Blue Angels at San Francisco Fleet Week 2007

[Xtndr50boom]

There's your proof that he didn't. Please notice the wake that he's creating and where it is in relation to the bridge. It looks from that angle that he didn't even fly over the bridge, just the terrain south of it/supporting structure.

Only problem with that picture is that it's of the northern part (sausalito side) of the GGB.

PS, I was there. He didn't fly under the bridge

 

[larbear]

OK, so he didn't go under any bridges, but it was still the best part of the show.

 

[Brett1]

A few pics and a question

Here are a few pics of one of the Blues, but in the final picture notice the clear disruption from the mid tail of the plane going downward. What is that?? Also, why are the wingtip stores flexing downward are are the always like that in flight?

 

[llnick2001]

Looks like the air was getting up into compressible speeds which would change it properties and thus cause some refraction. That's my guess. Nice pics btw.

 

[HuggyU2]

If you're talking about the "cloud" forming in certain spots, it's due to the air flow going supersonic in that region, and forming a shock wave. I can't remember all the science involved, but you get a big change in pressure there, and the air condenses.

I have no idea why they designed the wingtip rails to angle down like that.

 

[submarinerssbn]

those are some amazing pics. fantastic job. one day i plan to be that guy.

 

[Brett327]

That looks like the normal depression angle for the LAU-7 - just the way they're built. It's a launcher for an AIM-9, not a store.

Brett

 

[FLY_USMC]

Aerodynamically it creates the least amount of drag over the majority of speed ranges to have the wingtip mounts angled down.

Alright, I googled it, but it's fun to pretend I know something.

 

[Semper Jump Jet]

Interesting to see how most of the people in the shots are not even looking at him. Their lives are about to get very interesting...

 

[02Navy05VT]

It is almost as if that jet was "photo-shopped" into that scene. Could they go supersonic in tight space like that??? I guess that's why I stay on the ground and leave the flying to you guys.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

It is almost as if that jet was "photo-shopped" into that scene. Could they go supersonic in tight space like that??? I guess that's why I stay on the ground and leave the flying to you guys.

He's not going supersonic, they aren't allowed to do that at airshows. Had he been supersonic in these pictures he would have broken all of the windows on the boats and surrounding houses/businesses.

 

[Nose]

He is transsonic. What you are seeing are the effects of the area rule and transonic drag rise.

Not only are you not allowed to go through the number at air shows, but pretty much anywhere else in the US, with a few exceptions.

Now, an airshow at sea? That's something completely different. (That one's for you Heyjoe!)

Nose

 

[FastMover]

Here's another pic of Blue Angel #5 making the sneak pass at San Francisco. Incredible, it almost doesn't look real...

 

[Nose]

Here's another pic of Blue Angel #5 making the sneak pass at San Francisco. Incredible, it almost doesn't look real...

That IS an awesome pic. Look just above the canopy, you can see where the area rule comes into play with the bulge in the canopy creating disturbance...

 

[STLEngineer]

Agreeing with those saying its a design characteristic.

The launcher is rotated at a weird angle, about 3 degrees down. When you combine that with the anhedral, it looks even more pronounced. Just wait til you see the ALQ-218 (tip pods) on the G from that angle, with how long they are, it looks like they're really pointing down.

If you see pics of the E/F with stores, you'll see that the wing pylons are canted outboard about 4 degrees. Just little things that look like quirks that are built in to the designs for one reason or another.