave way to the awe-inspiring "diamond" maneuvers and solo tricks like the "dirty loop" and the "tuck-under break." The Blue Angels' story is told with more one hundred photographs and numerous interviews with members past and present, for an unprecedented look at some of America's most elite pilots and all their high-performance planes.

About the Author
Nicholas A. Veronico is president of the Northern California Chapter of the American Aviation Historical Society. His other books include F4U Corsair: The Combat, Development, and Racing History of the Corsair; Giant Cargo Planes; Military Aircraft Boneyards; and, with Marga Fritze, Blue Angels: 50 years of Precision Flight. He as served as an editor for Pacific Flyer Aviation Newspapers, In Flight USA, and Airliners: The World's Airline Magazine. He lives in San Carlos, California.

Customer Reviews

Great Book About America's favorite Aviators - The Blue Angels!
Nicholas Veronico has produced a marvelous collection of photos, history, stories and reference data on America's most popular aviation group in his coffee table sized book "The Blue Angels - A Fly-By History: Sixty Years Of Aerial Excellence." It is sure to please all Blue Angel fans world wide. There is so much more to his book than some cold history about the group. This book gives you both the men and their flying machines in a perfect and balanced presentation.

The book not only looks great with many photos of the planes in action but the text digs deeply into the history and personalities involved with making this team a sixty year hit. The author uses some good editing and an easy to follow format to share this group's story. It is obvious that there was some detailed research that enshrines this whole book project. It feels like a labor of love from the author and comes across in an entertaining style. The book is a tribute to a wonderful group of aviators.

It will sit proudly on your coffee table or in your book shelf but if you leave it lying around the office or the house, people will begin picking it up and browsing through it - the temptation is just too great to fondle and ogle it. The good thing about this book is that it is just as much fun to look at and read the second or the third time or even the first one hundred times you pick it up. It is a collector's book to be cherished and displayed.

The MWSA gives this book its highest rating of FIVE STARS!

Great pictoral history, but......
otherwise somewhat limited in scope. Chronological history of the Blue Angel squadron. It won't end up being used as a reference for BA history, but it gives a good overview for the casual BA enthusiast. Pictures are great, and otherwise rare.

Blue Angels: A fly-by history: Sixty years of aerial excellence
Very, very interesting in history of the aerobatic team from first year.
A little minus in pictures that thay would be a little more great.

Conclusion: an interesting work over Blue Angels