Here is a fantastic story about the origins of the Blue Angles...and a modern recreation with a BEARCAT team...with one of our own Tommy FRIEDKIN rooting them on....I did not know Tommy was a BLUE... but I knew he had a fantastic War Bird Air Force of his own of some fame along with the Chino Gang...and his African Air Force of Caravans for his Tanzania Game Trackers hunting operations....sadly he is no longer with us...and his family has decided to close down the hunting operations to only Family and clients...

https://www.chonday.com/5113/blueroots3/

Cheers,

I got it wrong....Tom Friedkin apparently was NOT a Blue, but probably one of the owners of the BEARCATS that THE HORSEMEN fly...lead by Steve Hinton of Chino Planes of Fame Museum, and one flown by son Dan Friedkin... Tom great fan and supporter of The Blues and War Bird aviation!!
Tom actually started his career as an airline pilot started by his father...that became PSA and later sold...when he transitioned to Gulf States Toyota Distributors...his son Dan now leads. Both are/were very active warbird pilots...and collectors.
Run a search on WIKIPEDIA...a good read...

Cheers,

Thanks for sharing! Love the Bearcat and the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine. Nothing else sounds as good as the 2800. Would love to see these guys perform.

MEEEE TOOOO!!

I go to alot BIG of airshows, have never seen them, and never seen them billed as performers. Seems they started flying 3 Mustangs, now they also fly Bearcats, Corsair, and F-86s!! Check them out on WIKIPEDIA, pretty interesting!!

All of the pilots are Heritage Flight qualified with the military formation flights.

A friend, retired Air Force pilot told me the name came from an old team of C-130s that out performed them all...so were disbanded to showcase the Blues. That is not mentioned in the WIKI coverage??

I am going to call Chino Planes of Fame and try to catch Steve Hinton to see if he can send me a show schedule?? I will post here if I get it.

I saw the SoCal Commemorative Air Force bomber- fighter show a couple times at Reno last year, B-25 and Hellcat, BEARCAT, Corsair, and Mustang.... what a heart throb!! Lots of round engined all at once!!

I can also remember the years that RARE BEAR, and pilot John Penny, a highly modified BEARCAT, totally dominate Reno air races for years!!

Cheers,

Brings back a lot of memories.

Went to quite a few shows of the Confederate Air Force (now a more politically correct "Commemorative" Air Force).

While I love jets, the piston war birds are a special breed. Glad I got to witness them.