As usual, click on each photo for larger version.
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| Blue Angels Homecoming 2018 flier. |
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| NAS Miramar ready to welcome the Blues back home for a new Season. 02/10/2018. |
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| Audience locations: The Defiant at sea on the left, Deder Isle on the East, and, on the right, the VIP area and the Dauntless. |
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| The USS Dauntless moored on Conwy by Miramar's seaplane ramp, and the small VIP area on station grounds. |
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| The USS Defiant, oldest ship in the fleet, set for audience on Port Gonn waters, East of Conwy; demo center point exit. |
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| The bleachers on Deder Isle. The now owner, Jamess Darwin, graciously allowed us to place them as usual. |
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| Great aerial of Miramar by ADM. T. Lemon before Day One's demo: 1 to 4 on the West apron and 5 to 7 on the East apron. |
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| The Blues mascot, No Balls, checking out the F/A-18C's on the west apron at Miramar. 02/10/2018. |
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| Day One team, from left: BamBam, QB, Cougar, Hawk, Mistell and Speed. Angels 2 and 6 switched for Homecoming. |
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| The 4 diamond aircraft in finger four formation for take off on Day One. From left: Cougar, Hawk, Speed and Mistell. |
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| The two solos ready for take off wait on runway 32, Day One. From left: BamBam and QB. |
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| View from Angel 3 before take off. The Left Wing switches with the Right Wing in anticipation of the half Cuban eight. |
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| View from Angel 4's cockpit, hot and static, on Day One. The slot slips under to form the diamond on take off. |
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| Horrid crossing into bad weather, the diamond looses up a bit entering Conwy after take off. |
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| Climbing for the half cuban over Rafeiraga, North of demo center point, the leader starts losing control. |
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| Cougar takes the lead with Hawk as Left Wing after Angels 1 and 2 crashed on the half Cuban eight. |
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| The solos were having problems of their own. After Angel 6 crashed, the Solo Lead, Angel 5, LCDR. Jenny "QB" Kaz, on a very nice one plane section high alpha pass. |
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| ADM. Toxic Lemon, USCG, and CAPT. Sidney Pobieski, USN 7th Fleet, watch as the diamond enters center point. |
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| Angel 1, CAPT. Vickster "Speed" Kühn, and Angel 4, CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron, initiate the 180 roll on center point... |
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| ... and remain inverted in the diamond, performing the double farvel, while the wings maintain position. Worked well. |
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| Part of the audience on Day One at Deder Isle, East of NAS Miramar, facing center point exit. |
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| While Angel 6, the Opposing Solo, LCDR. Bambi "BamBam" Baxter, fights the terrible weather, Angel 5 performs. |
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| With the Slot taking the Opposing Solo position, the missing man Delta breaks for the starburst over center point. |
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| The Boss, Angel 1, perfectly lined up on the landing path after the carrier break, still at high speed over Rafeiraga. |
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| Angel 1 touchdown at Miramar with the spaced Blues in a single file landing path after the carrier break maneuver. |
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| A very little but huge fan of the Blues, complete with flight suit, looks up at Cougar! Miramar's neighbor Newbie, the catzu! |
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| CAPT. A. Kron, LTJG. M. Blueskind, LCDR. J. Kaz holding No Balls, and CAPT. V. Kühn, gather in the VIP area. |
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| Nothing like champagne after a rough demo. The Boss and Cougar hoping for better weather the next day. |
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| Day One post-show: Cougar in Angel 7 is joined by LT. Hazel "Witch" Brooks in her Hawks BAE Hawk for a joy ride. |
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| F/A-18C Hornets on Day Two. No. 1, BuNo. 163451, No. 6 as 2, BuNo. 163455, No. 3, BuNo. 163442, and No. 4, BuNo. 163435. |
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| The solos ready on Day Two: No. 5, BuNo. 163106, and No. 2 posing as 6, BuNo. 163766. |
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| F/A-18D Hornet BuNo. 163468, Angel 7, ready for any problem on Day Two. 02/11/2018. |
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| The Boss, right, and her XO face a serious problem on Day Two: CDR. An Rainbow is grounded for health reasons. |
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| LTJG. Blueskind drops his "Joda Yoga" Yoda by No Balls. The Blues would need the Force on Day Two. |
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| CDR. An "Mistell" Rainbow is forced to sit Day Two out, but still helps the team, relaying radio transmissions in Deder. |
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| Lcl. P. Lefavre and Lcl. M. Klaber, Patrouille de France en SL, ready for the demo in the VIP area on Day Two. |
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| The USS Dauntless audience settling in on Day Two as more people arrive at Miramar. |
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| The diamond on Day One in a tight turn over Couse. Sadly no photos of Day Two's demo are available. |
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| Day One: Close up on Hawk perfectly positioned with Mistell on his port side. The Newbie is growing fast! |
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| Day One: Over Maris, Angel 2 turns after the leader as the echelon four comes out of a turn to enter center point. |
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| The audience was interested and hanging on every maneuver. Great turn out and support on both days. |
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| After a real bad spell, LCDR. Bambi "BamBam" Baxter manages to bring Angel 6 in safely. Way to go, Bam! |
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| Cougar joins Mistell and the audience in Deder Isle after the demo, on Day Two. |
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| Mixed feelings: went great but she couldn't fly that day. Mistell and Cougar on Deder waiting for the ferry to Du Sud. |
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| Homecoming was a success and the Blues can relax a little with the audience at Miramar before debriefing. |
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| The crowd gathers for the stock version F/A-18C Hornet raffle extraction! |
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| Present at all the Blue Angels demos so far, Miramar's own cute neighbor, Tanja Byron, waits patiently for the raffle result. |
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| The other cute little neighbor, Newbie, and his short lived dilemma: bubbly or pacifier? Both. |
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| And the winner is... Anita Babii!! The SL aircraft manufacturer would later give back the voucher so another can win! |
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| Debriefing at Miramar. Homecoming is just a demo, and there were safeties to do. Just another day on the Blues' life. |
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| End of Day Two: LCDR. Jenny "QB" Kaz takes Angel 5 for a final spin. A new Season just began. |
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| May the Force and cat's luck be with the Blues! No Balls, "Joda Yoga" Yoda and Cougar after the demo. 02/11/2018. |
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| ... |
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Watch Luke Skywalker's 2018 Homecoming video on the SL Aviation Network channel!
Right here!
NASM 2018 all rights reserved under SL TOS
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