# Best Military Aircraft Display Team



## Instal (Nov 7, 2007)

Unfortunately I have only seen 3 teams. Snowbirds, Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. I am sure there are those that have seen many more. What are your thoughts on who puts on the best show?


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 7, 2007)

I think they are all great but the best in my opinion has to be the Blue Angels and then the Thunderbirds. 

I am basing my opinion off of seing Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, the Italian team (unfortunatly one of the times I saw them was at Rammstein on the fateful day), and the British Team (at the Air Tattoo in 1997.


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## plan_D (Nov 7, 2007)

British Team - Red Arrows.

They're not the best, I'm just informing people who the British team is.


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## Cota1992 (Nov 7, 2007)

In my book it's the Blue Angels, hands down.
I've also seen the Thunderbirds and the Snowbirds. I've not seen any of them for a few years so this might not be true today but growing up the highlight of the year was always seeing the Blue Angles. The other two while good and I'm not knocking them or thier skill, seemed to always do thier thing a long way away (At least at the shows I saw)while the Blue Angels seemed to be right on top of you and have that little bit extra.
I'm dating myself but the best Blue Angel shows were with the Skyhawks, they might have not been the best fighter but they sure were a good demo team plane, loud and could turn on a dime.
Some of the best memories of my youth with my Dad were at the Miramar airshow.


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## DBII (Nov 7, 2007)

I rank them Blue Angles, Thunderbirds, Red Arrows and then Snowbirds. I saw the Snowbirds again in October. They are good but I like a faster pace show. I also like Howard P in his Bearcat and the Navy's F14 and Super Hornet Demo teams. 

DBII


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## ccheese (Nov 7, 2007)

Didn't we do this poll just awhile ago ?
I pick the British Red Arrows, Blue's, T-Birds and the Canadian Snowbirds.

Charles


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 7, 2007)

I think the only one I have not seen is the Snow Birds. (not sure though I might have seen them at the Air Tattoo, I will have to look at the program when I get home). 

One that impressed me was the Russian Su 27 team that I saw at the Paris Airshow.

Best for me though is the Blue Angels.


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## FLYBOYJ (Nov 7, 2007)

plan_D said:


> British Team - Red Arrows.
> 
> They're not the best, I'm just informing people who the British team is.





Actually I've seen the Italians before their Ramstein mishap. I was very impressed.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 7, 2007)

I saw the Italians twice. Once was the Rammstein mishap. I was working at the Airshow as a Boy Scout. It was very terrible.


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## FLYBOYJ (Nov 7, 2007)

Wow Chris - thats' horrible!


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## Matt308 (Nov 7, 2007)

I've seen the Blue Angels numerous times. Always a good show, but best if its the high altitude show. However, the best display I have seen was a solo Canadian CF-18 at McChord AFB about 8 years ago. That guy rode it hard and put it up wet. Never seen anything like it since. And when he was done he booked back to Canada. Excellent show!


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## pbfoot (Nov 7, 2007)

Jeez I've seen the Red Arrows in both the Hawks and the Gnats , the Blue Angels in the Tiger,Phantom, Skyhawk and 18, the Thunderbirds in the 100,105 F4 and 16 and the Snowbirds in the Tutor and there predecessor the Golden Hawks in the F86 , the Frecchi Tricolori and the French guys . Choice for the bigger teams is the Red Arrows but the Snowbirds are just as good it's just I've seen them to often.
For the smaller teams Blue Angels were best in the Skyhawk and the T birds were best in the F4 incredible noise and smoke ...choice goes to the Tbirds in the F4 . I saw the Tbirds this year and didn't care for the dancing ground crew. Best overall performer were the Golden Hawks


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 7, 2007)

FLYBOYJ said:


> Wow Chris - thats' horrible!



It was. My friends mom was even hurt.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 7, 2007)

Okay I found my list of who I have actually seen:

Blue Angels (US)
Russian Knights (US)
Patrouille Suisse (Swiss)
Patrouille Acrobatique de France (France)
Thunderbirds (US)
The Silver Swallows (Irish)
Team Aguila (Spain)
The Ukrainian Falcons (Ukraine)
The Turkish Stars (Turkey)
Royal Jordanian Falcons (Jordan)
Frecce Tricolori (Italy)
The Red Arrows (England)
The Blue Eagles (England) 

The Blue Eagles were amazing. They are a British acrobatic helicopter team that uses the Lynx and Gazelle helicopters.

Edit: I went ahead and added a poll to see what everyones opinions are. Remember though that there is no right or wrong.


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## Instal (Nov 7, 2007)

Wow thats quite the list Adler and PB. I am jealous. Are there any other teams that fly as many as the Snowbirds? (9)


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 8, 2007)

I saw many of those at the Paris Airshow and the Royal Air Tattoo.


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## pbfoot (Nov 28, 2007)

Not the best but certainly the noisiest The Warlocks 425 Sqn 101's 

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4t2mDyo3vU_


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## Luis Miguel Almeida (Apr 22, 2008)

I think all display teams are good!
I voted for the Asas de Portugal because they were one of the best 15 years ago thw new team is still forming.

here is a small video from the old one:


_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9wh_m-2jIA_


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## road_apple1861 (Apr 22, 2008)

ive only seen the blue angels perform and both times they were amazing, thats where i have to put my vote


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## davparlr (Apr 22, 2008)

Although I am an AF guy, the Blue Angels are my favorite. I've watched them from the F9F and on. They used to land right over my house in Pensacola.


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## pbfoot (Apr 22, 2008)

davparlr said:


> Although I am an AF guy, the Blue Angels are my favorite. I've watched them from the F9F and on. They used to land right over my house in Pensacola.


A dream house on the approach to a military airport


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## lesofprimus (Apr 23, 2008)

Seen a bunch of them as well, including the Blue Angles, Snowbirds, TBirds and the Red Arrows....

Blue Angles put on the best displays, IMHO....


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## davparlr (Apr 29, 2008)

pbfoot said:


> A dream house on the approach to a military airport



It certainly was once I outgrew being scared of the SNJs flying overhead. It was always a bit noisy, but we never minded. I think that is one reason Pensacola always had a good relationship with the Navy. Of course, being within five miles of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world was not bad either. Nor the seafood. Of course there were some sad moments like coming across a furrow of mowed down pine trees with what was left of a plane at end of the furrow. Pilot ejected too late.


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## Kruska (May 12, 2008)

Blue Angels for sure, unfortunately the LW never received a second chance after its first mishap, or let’s say rather “total fallout”. All four jets (F-104G) crashed on their first display. 

Regards
Kruska


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## SoD Stitch (May 12, 2008)

Kruska said:


> Blue Angels for sure, unfortunately the LW never received a second chance after its first mishap, or let’s say rather “total fallout”. All four jets (F-104G) crashed on their first display.
> 
> Regards
> Kruska



Wow! Of course, it probably didn't help that they were flying 104's, not the most maneuverable aircraft in the world.

Speaking of which, has anyone here seen the "Starfighters" air show? I would love to see them, I really like the 104; still a very underrated aircraft, IMHO. Even today, given the choice, a lot of ACM pilots would take a 104 over almost anything else; small airframe, high speed, high-altitude capability, hit-and-run tactics, etc. make for a good ACM a/c.


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## Kruska (May 19, 2008)

SoD Stitch said:


> Wow! Of course, it probably didn't help that they were flying 104's, not the most maneuverable aircraft in the world.



Hello SoD Stitch

Maybe you want to check out this site:

The Vikings Display Team

Regards
Kruska


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## SoD Stitch (May 19, 2008)

Kruska said:


> Hello SoD Stitch
> 
> Maybe you want to check out this site:
> 
> ...



Sweet! Thanks, Kruska; I guess it kinda makes sense that the Luftwaffe flight demonstration team would fly 104's, since it was their front-line fighter in the '60's and '70's.


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## trackend (May 20, 2008)

The Arrows will be at Southend airshow this weekend so as I'm only 4 miles away as the crow flys I shall take my seat and grab some snaps the Black Cat helo team is there also.
I will be interested to go to Biggin hill this year not just to see if the Vulcan can make it's first show flight and the Vickers Vimy but the Blue Eagles helo and an indian helo team the Sarang as well as the Brietling team will be making an appearance.


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## buzzard (May 20, 2008)

I've only seen the N American teams: Blues 4 times (A-4 and F-18) TB once (F-16), and the Snowbirds many times. the Blue Angels put on the best high-performance shows. The Snowbirds are more about graceful artistry than speed and noise. I did see the Golden hawks as a kid, but I don't remember much about it(I was around 7 at the time)

Like pbfoot, I loved the noise and speed of the RCAF Voodoo and Starfighter displays. 

For solo displays, the CF-18 demo is always great, but two others really stand out in my memory. One was a very spirited display by a Mirage 2000, but the topper was an F-14D. You could feel the sheer exuberance of the pilot as he hurled the big 'cat thru the sky. He was whipping around so fast that the announcer finally gave up , and the show went on for about 5 minutes longer than scheduled. The crowd just roared when he was done. 

I took a girl I was involved with to an airshow one time...As i sat there with a big grin plastered across my face, she scowled and said," This is stupid. And it's too noisy". That's when I knew it could never work...


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## pbfoot (May 27, 2008)

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8a55SlGdx8_
old vid of the Golden Hawks


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## ccheese (May 27, 2008)

I remember seeing the Blues in prop jobs, back in the 50's... probably
in F8F's. They were just as good then.... But I do believe the Red Arrows
are better.

Charles


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## buzzard (May 29, 2008)

pbfoot,

I just saw your Golden Hawks link. I loved it! How about that close formation take-off... 

Thanks  

JL


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## Haztoys (May 30, 2008)

What was the first team..??

And anyone have a list of each teams aircraft over the years...Would be nice to know...?? 

Been to air shows but never got to see a team live ...


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## pbfoot (May 30, 2008)

buzzard said:


> pbfoot,
> 
> I just saw your Golden Hawks link. I loved it! How about that close formation take-off...
> 
> ...


There is one a little earlier on the thread Warlocks F101 team


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## Kruska (May 31, 2008)

*Haztoys: What was the first team..??*


Maybe the "Flying Circus" of von Richthofen ?  

Regards
Kruska


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## Catch22 (May 31, 2008)

I can only recall ever seeing the Snowbirds, but I probably have seen another one somwhere along the line, so I'll refrain from voting.

Pb: That one picture of the F-86 looks like it's in Edmonton, Blatchford Field (not sure if it's called that anymore). Do you know where it was taken?


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