1609 and Blue Angel #5

[FlyNavy]

New addition to the Hickory Aviation Museum, Hickory NC where I volunteer is our recently retired Blue Angel #5 F/A--18A Hornet.  The Blues have now moved on to the Super Hornet for 2021.  Maybe some time this year, the group would like to come over and hang out for a day and park amongst our aircraft.  One of the aviation museums on the West Coast does a Shelby gathering at their place and they get a nice turnout. 

[Corey Bowcutt]

Super cool!

[Side-Oilers]

That first photo is especially bad-azz!

[TedS]

Really great Bill. Is the Blue #5 permanent to Hickory?

[6T6SHELBY]

I would love the opportunity to come over and take pictures with the planes!!!! You can drive my car if I can fly the plane  .

[BGlover67]

Awesome!

[557]

It was nice of you to spot him half a (plane) length,but who won???

[2112]

What is the difference between a F/A--18A Hornet and a Super Hornet?

Love the Torq-Thrusts BTW.

[camp upshur]

Simple answer: it's 20% larger.
as CV power projection slides to irrelevance
-Camp Upshur (Naval Aviator)

[FlyNavy]

What is the difference between a F/A--18A Hornet and a Super Hornet?

Love the Torq-Thrusts BTW.

Louder and faster.  A little different in leading edge of wings at cockpit and intakes are now square. 

[FlyNavy]

Really great Bill. Is the Blue #5 permanent to Hickory?

Yes, it's ours.  Only our Museum and the Smithsonian got ours flown in and are complete aircraft, the other museums that got them had to remove engines, disassemble, truck, and reassemble which is a very expensive deal.  The people of Hickory were treated to a mini-airshow when it arrived, flown by a former Blue Angel pilot. 

[NC TRACKRAT]

Would really like to come over.  I recall we were going to do this a year or so ago but got rained out. Throw out a date and let's see what sticks!

[chris NOS]

Nice pictures !!

[jswoody]

Two rides I would never turn down!

[mark p]

Wow - great pix Bill - and nice that the Museum hit a big score