A Final Salute: The Blue Angels' Farewell to the Legacy Hornet
The 2020 season marked a turning point for the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron. After 34 years of breathtaking precision and millions of captivated spectators, the Blue Angels bid farewell to their Legacy Hornets with one final launch and recovery from NAS Sherman Field in Pensacola, Florida. For many of us, the Blues have always flown Legacy Hornets. Their departure felt like the closing of a chapter we weren’t ready to end.
On November 4, the team announced a final tribute flight for the Pensacola area. I chose the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier as my vantage point—a place etched in memory, where I’ve watched the Blues return home countless times. “Smoking the beach” after a show had become a Sunday ritual, a shared heartbeat between the team and the community.
As the formation approached, the sky was flawless. The air held a quiet reverence. Then came the call: “Smoke On.” Boss Kesselring’s voice cut through the moment, and the perfect Delta passed overhead—tight, graceful, unforgettable. It wasn’t just a flyover. It was a farewell. A salute. A memory etched in jet trail and sunlight.
Airspeed - The Magazine for Aviation Photographers (December 2020 issue Page 22)
Airspeed - The Magazine for Aviation Photographers (December 2020 issue Page 24)
The Blue Angels' final flight in the Legacy Hornet was a bittersweet moment for aviation enthusiasts. I've never seen The Blues in anything but the Legacy Hornets, so to see the end of their season was bittersweet. But I was there to witness their final salute as they flew over the Pensacola pier. It was a perfect day, and the Blues did not disappoint those who came to see them. It's been a joy and a privilege to share segments of time through images of this remarkable Boeing aircraft.
Purchase a print and preserve the Blue Angels’ final flight in the Legacy Hornet.
This poignant image captures the Blue Angels’ Delta formation soaring over the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier for the final time in their Legacy Hornets. A moment etched in aviation history, it honors 34 years of service by this iconic Boeing aircraft with the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron.
The Legacy Hornets’ farewell over Pensacola Beach—34 years of flight, framed in one perfect moment.
On November 4, 2020, the Blue Angels took their final flight in the Legacy Hornet. The sunset flight was a fitting close to a 34-year chapter in aviation excellence. Since 1986, this iconic Boeing aircraft has carried the team through countless demonstrations of precision and pride. It has earned its retirement.
Purchase a print and preserve the moment the Blues said goodbye to the Legacy Hornet.
This evocative print captures the Blue Angels’ Delta formation flying along Pensacola Beach for the final time in the Boeing F/A-18 Legacy Hornet. A fitting farewell to a beloved aircraft, the image honors the pilots who flew it, the crews who maintained it, and the millions inspired by its roar across the skies.
Purchase a print of the Blues’ final flight in the Legacy Hornet
November 4, 2020 — And so it goes. The end of an era. After 34 years of service, the Legacy Hornet took its final flight with the Blue Angels. From 1986 to 2020, she carried the team with precision, pride, and unmistakable grace. She’s been a good ship—and she will be missed.
Own the image. Preserve the final flight with the Blue Angels.