The Blue Angels of the United States Navy and the Thunderbirds of the Air Force conducted a joint flyover in a formation called "Super Delta" over Pensacola Beach, Florida, in one of the most unusual air events in recent years, according to a video shared by Fox News.
The maneuver brought together a total of 12 aircraft: six F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Blue Angels and six F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Thunderbirds, flying in a V formation with 18 engines running at the same time.
More than 500 spectators gathered on the beach to witness the flyover, despite the fact that the Pensacola Naval Air Station was closed to the public due to being a weekday training day.
The event came as a surprise to those in the area, but that didn't stop hundreds of people from gathering by the sea to capture the moment.
According to a volunteer of the flight line, this type of joint performance occurs only once every few years, highlighting the rarity of the event.
The immediate context of the flyover is that the Thunderbirds were coming from participating in the Gulf Coast Salute Air Show in Panama City Beach, held from April 10 to 12.
While passing near Pensacola, the permanent home of the Blue Angels since 1955, both teams coordinated the joint flight over the beach.
The group "Super Delta" originated from the joint training sessions of 2020 and 2021, when both squadrons conducted overflights to honor medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their official debut took place on March 2, 2021, over the Naval Air Facility El Centro in California, and since then, it has become a symbol of unity among the military branches.
The event video, recorded by @TheSaltySr_NCO and distributed by Storyful, was picked up by Fox News and generated significant buzz on social media.
The next show scheduled for the Blue Angels is set for April 18 and 19, and their big annual home event —the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show— is scheduled for November six and seven, 2026, with free admission and capacity for between 150,000 and 180,000 spectators.
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