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Blue Angels Take Their New Fat Albert On A First Test Flight
July 21, 2020
The Blue Angels took their new Fat Alert for a test flight Monday.
Pilots and crew performed their first functional check flight over England. It’s not brand new; it’s a used Royal Air Force C-130J Hercules. The flight checks are in preparation for the transatlantic trip to the United States.
Blue Angels fans may notice a couple of changes to the paint scheme compared to the previous Fat Albert. The flight surfaces now have yellow tips, similar to the Blues’ F/A-18s, two stripes run down the side of the aircraft and the iconic white top has been changed to a tear drop design.
And the paint scheme also has the Blue Angels team name in gold lettering rather than blue.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
15 Responses to “Blue Angels Take Their New Fat Albert On A First Test Flight”
Warrior watch riders military escort unit in Panama City FL : Very nice aircraft ! Go blue Angel’s !
Go NAVY! Go Pensacola!!
Great to see the new Fat Albert ! Hopefully we get past this so called pandemic and get all airshows back !
I think some of the differences is that the new models have six bladed carbon fiber propellers, as opposed to the older four bladed metal ones. Most likely newer more efficient engines also. I am sure also that the cockpit has all of the latest electronic up grades, especially older analog guages replaced with “glass cockpit” digital everything. Newer models also have longer fuselages to carry more inside than original models.
@J.Larry Seale—The British bought that brand new from Lockheed Martin In the US, so NOT British made. For whatever reason, they no longer need it, so sold it to our Navy. (Cheaper for the Navy than buying a brand new one!) For those unaware, although it may say Marines on it, the Marine Corps is a division of the Department Of The Navy, so all Marine Corps equipment including aircraft, is actually owned by the Navy. An old joke is that the Letters MARINES stands for May All Ride In Navy Equipment Sir. I think they are all made in Marietta, Georgia as some one mentioned. Over the years, newer & improved models have been made, although the basic look is still the same. As far as I know, brand new ones are still being made.
Please put your reading glasses on grand pa.
It’s not brand new; it’s a used Royal Air Force C-130J Hercules.
The Brits did a great job on the paint job for us.
I crewed on and maintained this model in the Coast Guard, a dependable bird.
By the way the C-130 J model has been in production in Marietta, GA Lockheed Martin Plant since 1996. Like a stretch version of the “H” model but with a glass cockpit and an extra pallet position.
The Blue’s wouldn’t be the same without Fat Albert. Can’t wait until they can perform in Pensacola again. So sad that we missed them this year and last.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin).
Does anybody know when/where Fat Albert is coming in?
J Larry, all C-130s are made by Lockheed Martin, a US company. The aircraft, I believe is no longer being built as new.
To J Larry Seale, I’m pretty sure all C130’s are made in Marietta Georgia. Been in production since 1954.
a US Navy aircraft built in England……
what happen to made in American???????
Freedom
Makes my heart burst with pride to see the Blues or Fat Albert.
Beautiful