March 28, 2024

Retired Blue Angel Makes Way to Museum

Blue Angel
The maintenance crew posing with a Blue Angel aircraft. Pictured are Clark Jones, Stephen Godwin, Aaron Rose, William Reynolds, John Walters, Tom Phelan, Steven Hardy, Michael Lee, Ted Gundling, Alexa Flores, and Eddie Flores. (Photo courtesy of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum)

After months of preparations and discussions with the US Navy, the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum now has a new addition to its flight line — a Blue Angel aircraft.

The FA-18B took its final flight from Jacksonville, FL, and arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River on June 10. Once proper actions were taken to defuel the aircraft, the Blue Angel demonstrator was brought to the museum where it will remain for the foreseeable future.

Before arriving at NAS Pax River, the Blue Angel #7 was assigned at the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast. Prior to the FRCSE it was assigned to the US Naval Test Pilot School at Pax and VMFAT-101 in California. The Blue Angel also received modifications at Pax during its long career. Now after just a 1.9-hour flight the aircraft is back at Pax River.

Amy Davis, museum executive director, described the recent addition to the museum’s flight line as “an exciting new exhibit that will highlight one of the most well known and highly esteemed programs of the US Navy.”

The incorporation of the Blue Angel on the flight line at the Lexington Park, MD, museum will honor all those who have worked (and continue to work) on the Blue Angel program at NAVAIR, as well as inspire the next generations to come.

“The arrival of the museum’s latest acquisition culminates several months of negotiations. Organizations throughout the Navy were involved with bringing this to fruition and without their support, it wouldn’t have ended so successfully,” said Clark Jones, the museum’s supervisor of aircraft maintenance.

Visitors can expect to see the fenced-in Blue Angel as the flight line maintenance team prepares the iconic aircraft for the view of the general public. Guests can look forward to the final reveal of the exhibit in the next few weeks.

For more information, go to the museum’s website.

A Blue Angel being positioned on the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum’s flight line. (Photo courtesy PRNAM)

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