A quick, visual overview of an F-18 Super Hornet being painted by artisans at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast for the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team.
Two sealer/primer coats over the original (sanded) finish, two color coats, and a clear coat, sanding between each coat. Impressive. That's a lot of work and the results speak for themselves. Well done!
Can we also appreciate how clean and sparkly white the landing gear and wheel wells are? I’ve done this work all my adult life and I can tell that is a hard to keep clean area!
That's exactly what I was thinking! On a scale plastic model, you would have to be a brave soul to attempt to get a pure, solid gloss layer over that relatively dark blue paint? Was the final coat a pure, colourless gloss coat? I think that the GLOSSIEST paint schemes of all are found on USAF T-38s. What do you think? Thanks!
I have been part of many aircraft paintings. Why not shoot the yellow first, tape it off, then shoot the blue. Much less waste of paper and taping. That is how we did it and it worked out pretty good for us.
I painted many Blue angels when I worked in that shop for FRCSE . The reason the process is done llike this is you end up with better lines around the yellow when preparing it for clear there’s white applied under the yellow to give the yellow depth.
@@josephwalker7646I saw a question posed years back that I have never been able to find the answer to. There is a notch cut in the main gear door on the Blue Angel planes. If you can tell me why, it would put my mind at ease.
@@ronaldkonkoma4356 Not an expert but this is what I've heard: straight edges with 90 degree corners reflect radar emissions directly back to the source. The landing gear doors on the super hornet (and other modern planes like F-22, F-35) are cut at odd angles to minimize their radar cross section when open by removing those flat edges and 90 degree corners.
@imageeknotanerd9897 thank you, and I have not been able to find a picture illustrating what I had seen. These legacy hornets just had a small half circle notched in one edge of the main door and that was not on the fleet planes.
What about the position number? Is that a vinyl transfer or masked and painted later? It's certainly a slick paint job, and I mean like wet ice on a cold driveway slick, not just "cool" slick. Our museum has a Legacy Hornet (#5 solo) and it is smooth as glass.
Why first paint it all blue and paint the yellow details at last? If had paint FIRST the yellow the masking job would be very very very smaller. Isn't it obvious?
For any military aircraft, and even more so for any commercial aircraft, paint weight is a big deal. Every pound affects performance and thus increases fuel use. But for a demonstration airplane, appearance is far more important. The Blues are all about public relations. The interesting thing about the Blue Angels is that the specs require the aircraft be capable of returning to fleet use in the event of war within 72 hours (according to the Blue Angels website), all work being done onboard an aircraft carrier. So that affects what they can do to the airplane. The paint job would affect the performance, but that's an acceptable change, I suppose.
@@Brandon_SoMD Looks like over 600 super hornets were built. While the Blue's hornets can be converted back to wartime use/paint why bother? It is just a spec. the team mentions to keep enthusiasts drawn in but likely not worth bothering with if the SHTF as there are more than enough active duty E/F models to take care of whatever is necessary without returning the demo teams planes back to fighting status. After all we keep aircraft mothballed in the desert for recall if needed in wartime. Nothing breakthrough to see here... Still, this is a good video of the changeover to newer hornets for the Blue Angels. In any event, always liked seeing a repaint of any airframe to give it new life.
@@georgeadamsii7777 thanks so much, I’ve loved jets all my 70 years, but never thought to ask , to be honest , I thought it would be so much more, -Go Navy -HOO-YAH !!
@@brucebangeman8627 if you're interested, here's a pretty good video on how the painted B-17 was slightly faster and had better range than the bare AL B-17. 75 lbs of paint actually saved 450 lbs of fuel weight. ua-cam.com/video/420fO_-u0nE/v-deo.html
Great Job--was in Pensacola nice place--just --if you have time --so what gg--can that plane handel??-topgun 2--has killed a lot--I´M a TORNADO 200PA man--good luck--stay alive--tue rollf
You got that right! I was on the team 1975-1978 when we had A4s. We painted our own jets during winter training at El Centro, Ca. 12 hr days were normal.
Two sealer/primer coats over the original (sanded) finish, two color coats, and a clear coat, sanding between each coat. Impressive. That's a lot of work and the results speak for themselves. Well done!
Why do people always insist on ruining their videos with shit music?
Shame they didn’t consult with you first, huh? 🤦
fun fact: this plane (165536) was also Mavericks black/blue plane from TG2
Can we also appreciate how clean and sparkly white the landing gear and wheel wells are? I’ve done this work all my adult life and I can tell that is a hard to keep clean area!
No tail number. Assuming it's waiting to find out which plane it's replacing
The squadron applies the tail numbers as they move the planes around to fill out the positions. It's a vinyl decal
@@BearstowsBarnstormers I suspected their experience knew better than to commit each plane to a slot
BZ! That Super Bug looks fantastic!
I really like Blue Angel Blue.
What if... and hear me out... you cut and buff the clear? Think it would make it that much better? or not noticeable?
Seems it woulda been more efficient to paint the yellow first, then tape it off to do the blue? Paint jobs are a lot of work regardless, nicely done.
That's exactly what I was thinking! On a scale plastic model, you would have to be a brave soul to attempt to get a pure, solid gloss layer over that relatively dark blue paint?
Was the final coat a pure, colourless gloss coat?
I think that the GLOSSIEST paint schemes of all are found on USAF T-38s. What do you think?
Thanks!
Flashbacks to the old days!! #USAF 😊💙😊 Too bad I never got to have a giant paint booth like that one.
Most people don’t realize that the blue used is the same FS15050 used by the USPS on mail boxes 🤷🏻♂️
Copy that, need to use something that is readily available and common for just such an occasion.
I have been part of many aircraft paintings. Why not shoot the yellow first, tape it off, then shoot the blue. Much less waste of paper and taping. That is how we did it and it worked out pretty good for us.
I thought the same
I painted many Blue angels when I worked in that shop for FRCSE . The reason the process is done llike this is you end up with better lines around the yellow when preparing it for clear there’s white applied under the yellow to give the yellow depth.
@@josephwalker7646I saw a question posed years back that I have never been able to find the answer to.
There is a notch cut in the main gear door on the Blue Angel planes. If you can tell me why, it would put my mind at ease.
@@ronaldkonkoma4356 Not an expert but this is what I've heard: straight edges with 90 degree corners reflect radar emissions directly back to the source. The landing gear doors on the super hornet (and other modern planes like F-22, F-35) are cut at odd angles to minimize their radar cross section when open by removing those flat edges and 90 degree corners.
@imageeknotanerd9897 thank you, and I have not been able to find a picture illustrating what I had seen.
These legacy hornets just had a small half circle notched in one edge of the main door and that was not on the fleet planes.
What about the position number? Is that a vinyl transfer or masked and painted later? It's certainly a slick paint job, and I mean like wet ice on a cold driveway slick, not just "cool" slick. Our museum has a Legacy Hornet (#5 solo) and it is smooth as glass.
Why first paint it all blue and paint the yellow details at last?
If had paint FIRST the yellow the masking job would be very very very smaller. Isn't it obvious?
I wonder how much weight that paintjob adds to the aircraft?
Not enough to slow it down
For any military aircraft, and even more so for any commercial aircraft, paint weight is a big deal. Every pound affects performance and thus increases fuel use. But for a demonstration airplane, appearance is far more important. The Blues are all about public relations.
The interesting thing about the Blue Angels is that the specs require the aircraft be capable of returning to fleet use in the event of war within 72 hours (according to the Blue Angels website), all work being done onboard an aircraft carrier. So that affects what they can do to the airplane. The paint job would affect the performance, but that's an acceptable change, I suppose.
@@Brandon_SoMD Looks like over 600 super hornets were built. While the Blue's hornets can be converted back to wartime use/paint why bother? It is just a spec. the team mentions to keep enthusiasts drawn in but likely not worth bothering with if the SHTF as there are more than enough active duty E/F models to take care of whatever is necessary without returning the demo teams planes back to fighting status. After all we keep aircraft mothballed in the desert for recall if needed in wartime. Nothing breakthrough to see here... Still, this is a good video of the changeover to newer hornets for the Blue Angels. In any event, always liked seeing a repaint of any airframe to give it new life.
Beautiful airplane and painting scheme!👏🏻👏🏻
How many hours from the first coat of primer to the last coat of clear coat?
The American Murder Hornet
Very nice. Do they just use car paint?
Wowww
Beautiful aircraft 🇺🇸👍
Fly Navy 💙
Awesome, amazing job my friends!!
Cool.
awesome livery and amazing repaint
Awesome, beautiful airplane!
I wonder how long the process takes, from start to finish,, so cool to watch
💙💛💙😇💙💛💙
Gives me chill bumps. #FlyNavy
Beautiful
Beautiful Blue! Fly Navy
That's the same E model from Topgun 2!! 165536
Fr?
Does anybody know how much weight all paint add to jet ???
A lacquer painted B-17 had 75 lbs of paint on it. This can't be more than half that weight.
@@georgeadamsii7777 thanks so much, I’ve loved jets all my 70 years, but never thought to ask , to be honest , I thought it would be so much more, -Go Navy -HOO-YAH !!
@@brucebangeman8627 if you're interested, here's a pretty good video on how the painted B-17 was slightly faster and had better range than the bare AL B-17. 75 lbs of paint actually saved 450 lbs of fuel weight.
ua-cam.com/video/420fO_-u0nE/v-deo.html
@@georgeadamsii7777 thanks brother -HOO -YAH !!
thats one bad ass hot rod!!
Beautiful
Ah can't be one of my birds. We started with 161, 162 and 163. This one is 165 so much newer than what I worked on.
Great Job--was in
Pensacola nice place--just --if you have time --so what gg--can that plane handel??-topgun 2--has killed a lot--I´M a TORNADO 200PA man--good luck--stay alive--tue rollf
7.5G
@@C420sailorthx rollf
No matter how you slice it, that is a LOT OF WORK!
You got that right! I was on the team 1975-1978 when we had A4s. We painted our own jets during winter training at El Centro, Ca. 12 hr days were normal.