Everything You Didn’t Know About Commanding The Blue Angels
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Ward talks to Capt. Gil Rud, USN (Ret.) about his career as a U.S. Navy pilot with a focus on his three years as Blue Angel No. 1 - "The Boss."
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Love your channel, just wanted to give a little feedback. The way you put this advertisement in the video was a bit jarring. Not sure what the right answer is , but I wouldn't recommend it that way in the future.
@@UsedToaster I love his channel as well, but I'd rather he didn't plug sponsorships at all. It takes away from the actual content of the channel which is awesome stories about naval aviation, whether combat or wartime stories or interesting stuff done around or even onboard the carrier, talks with aviation experts and other pilots, and of course episodes like this one where he talks with a former Blue Angels Boss.
Now if he was plugging something like DCS, War Thunder, his books, a flying school or something else related to the rest of his content, I'd be fine with it but this Masterworks stuff about investing and art and famous paintings and their artists isn't even remotely related to what he usually talks about, meaning it's massively out of place on a channel like this.
It's not just the placement of the investment ad, and it isn't just jarring, it's disruptive and basically kills the content.
@@TheOneTrueDragonKing I understand the need for sponsors, especially with how bad TH-cam can be sometimes with creators. If that was plugged in the intro maybe it wouldnt been a big deal. Hopefully if that advertiser requested such a thing they learn from this that it is a turn off. All in all I agree this sponsor just didnt fit the channel though.
For me I was hanging on every word of guest and then an abrupt cut scene. I rushed to find my controller to skip ahead. So much so I cant even tell you what the advertising was about as it was so invasive.
@@UsedToaster Yes, I agree - I actually did the same thing but with the Precise Seeking function and my mouse. (Definitely NOT Precise, but that's another story.)
The advertising was a massive turn-off and very invasive. Yes, creators need sponsors a lot, but they need to fit the theme of the channel and this one was a very poor fit.
To Mooch's credit he tried to awkwardly shoehorn it in but it just didn't fit regardless. Honestly an ad like that would be better off as a standard TH-cam ad with the skip button in the lower right hand corner.
@@robertd7073 boomer capslock activated
I was on the team during the Hornet transition, served with Boss Rud in 87, Boss Moneymaker in 88 & 89. Best tour of my 30 year Navy career.
That's amazing.
Thanks for your service. I must have seen you perform at the Pax River airshow in 1987 as a Boy Scout. I remember the Number 5 & 6 doing "surprise" merges over the crowd while everyone was looking at the Number 1 - 4 formation. Don't think that survived the post-Ramstein era.
Boss Pat Moneymaker had team of teams those years.
I must comment on this one. Capt Rud was my CO on Connie 93-95. I was there the day he took command and watched him fly off in the Persian Gulf after he was relieved. Absolute best CO I ever had in 20 years of active duty. I loved his shipwide quarters in the hangar bay every Wednesday morning inport San Diego. He would stand up on an aircraft tow tractor and call us all (like 2000 sailors) to circle up around him. He would then give us the no BS scoop on what the ship was doing. Excellent leader who I tried to emulate his style in my own career. He took me to CO NJP in 1993 for being stupid off-duty. He did not bust me, put me on probation and I was able to get my stuff straight and make CPO before retirement in 2004. He also awarded me my ESWS and EAWS while onboard Connie, with pictures to prove which I still have at home. I remember him shooting his boots off the waist catapult as a last launch the day he left as I think he flew by helo to Bahrain. Great to see him so sharp nearly 30 years later! Thank you, Sir!
I am about to turn 70 years old. I have been a huge fan of the Blues since I first saw them fly when I was in grade school. Thank you for this wonderful story. I have huge respect for Boss Rud. You undersell your achievements.
In the late 70's, I was a Skyhawk avionics tech and loved seeing the Blues fly the A-4. The Delta landing was amazing! Later, in the mid 80's, I was designing avionics at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, and loved seeing the Blues fly the Hornet! Thanks to the pilots who made our aircraft look so incredible!
Always a pleasure to listen to Boss Rud. His book is outstanding.
Love your channel Blue Angels Phantoms!
@@acefox1 Thank you!!
As the son of a Navy fighter pilot, other than the fly in after a deployment, there was nothing more exciting than going to a blue angel's airshow.. I think in my lifetime I must have attended at least 20 of these. 😎👍👍👍
Gil, you're a pretty unique man. You're not arrogant, but you are assertive and still humble. What the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels, plus the various other teams around the world do is extraordinarily dangerous. I have seen many of the shows out at MacDill Air Force Base during the airfest that are hosted there. And I am always mesmerized by the pure precision of what you pilots do. It is incredibly dangerous. One mistake is all it takes. Yet every one of your pilots and the rest of the pilots climate their cockpits and wow the crowds. To me as a taxpayer I feel like the military is the one place where my tax dollars are used somewhat prudently. These shows are just the icing on the cake along with the Cherry. If I could I would shake your hand and thank you for all the pleasure that you gave me and those around me. My complete respect for you as a pilot and as a man is easy to give to you. Don't feel left out Ward, you're up there as well!
I like this Captain Gil. I know people that can't drive 10 feet apart in traffic
I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't know about the Blue Angels, literally everyone knows who they are....when you think about that, it's pretty incredible. What a legacy
If you thought a air traiffic controller has a stressful and always on the edge job, try Blue Angel (Boss)
I'd like to see pictures of Gil with that red mustache.
Wow... that was a great vid, thank you both. Loved the roll rate story, I can't imagine being that pilot. Also the turn and burn one, the sound and raw power are amazing. Cheers and salute.
I feel very, very fortunate to have attended the 1986 A4 Air Show and the transition Air Show to F18's in 1987 at Moffet Field in Mountain View, CA. I remember the excitement as a young kid in seeing the new F18's and the sound of those engines. I was fortunate to be able to meet Gil and the other Blue Angels and have them sign the Air Show program. Those Moffet Field Air Shows were by far the best in the arena of air shows. A huge runway and deck space brought in every imaginable aircraft in the military and civilian inventory. Thanks Gil for your service to our country and to inspiring this kid to a career in public service.
Moffett 1987 was my first air show. I’ll never forget it! There is a great story that Boss Rud shares in his book about that weekend.
@@BlueAngelPhantoms Nice! You were there as well? There was nothing like the air shows at Moffet. I feel very fortunate to have been there. I am definitely getting his book. Do you remember the Flying Tigers had a exhibit there at the Air Show where some of the WWII vets were there signing things? I have a beautiful mural that I bought signed by a few of them and the artist. Good times!!
@@On-Our-Radar-24News Not just there...my guess is he WAS a Blue!
@@On-Our-Radar-24News I was 5 years old. My dad took a lot of video from that day. I still remember how scared I was after one of the solos did a sneak pass from behind the crowd. I was lucky enough in college to get an internship with NASA Akers Research Center at Moffett and had an office that overlooked the runway.
@@BlueAngelPhantoms Oh ok. Yah I was quite a bit older. I was 16 at the time. I do remember how loud it was with the new F18's. Moffet Field turned into a NASA facility. NASA Ames research facility after the BRAC closures of the early 90's. I went back there when I left active duty and entered the Army Reserves and was attached to a Air Ambulance unit right off the runway. It was great to see the U-2 fly out of there and when The President visited the Bay Area he always landed at Moffet so I have some great AF One shots.
I was in V-1 Division on the USS Constellation from 1983-1986. Once when we had just departed San Diego for a sea period the Blue Angels in their A-4's paid us a visit. It wasn't the entire team and they didn't do anything fancy but they did fly around us for a few minutes. The Connie was the first carrier to deploy the F/A-18 Hornet. I can't say what air wings deployed on the Connie after my departure but I don't think that the A-7 was ever part of the Connies air wing ever again. From the short time I've spent in doing some homework I see that after the SLEP In the early 1990's she deployed CVW-17 then CVW-2. I don't know the composition of those air wings at that time. I could be wrong and I would appreciate some clarification on this matter. You and Capt. Rud are far moreinformed than I am, being that I was a humble Yellow Shirt during my active duty service.
I was on Connie 93-95. Took her out of SLEP and through the first deployment. We were just F-18s and F-14s. A-6s and A-7s were gone, we did have EA-6B's, E-2's, S-3's and ES-3s. great ship and Cat Rud was a great CO.
@@lanceschoenbaum1358 The Connie always had good skippers. I have a five pound piece of the flight deck here at home.
There is another great Blue Angels Channel that has a great interview with Gil and several Team members past and present. The channel is "Blue Angels Phantoms" Ryan N does and amazing job covering the team. MK Blues channel also has daily performance videos from practice sessions January-March in El Centro.
Captain Rud, I watched you and the Blues fly at NAS Oceana with my family in 1986. Hearing the oohs and ahs from not just my family but the entire crowd made me damn proud to be a sailor in the US Navy. Thanks for some awesome memories, Sir.
Jim Maslowski! My former CO of the USS Concord! Small world! Go Navy! Beat Army!
17:39 "Same way, same day". 😁 That's precision for you! I love it...
a Very informative interview - up to your usual standards... Capt Rud defintely had some challenges as Blue Angel 1 on the transition to the F/A 18 Hornet.
Grew up near Pensacola. Love the Blues! That said, "Go Army! Beat Navy!"
As a civvie, it is difficult to understand all the intricacies and background work that goes into an Airshow (and one in which six aviators need to coordinate and work together to wow the crowd). Thanks Gil and Ward for educating us using simple and understandable words! Much appreciated!
Fantastic episode. I love hearing from guys like Gil Rud. A man who did extraordinary things and is telling us how it was done.
The A-7 looks like it's gonna eat whatever airplane is on his/her 12.
As always Great Post Mr. Carroll. By the way that transition to talking about this Episode's Sponsor was Soo smooth that I just have to ask, even at the risk of being told ' Go bite your tongue ' , have you ever considered running for Congress ?. Because that was so smooth it made the Slickest Salesmen and Politicians I have heard look like they are a bunch of stuttering halfwits. Seriously that was slick. I haven't seen anything that slick since I brought a bag of potato chips on an Op at SBU-24 and it got mixed with sea water and ended up on the deck. By the way in case you were wondering, don't do that unless you like playing with kitty litter and Isopropyl alcohol for about an hour. 😊✌️❤️
Having spent four and a half years with the blues I always considered myself a quasi-expert on their operations, and having been there when Captian Rud came aboard was aware of some of the things they went through when we switched to the F18, but this was packed with information I did not know and was probably the best description of the change over I ever heard....they had some steller pilots back then, Curt Watson and Mark Bircher among them....I always thought an interview with either of those gentlemen would be a good one for you to do....Of course, being a Marine, I would love to hear Mark again..
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Gil Rud several times during my career as a pilot in the North Dakota ANG. He is an excellent storyteller and I can highly recommend his book.
Gil Rud commanded a carrier (the Constellation), but didn't make flag rank. What happened?
Scott Anderson was in that first or second group of Blue Angels who flew the Hornet I was proud to have served with him in VA-37 he was an A-7 pilot.
I was a civilian air traffic controller in Pensacola for nearly 10 years, and it was always a pleasure to see and work the Blues. Occasionally they'd pop into our airport (Pensacola Int'l - KPNS) and do a practice ILS approach. After their touch and go, they'd hit the burner, rattling the windows, and pop a bit of smoke. Good times.
OUTSTANDING Thanks Mooch....
Old Steve Shoemaker🇺🇸
Old school badassery! BZ to you, CAPT Rud, and great interview, Ward!
I'm old enough to remember this happening!
Growing up in San Diego (and living next to Miramar in the 70's), I would love to watch the Blue Angels perform their show, flying the A-4 Skyhawks.
I had discovered that on Fridays prior to the big weekend show, they would do a show for the Press to help market the event. They also opened it up to military dependents and groups like the Boy Scouts, etc. Knowing this, I would beg my father, who was retired Navy, to take me to Miramar for the Friday show. The best part about this show.... there was hardly anybody around on the tarmac, not like on the Saturday and Sunday shows. The weekend shows got fairly crowded, but not as much as it did after Top Gun (the movie) came out in the mid-80's. Then the crowds became so big that they did a 3 day Friday, Saturday, Sunday event. There went my private Blue Angel showing!.... sigh
I tell you this because I remember when the transition from the Skyhawk to the big afterburning Hornets arrived. It was truly amazing. The A-4 was impressive in it's own right, but the roaring Hornets in afterburner made your whole body rumble and vibrate. It was exhilarating!
The video brought all this back for me. I remember Cmdr Rud's name being called by the show announcer. I really enjoyed the stories in the video. Thank you.
Wow, thanks for this Mooch. What a story and what a great guy
I always learn new and interesting stuff on this channel. Awesome.
Outstanding story. I love your channel after just recently finding it on TH-cam.
Oh, I could just sit there and chat with Gil Rud all day. Well, I say chat, but I mean listen. What a fantastic guy with one very unique and amazing career.
A Blue Angel pilot with an antique John Deere proudly displayed along beside fighter jets. My hat is off to you sir.
I was reluctant to watch this; but the interview was excellent, thanks again Ward.
Interesting that you assume we like airplanes. For someone like me who grew up an army brat, I love all the military in the US and a lot of the military that are our allies. An airplane is a gigantic paperweight until a pilot climbs in it. Not to mention the ground crew that makes it ready. It's the pilot in any other crew that are on board the aircraft that makes a difference between a paperweight and a deadly weapon. You sir are deadly weapon or at least you were until you retired or were told to stand down due to age. Your comrades and arms were all deadly weapons. Our enemies knew that you were there and that is all that held them back. What's unique about the United States military in the current modern history, it is a force that goes to liberate not to conquer. That alone should make you extraordinarily proud to have been a part of it into a lesser degree still a part of it. Yours is the first modern military from the beginning of the 20th century roughly to now that is not a conquering Army or navy. Historically that's a first. God bless you and thank you for your years of service and your continuing service today. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. As for the Blue Angels, HOORAH!
9:06 "Whatever you do Boss, don't try to fix it cuz that's when things get ugly, just stay with it." Awesome!
Outstanding interview, mate. Most interested in the burner work, and especially to learn about the modulated vs staged comparison with early F-16’s. No doubt that drove the USAF to evolve their engines….!
Another incredible video and interview! Many thanks for your services.
Brilliant video. I have seen the Blue Angels perform at one of the air shows held at Duxford.
Another great one, thank's Mooch, Rock On, Slava Ukraine!
I hope that you have a beautiful holiday with lived ones,Mooch!thank you for all that you give us!
Another great episode and am pretty sure capt Rud could have gone on for another few hours with interesting stories. So perhaps a follow up one day ? 😀🤔
Great interview - during my flight student and then instructor time in Pensacola, the Blues were a major attraction
I could put this comment on loop -- but this interview is another Blue Ribbon.
You really cannot beat quality, in aircraft or people, here we have both.
And happy Thanksgiving to you as well Gil! Thank you !
The transition to the sponsor was ... seamless. Which is both good and ... bad.
He reminds me so much of the Pilots in the 70’s and 80’s, hard chargers who knew how to work with a purpose and party just as hard. All good sticks and better men. In the Chiefs Mess, we knew when we were blessed with Leaders like him!
Gil is like “I learned how to land on carriers. So obviously I became the best at it and got awarded for it.”
What a great interview! I was a SWO on USS Constellation and had the pleasure of serving under commanding officer Capt. Gil Rud.
Thanks Ward, saw the blues in A-4s as a kid at El Toro, will never forget it!
These are great stories. Thanks for sharing them.
What a super great interview. This was thank you so much❤❤
Was waiting for that moment when you invited a Blue Angel Skipper on your show! 😉👍 Now, if possible, could you get the Blue Angel Skipper or PAO from the BA Team that did the Van Halen Dreams video??
Oh, I was relieved at a channel that didn't plug Patreon. That ended. No sponsor ads though. Well, there went that. Double tap a few times to the right to zoom past those as quickly as that $15.5M painting's masterful conveyance of speed in its blurred lines.
Thank you for supporting the channel, Jay. Sincerely, A Full-time TH-camr
@@WardCarroll I watch your videos Ward. I can't afford any support. I barely make ends meet as it is. You have a military pension, affiliate income...
Sincerely, a full time grinder.
@@SkippyRo Thanks for watching. Appreciate it.
Another interesting and outstanding job.
Gil is a delight. I saw the Angels in 61? 62? F-11s? I was astounded, I was 9 years old.
Insightful and entertaining interview. 🤠👍
Great content as always. Keep it going .
Thanks Mr Carroll! Please keep making more content!
Thanks for the support, Chloe!
Gil always has great insights from his time in the Navy. My first introduction to him was watching Rolling In The Sky from the 1987 season.
This looks so awesome I am saving it to watch tomorrow on the holiday!
Great interview,. I have seen the Blue Angels perform dozens of times, they always impress.
Another great interview, Ward. Thanks to you and Capt. Rud.
excellent, really enjoyed that, thank you
Great episode! That brought a lot of context to the 11-year old boy who was standing underneath the mid-air in Niagara Falls.
Very intense flying.
I've seen the Blues fly in Phantoms, Skyhawks, Hornets and now Super Hornets. The dirty roll in the A-4 on takeoff looks sporty as they seem to barely clear the ground. That 6 ship formation landing though is unbelievable to watch. Blue Angels at NAS Barbers Point and Waikiki while I was in college....awesome memory.
Another great episode Mooch..
Ward, you're always awesome, Sir.
Awesome episode. Because I have family in the navy, I've seen them in F4s, A4s, and F/A18s. I think they're in Super Hornets now, so I need to see another show! It's funny that the Air Force Inc. has been using the same airframe for years and only the Navy have gotten better and better aircraft. Stay safe!
The Blues flew the Legacy hornet for 34 years: 1987-2020 . The Thunderbirds transitioned from the F-16A to the F-16C in 1992 upgrading to the Block 52 Viper in 2009.
I would love to see you do a piece on the Fat Leonard scandal and hear your insights.
Mooch, I greatly enjoy and look forward to all your videos but this one is especially special for me. My dad and I had the great honor to meet and have dinner with "The Boss" Gil Rud and the entire Blues squadron back in the late 80s when The Blues put on a show at China Lake. My uncle Fred Lentz was a test pilot at China Lake at the time and he and Boss Rud were friends as former A7 guys. My Uncle invited my dad and I out to attend the show and meet the Blues and what a thrill and unforgettable experience that was. I will never forget how gracious and accommodating Boss Rud was to my dad and I, and it was something we used to reminisce about until my dad’s dying day. Thank you for producing a great video that rekindled those fond memories!!! (BTW, can't wait until you publish your next book)!!!
Great episode, Ward! Thanks so much for the inside look at such an awesome outfit. Simply incredible flying by these guys.
Awesome video, Ward! What a story.
Loved it!! Gil is really enjoyable to listen to; I almost felt like I was there.
Great interview Mooch! I was a high schooler the three years Gil Rud was Boss. I pestered my older brothers into taking me to EVERY airshow in Southern California from China Lake to Pt. Mugu to El Toro to Miramar to El Centro to see every show Gil flew & got to meet him dozens of times. I even got to meet him at Annapolis the week my cousin graduated in 1988.
Gil and his team inspired me to strive for excellence, to always improve & never settle. My vision went south in high school and Coke-bottle glasses killed my dreams of being a naval aviator, but I’m a successful I.T. professional today and never lost that lovin’ feeling for aviation. I’m also a successful aviation photographer and my channel has clips of some of the amazing things I’ve managed to see and photograph.
Thank you Mooch and thank you Gil Rud for inspiring me to be my best.
Very interesting. Really enjoyed.
What a fantastic interview of a true aviation pioneer. Thanks for making the time so we can all hear your story!
Great stuff, thanks Ward.
Man, I love this channel.
Great documentary!
Fantastic Ward...thanks for taking us along
fantastic interview of a real hero
Great story! Thank you.
Gil had a hard job, but he was a great pilot and excellent CO. He explained all the complexities of the Delta Formation Landing in a video I watched on Blue Angel Phantoms. He talks about it a bit here. Not only was he a new Boss, but he had to transition to the F/A-18A. It would be cool if they did bring back the formation landing.
Great show. ⚓️🇺🇸
I first saw the Blues in '68 at age 12,while living in Reading,Pa.
In '69 we moved to Orlando,Florida,and watched them once at Sea World,Sanford airport, and many times at Kissimmee.
In '88 we moved to Pensacola, and of course,I've seem them at the NAS,and over the beach.
Always thrilling,always fun.
And always the best.
Ahh, the Blue Angels, my old nemesis... This comment has a lot of IYKYK.
I was stationed at AIMD now FRC Midlant Site Oceana for 9 years (shore/sea/shore) in 63E/D and spent a lot of my time when on shore duty as a shift supervisor for nights or mids. Anyway Oceana is the primary maintenance site for the Blue Angels (yes even though they are stationed in Pensacola). Anyway, they have (or at least at that time had) a civilian employee that was their expediter, who would go around to various workcenters getting priority for their gear. Well from most workcenters. He would come into mine and I would regularly tell him no. Why? Because the AN/APG-65 and 73 RADARs are for fire control. They tell missiles and bombs how to get from point A to point B. For the Blue Angels the RADAR is pretty useless for anything outside of aircraft weight and balance (take 300+ pounds out of the nose of a plane and it will really mess with it's stability) but I digress. Anyway we'd be working EXREPS for FAD2 squadrons and he would come in saying his gear needed priority, and I would say I'd get to it as soon as the fleet gear was done. This usually resulted in him going to production control to complain which would result in them calling me and me having to listen to all kinds of reasons why they needed priority for their RADARs. At one point he even went to the front office and I got a call from the AMO asking me to stop being such a pain to him. I can only imagine him walking onto the office crying Petty Officer Shumate keeps being mean to me! It surprises me that since they replaced the gun with a smoke fluid tank that they didn't replace the RADAR with dead weights (which exists and there are NIINs for).
Love love love the Blue Angels
Nice video, great story!
Just for interest... Has Gil been in BA back in 92? I have seen them one time at Turku Airport, Finland. Back in that time Turku flow with drakens and mig 21´s BUT Finland was about to buy their Hornets. BA came and took our defence minister (mrs. Elisabeth Rehn), to a ride. :)
Station in Pensacola attending NAMI in 82 and 83. Watched the Blues from our classroom windows every morning when they were at home.
Fast forward to 1992 I am out of the Navy and Living and working in El Centro. Around the 2nd week of January who comes landing down the road from my house? Thats right the Blue Angels for Winter training. 31 years later and I can hear them over my house as I write this.:)
Amazing! Thanks Ward.......
Ward, you need to get Dave O Anderson (Hollywood) on your show. You mentioned him briefly and threw an old picture up and then kind of veered off to another topic. I am well acquainted with Dave from about 15 years ago when he was Deputy Commander Atlantic (I think that's right). He went to my church here in VB and he wrote my a nice letter of recommendation when I put in for OCS - however I was too old and had a knee problem so the navy said 'thanks, but no thanks'. Anyway Dave is a great guy and went on to fly for FedEx for a while and retired from reserves as a 2 star, I believe. Don't quote me but I know he was at least a 2 star admiral. He'd be a great and interesting guest for your show!
is that how f-18's are made ?