document_title: Money in the Bank ladder match

question_text: who has not cashed in money in the bank

question_tokens: who has not cashed in money in the bank

text: Money in the Bank ladder match

text: Concept[edit]

text: The Money in the Bank ladder match can feature anywhere from 5–10 participants, with the objective being to retrieve a briefcase that is suspended 20 feet above the ring. The match was originally only for male wrestlers until 2017 when women began to have their own ladder match.[1] The briefcase contains a contract that guarantees a match for a world championship, and beginning in 2017, a women's championship. Originally, wrestlers had the option between the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship, regardless of the brand the wrestler belonged to. In 2006, ECW's world title, the ECW Championship, became a third option until 2010 as in February that year, the ECW brand along with the title was deactivated. Beginning with the inaugural Money in the Bank pay-per-view in 2010, the event featured two ladder matches, one for the Raw brand and one for SmackDown; Raw's ladder match featured a contract for a WWE Championship match while SmackDown's contract was for a World Heavyweight Championship match. Although the brand extension ended after the 2011 event, a ladder match dedicated to each championship continued through the 2013 event. In December 2013, the titles were unified into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The next three years' events featured a sole ladder match with a contract guaranteeing a match for the unified title. The brand extension returned after the 2016 event. The WWE World Heavyweight Championship was reverted to WWE Championship and made exclusive to SmackDown while Raw established the WWE Universal Championship as their top title. Despite this, the 2017 event was made a SmackDown exclusive pay-per-view and the contract was for its world title. Also at the 2017 event, the first-ever Women's Money in the Bank ladder match occurred with its contract for a SmackDown Women's Championship match.[1][2]

text: The primary gimmick of the Money in the Bank briefcase is that it can be cashed in at the holder's sole discretion, at literally any time on any WWE programming, unless the contract is brand specific. This enables the holder to take advantage of a moment's weakness in the champion, even if the champion had just finished a title defense for the night. This strategic use of the briefcase was popularized by Edge, the first Money in the Bank holder, who cashed it in at New Years Revolution in January 2006, immediately after defending champion John Cena had finished a grueling Elimination Chamber match against five other wrestlers. Because Cena was exhausted and barely able to defend himself, Edge made quick work of the champion, thus setting a powerful precedent for all Money in the Bank holders to come.

text: The contract is valid for one year and the briefcase holder – dubbed "Mr. Money in the Bank" (or in the case of women, "Ms. Money in the Bank") – can cash in the contract at the date, place, and time of their choosing.[1][3] The briefcase may also be defended in matches, similar to how championships are defended. All of the briefcase holders have successfully defended and cashed in the contract except Mr. Kennedy.[4] John Cena, Damien Sandow, and Baron Corbin are the only Money in the Bank contract holders to cash in and fail to gain a championship. To date, Cena has had the contract cashed in against him the most (three times) as Edge, Rob Van Dam, and Damien Sandow have all cashed in against him. Cena was also involved in all instances where the championship failed to change hands after cashing in the contract, once as the challenger (which he won by DQ against CM Punk) and the second time as champion (defeating Sandow clean), and lastly as a distraction causing Corbin to lose to champion Jinder Mahal. Edge, Daniel Bryan, and Seth Rollins are the only Money in the Bank contract holders to be given a title shot for a championship without having cashed in the contract for the title shot (Edge won a championship tournament in 2005 on Raw to earn him a title match against Batista, Bryan faced then-World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry in a steel cage match on a live Christmas episode of SmackDown in 2011, and Rollins received a title shot in a triple threat match, also involving Cena and champion Brock Lesnar, at the 2015 Royal Rumble).

text: History[edit]

text: In WWE storyline, the concept for the Money in the Bank match was introduced in March 2005 by Chris Jericho. Jericho then pitched the idea to Raw general manager Eric Bischoff, who liked it and promptly began to book the match for WrestleMania 21. Edge won the inaugural match and held the contract until New Year's Revolution in January 2006. There, he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract against WWE Champion John Cena, who had just successfully defended the title in an Elimination Chamber match. Edge defeated Cena to become WWE Champion.

text: The Money in the Bank idea was revived by Carlito on a February 2006 episode of Raw. Mr. McMahon approved the suggestion and set up qualifying matches for the match that would take place at WrestleMania 22. It was later announced that the match was to be interpromotional, and SmackDown general manager Theodore Long also set up qualifying matches to select three members of his roster to compete. In the Raw brand qualifying matches, Rob Van Dam defeated Trevor Murdoch, Shelton Benjamin defeated Chavo Guerrero, and Ric Flair defeated Carlito. On SmackDown!, Finlay defeated Bobby Lashley, Matt Hardy defeated Road Warrior Animal, and Bobby Lashley won a "last chance battle royal".

text: Rob Van Dam won the WrestleMania 22 Money in the Bank ladder match after pushing Shelton Benjamin and Matt Hardy off of a ladder, while he was on another ladder, and retrieving the briefcase. That April, he defended the contract and won the WWE Intercontinental Championship in a contract vs. title/winner take all match against Benjamin at Backlash. Van Dam announced in May 2006 that he would cash in his contract at One Night Stand against Cena in an Extreme Rules match. The match ended with Cena losing after Van Dam performed a Five Star Frog Splash. Van Dam is the first person to give prior notice to an opponent before cashing in his contract, presumably to ensure Cena appeared at the event. He is also the first person to win the title in a match where the contract was cashed in with prior notice.

text: The third Money in the Bank ladder match was held at WrestleMania 23, and was the first to feature eight participants from Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW. Qualifying matches began on the February 19 episode of Raw.[5] On the February 19 episode of Raw, two former Money in the Bank winners (Edge and Rob Van Dam) faced off, with Edge earning a pinfall win to earn the first spot in the match.[6]

text: The next night on ECW, another cross-brand match took place, with CM Punk defeating Johnny Nitro to qualify.[7] On that week's SmackDown!, King Booker defeated Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere match following interference from The Great Khali to become the third man to qualify.[8] On the following episode of Raw, Jeff Hardy defeated Shelton Benjamin to become the fourth man to qualify.[9] The next night on ECW, Mr. Kennedy defeated Sabu in an Extreme Rules match to earn the fifth spot.[10] Two qualifying matches took place on the next SmackDown!'s episode, with Matt Hardy defeating Joey Mercury, while Finlay won a triple threat match against Chris Benoit and Montel Vontavious Porter to qualify.[11] What was to be the final qualifying match on Raw between Carlito and Ric Flair, it was deemed to be a no contest when The Great Khali interfered and attacked both men.[12] The match was rescheduled for the next week on Raw, with Randy Orton bribing his way into the match, which was to be a triple threat elimination match that Orton won by pinning both Carlito and Flair after performing an RKO on each of them.[13] Edge and Orton had recently stopped teaming together, and there was a lot of tension between them as they both attempted to get the other taken out of the Money in the Bank ladder match; both failed, as Edge ultimately won a "last chance battle royal" after feigning injury to retain his slot.[14] Orton was forced to fight Bobby Lashley on ECW to retain his spot, which he did.[15]

text: Kennedy ultimately won at WrestleMania 23, after ramming Punk off the ladder using another ladder (Edge had been taken out earlier by Jeff Hardy).[16] During the next few weeks, Kennedy kept declaring that he would cash in the briefcase at WrestleMania XXIV, but he suffered a legit injury, and on the May 7, 2007 episode of Raw, he lost the Money in the Bank briefcase to Edge. Kennedy is currently the only wrestler to lose the briefcase without cashing it in. The following night at the taping for the May 11, 2007 SmackDown!, episode World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker and Batista fought to a draw in a steel cage match, after which a returning Mark Henry assaulted Undertaker and left him injured in the ring. As Henry was leaving, Edge came to the ring with his briefcase, handed it to referee Jim Korderas, and defeated the Undertaker after one spear to win the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time.

text: The fourth Money in the Bank ladder match took place at WrestleMania XXIV and was intended to be another eight-man match-up, consisting of wrestlers from Raw, SmackDown, and ECW. Qualifying matches began on the February 18 episode of Raw, as both Jeff Hardy and Mr. Kennedy qualified by defeating Snitsky[17] and Val Venis, respectively, in singles matches.[17] On the February 22 episode of SmackDown, Shelton Benjamin qualified by defeating Jimmy Wang Yang in another singles match.[18] Back on Raw, general manager William Regal placed Chris Jericho in a match against Jeff Hardy with the stipulation that if Jericho won, he would be in the ladder match. Jericho defeated Hardy in that match on February 25.[19] The following week on Raw, the two faced off once again, this time for Hardy's WWE Intercontinental Championship. Jericho won the match and title, and it was revealed that Hardy was suspended from WWE for 60 days for violating the wellness policy.[20] Hardy was subsequently removed from the Money in the Bank ladder match and WrestleMania altogether, making this ladder match a seven-man contest. Also on this episode of Raw, Carlito defeated Cody Rhodes to qualify.[21] On a SmackDown/ECW live event on March 9, United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter defeated Jamie Noble to qualify.[22] On the March 11 episode of ECW, CM Punk defeated Big Daddy V to qualify.[23] On the March 14 episode of SmackDown, John Morrison defeated his tag team partner The Miz to be the last man to qualify.[24]

text: Punk won the WrestleMania XXIV match after trapping Jericho's leg in a ladder and then climbing the ladder. Punk cashed in his title shot on the June 30 episode of Raw. A farewell speech by Jim Ross was interrupted by then-World Heavyweight Champion Edge who had him removed from the ring and then began to insult the crowd, saying that they would never get to see a world championship being defended on Raw (as at the time both Edge and WWE Champion Triple H were members of the SmackDown brand). When he was about to leave the arena, Batista came out and assaulted Edge in retaliation for Edge cheating to win their title match the previous night at Night of Champions. Punk then immediately ran to the ring with a referee to cash in his contract, then performed a Go to Sleep on Edge to win the World Heavyweight Championship, making it Raw-exclusive in the process.

text: The fifth annual Money in the Bank ladder match was announced for WrestleMania XXV. Qualifying matches began on the February 23 episode of Raw, in which CM Punk qualified by defeating John Morrison and The Miz in a triple threat match.[25] On the March 2 episode of Raw, Kane defeated Mike Knox and Rey Mysterio in another triple threat match.[26] On the March 3 episode of ECW on Sci Fi, Mark Henry qualified for the match by defeating Santino Marella.[27] Both Montel Vontavious Porter and Shelton Benjamin qualified for the match on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, defeating Matt and Jeff Hardy in respective single matches.[28] On the March 9 episode of Raw, Kofi Kingston qualified by defeating Chris Jericho, after Jericho was distracted by Ric Flair.[29] Christian qualified the following night on ECW on Sci Fi by winning a tri-brand battle royal.[30] Finlay was the final person to qualify for the match when he defeated The Brian Kendrick on the March 13 episode of SmackDown.[31]

text: At WrestleMania XXV, Punk won the match and became the first wrestler to win two Money in the Bank ladder matches, and the only one to win the match for two consecutive years.[32] On the May 1 episode of SmackDown, Punk challenged the World Heavyweight Champion Edge for a non-title match with the intent that if he defeated Edge, he would cash in his title shot right after the match. Later that night, Punk defeated Edge and attempted to cash in. However, before the ringside bell could ring to start the title match, Punk and Edge were both attacked by Umaga and Jeff Hardy respectively. As a consequence, the match never started and Punk retained his contract.[33] Punk again tried to cash in for a World Heavyweight Championship match against Edge on the May 15 episode of SmackDown, but was again stopped by Umaga.[34] After Jeff Hardy defeated Edge in a ladder match to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules, Punk cashed in to win the World Heavyweight Championship for the second time. As a result of the fans booing him for cashing on Hardy, who was very popular with the fans, Punk began a gradual change of character into a villain.[35]

text: February–April[edit]

text: On the February 22 episode of Raw, it was announced that the sixth annual Money in the Bank ladder match would take place at WrestleMania XXVI. The first qualifying match was held later that night, where Christian defeated Carlito to qualify.[36] Three more qualifying matches were held on the February 26 episode of SmackDown, with Dolph Ziggler defeating John Morrison and R-Truth in a Triple Threat match, Kane defeating Drew McIntyre, and Shelton Benjamin defeating CM Punk to qualify.[37] The March 1 episode of Raw saw both Jack Swagger and Montel Vontavious Porter qualify by defeating Santino Marella and Zack Ryder respectively.[38] Matt Hardy was the next to qualify for the match when he defeated Drew McIntyre on the March 5 episode of SmackDown.[39] In what was initially declared as the final qualifying match, Evan Bourne defeated William Regal on the March 8 episode of Raw to become the eighth competitor.[40] Due to his favorable association with WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, McIntyre was given a third chance on the March 12 episode of SmackDown to qualify for the match. In what would also be made a WWE Intercontinental Championship defense by SmackDown general manager Theodore Long, McIntyre defeated local competitor Aaron Bolo to qualify.[41] On the March 22 episode of Raw, the number of participants was once again increased to a record ten, when Kofi Kingston defeated Vladimir Kozlov to qualify.[42]

text: At WrestleMania XXVI, Jack Swagger won the match after knocking Christian off a ladder with the briefcase itself.[43] The following night on Raw, Swagger attempted to cash in his shot against the WWE Champion John Cena after ambushing Cena. However, as Cena recovered too quickly from the ambush, Swagger cancelled his match and retained his contract.[44] The next night, at the taping for the April 2, 2010 episode of SmackDown, after Edge attacked then World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho, Swagger cashed in his contract and successfully claimed the World Heavyweight Championship.

text: June–November[edit]

text: In February 2010, WWE announced that "Money in the Bank" would be the title to their July 18 pay-per-view event at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.[45] The event included two Money in the Bank ladder matches featuring the Raw and SmackDown brands respectively. Unlike previous iterations of the match, the winners could only challenge for their own brand's World Championship.[46] All eight competitors for the Raw brand's match were announced on the June 28 episode of Raw by guest host Rob Zombie. The eight competitors were Randy Orton, The Miz, R-Truth, Chris Jericho, Evan Bourne, Ted DiBiase, John Morrison and Edge. On the July 5th episode of Raw, R-Truth was involved in an injury storyline with The Miz and was subsequently removed from the match and replaced by Mark Henry.[47] Two days later, WWE announced six of the competitors for the SmackDown brand's match through its official website: Matt Hardy, Kane, Cody Rhodes, Christian, Kofi Kingston and Big Show. On the July 9 episode of SmackDown, Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler both competed in qualifying matches and were added to the match.[48]

text: At the PPV, Kane won the SmackDown Money in the Bank match. Kane later cashed it in the same night by defeating Rey Mysterio to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He also became the quickest man to cash in the briefcase (soon equaled by Dean Ambrose). For Raw, The Miz won that brand's Money in the Bank contract. After a couple of aborted attempts (which due to the bell not sounding to start the matches, which allowed Miz to keep the briefcase on said occasions), Miz finally cashed in his title opportunity on the November 22, 2010 episode of Raw, immediately after Randy Orton successfully retained the WWE Championship against Wade Barrett in which The Nexus attacked Orton before the match and injured his right leg. Miz defeated Orton to win his first WWE Championship.

text: The second Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place on July 17, 2011 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Raw's Alberto Del Rio and SmackDown's Daniel Bryan won their respective brands' 2011 Money in the Bank Ladder Match. At the end of the night, after CM Punk won the WWE Championship from John Cena, Mr. McMahon ordered Del Rio to come in and attempt to cash in his briefcase against Punk. (Punk had threatened to leave the company after the pay-per-view, as his contract was expiring.) Del Rio came out to do so, but Punk attacked him and fled through the crowd. A similar cash-in attempt was performed on then-champion Rey Mysterio on the July 25, 2011 episode of Raw, but Del Rio was again unable to cash in the briefcase. However, Del Rio was able to cash in his briefcase and defeated CM Punk for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam on August 14, 2011.

text: On the July 22, 2011 episode of SmackDown, Daniel Bryan announced that he was going to cash his contract in at WrestleMania XXVIII. On the November 25, 2011 episode of SmackDown, Daniel Bryan cashed in on World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry, who had been knocked out by The Big Show. Bryan got the pinfall victory and was awarded the championship, however SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long overruled the match due to Henry not being medically cleared to compete, the first time a Money in the Bank cash-in match was reversed. Since the match never officially took place, Bryan was given the briefcase back and again reiterated that he planned on cashing in at WrestleMania XXVIII, although he was given a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship against Henry in a Steel Cage match on a live holiday-themed episode of SmackDown the following Tuesday, which Bryan lost. On December 18, 2011 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, after Big Show defeated Henry to win the World Heavyweight Championship, Henry attacked Big Show with a steel chair, allowing Bryan to cash in his briefcase on Big Show to win his first World Heavyweight Championship.

text: The third Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place on July 15, 2012 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. There were the usual two Money in the Bank ladder matches; however, the matches were no longer separated by brands (as both Raw and SmackDown by this time had become full roster "Supershows"). Instead, they were separated by Championship (WWE and World Heavyweight).[49][unreliable source]

text: In the first match of the night Dolph Ziggler defeated seven other competitors to win the World Heavyweight Championship contract Money in the Bank ladder match. He attempted to cash it in on that same night for a title shot against Sheamus but was attacked before the referee could call for the bell so he retained his contract.

text: On the August 20 episode of Raw, Ziggler successfully defended his briefcase against Chris Jericho in career vs. contract match. As a result, Jericho was forced to leave WWE.

text: In the last match of the evening, John Cena defeated Kane, The Big Show, The Miz, and Chris Jericho to win the WWE Championship Money in the Bank briefcase in his first Money in the Bank ladder match. A special stipulation had been added before hand that only former WWE Champions could participate in the WWE Championship Money in the Bank ladder match for 2012. Cena won when the briefcase's handle snapped off while using it against Big Show, having previously blocked Show's KO Punch with it.

text: On the July 16, 2012 episode of Raw, Cena announced that he would cash his contract in the following week at Raw 1000. He became only the second wrestler after Rob Van Dam to give prior notice to the opponent. At Raw 1000, Cena failed to win the WWE Title when Big Show interfered in the match, causing champion CM Punk to be disqualified and retain the title (as championships don't change hands on disqualifications.). This made Cena the first Money in the Bank winner to fail to win a title.

text: During the December 3, 2012 episode of Raw, managing supervisor Vickie Guerrero was forced by Mr. McMahon to make Cena and Ziggler's match at TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs a ladder match for Ziggler's World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank contract. On December 16, at the event, he successfully defended the briefcase with help from AJ Lee.

text: On the April 8, 2013 episode of Raw, Ziggler cashed in his contract on World Champion Alberto Del Rio, following Del Rio's handicap match win over Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter. Ziggler defeated Del Rio to win his second World Heavyweight Championship following nearly nine months of holding the briefcase.

text: A fourth Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place on July 14, 2013 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were the traditional two Money in the Bank ladder matches – one for a WWE Championship contract, and the other for a World Heavyweight Championship contract.

text: On the June 24, 2013 episode of Raw, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Christian, Kane, and Rob Van Dam were announced by WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon as the participants in the WWE Championship contract match. Kane was later removed after being injured due to an attack by The Wyatt Family on the July 8th episode of Raw. Orton went on to win the contract at the PPV.

text: At the tapings for SmackDown on June 25 (aired June 28), SmackDown Senior Advisor Theodore Long announced that the participants in the World Heavyweight Championship contract match would be WWE United States Champion Dean Ambrose, Fandango, Antonio Cesaro, Jack Swagger, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow. Sandow won the contract at the PPV.

text: At SummerSlam, Orton cashed in his contract on WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, who had defeated John Cena to win the championship. Orton defeated Bryan to win his seventh WWE Championship, after WWE COO Triple H, who was the special guest referee between Bryan and Cena, attacked Bryan with a pedigree, following five weeks of holding the briefcase.

text: On the October 28, 2013 episode of Raw, Sandow cashed in his contract on World Heavyweight Champion John Cena. Cena defeated Sandow, making Sandow the second wrestler to unsuccessfully cash in the contract and the first to lose a cash-in match via pinfall.

text: On December 15, 2013 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships were unified into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

text: A fifth Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place on Sunday, June 29, 2014 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The original plan for the event was that the winner of the ladder match would receive a contract for a match for the now unified title as normal. However, on June 9, defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan was forced to vacate the title due to a neck injury, and so the already announced ladder match (consisting of John Cena, Randy Orton, Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Sheamus, Kane and Roman Reigns) became for the vacant championship instead.

text: On the June 17 episode of Main Event, Seth Rollins announced that in addition to the ladder match for the title, there would also be a traditional Money in the Bank ladder match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship contract at the PPV, and that Rollins would be the first entrant.[50] Further entrants were Bad News Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, Rob Van Dam, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston and Dean Ambrose. The latter, who had threatened to disrupt the match, was added to the match on Rollins' request. Bad News Barrett was later removed from the match due to an injury.

text: Seth Rollins won the match and the contract after Kane interfered on behalf of The Authority and knocked Dean Ambrose off the ladder. He attempted to cash in the following night on new champion John Cena, but was stopped from doing so by Ambrose. Rollins once again failed to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, this time against WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at Night of Champions after attacking him with a curb stomp. This failed attempt to cash in came after John Cena attacked Rollins, before the bell could be rung, due to Rollins costing Cena the championship minutes earlier.

text: At WrestleMania 31, Seth Rollins cashed in his briefcase during the main event championship match between defending champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Roman Reigns. By doing so, he turned the singles match between Lesnar and Reigns into a Triple Threat match. Rollins then proceeded to pin Reigns following a curb stomp and successfully captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. As a result, Rollins set various records. First, Rollins became the first person to cash in a contract while a championship match was in progress. Additionally, he also became the first person to successfully cash in to win the now unified WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He became the first person to cash in his briefcase at WrestleMania. He also became the first to win the championship after cashing in without pinning the champion.

text: On June 14, 2015, the sixth annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place in Columbus, Ohio. Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Neville, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton and Kane participated in the traditional Money in the Bank ladder match. Sheamus won the match and received a WWE World Heavyweight Championship contract.

text: At Survivor Series, Sheamus cashed in his contract by defeating Roman Reigns, who had just won the vacant championship after defeating Dean Ambrose in the tournament finals.[51]

text: On June 19, the seventh annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place in Las Vegas. For the traditional Money in the Bank ladder match, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Cesaro, Chris Jericho, Alberto Del Rio, and Dean Ambrose all won their qualifying matches on the May 23 episode of Raw to become entrants into the match. Originally slated to be a 7-man ladder match, the seventh slot was later removed. Ambrose won the match and received a WWE World Heavyweight Championship contract. After the conclusion of the main event, he cashed in the contract to challenge Seth Rollins, who had just won the title against Roman Reigns, and become WWE World Heavyweight Champion, thus making him the second wrestler after Kane to successfully cash in the contract on the same night as winning it.

text: The 2017 Money in the Bank pay-per-view took place on June 18, 2017 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri as a SmackDown brand exclusive event. For the traditional ladder match, which had a contract for a match for SmackDown's WWE Championship, SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon announced AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler, Sami Zayn, and Baron Corbin as the original five participants. United States Champion Kevin Owens was added after he convinced Shane to make him the sixth participant. Mojo Rawley had the opportunity to make it a seven-man match if he could defeat WWE Champion Jinder Mahal, but failed to do so. At the event, Baron Corbin won the match and received a WWE Championship match contract. On the August 15, 2017 episode of SmackDown Live, John Cena had a non-title match against WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. As Cena was pinning Mahal, Corbin attacked him, causing a disqualification. Corbin then cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Mahal, but as soon as the bell rung, he attacked Cena, who was on the apron, allowing Mahal to quickly roll-up Corbin for the win. This made Corbin the third wrestler to unsuccessfully cash in the contract and the second to lose a cash-in match via pinfall.

text: On the May 30 episode of SmackDown Live, another Money in the Bank ladder match was added to the event, and for the first time, involving women. Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina were originally scheduled to compete in a fatal five-way elimination match on that night to determine the number one contender for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Money in the Bank. Before their match could begin, a brawl broke out between the five and the match never occurred. McMahon then scheduled the five to compete in the first-ever women's Money in the Bank ladder match at the event where the winner would receive a contract for a SmackDown Women's Championship match. Carmella won the match after James Ellsworth retrieved the briefcase, and threw it to her. On the following episode of SmackDown Live, however, SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan forced Carmella to relinquish the briefcase since Ellsworth retrieved it for her.[52] On that same episode, Bryan also scheduled a Money in the Bank ladder match rematch for the June 27 episode with Ellsworth banned from ringside (later from the arena). That episode, Carmella, with some aid from the banned Ellsworth, retrieved the briefcase herself and reclaimed the SmackDown Women's Championship match contract.

text: Matches[edit]

text:
Raw Brand

SmackDown Brand

text:
Year
Event
Prize
Winner
Other competitors
Time

2005
WM 21
World Heavyweight Championship match
Edge
Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Kane, and Christian
15:17

In the 2005 WWE draft, World Heavyweight Champion Batista was drafted to SmackDown and WWE Champion John Cena was drafted to Raw, thus enabling Edge to challenge for the WWE Championship instead.[53]
Successfully defended his contract in a Ladder match against Matt Hardy at WWE Homecoming on the October 3, 2005 episode of Raw.
Edge held the contract for 280 days, which is still the longest amount of time any wrestler has held the contract.

2006
WM 22
Winner's brand's world championship match
Rob Van Dam
Matt Hardy, Shelton Benjamin, Ric Flair, Finlay, and Bobby Lashley
12:14[54]

Successfully defended his contract against Shelton Benjamin at Backlash in a contract vs championship winner take all match on April 30, 2006, winning Benjamin's Intercontinental Championship in the process.[55]
Van Dam is the first person to choose the event where he cashed in the contract and the first person to win a title in a match where opponent was given prior notice to the cashing in of the contract.
Van Dam held the contract for 70 days.

2007
WM 23
Any world championship match
Mr. Kennedy
Edge, Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, King Booker, Finlay, Matt Hardy, and Randy Orton
19:10[56]

Lost his contract in a match against Edge on the May 7, 2007 episode of Raw.[4]
Mr. Kennedy held the contract for 36 days.
As a result of the switch, Edge became a member of the SmackDown brand, marking the first time this occurred.
Edge held the contract for 1 day. (4 days according to WWE, due to the episode of WWE SmackDown airing on tape delay.)

2008
WM XXIV
Any world championship match
CM Punk
Mr. Kennedy, Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, John Morrison, and Montel Vontavious Porter
15:12[57]

As a result of the cash-in, the World Heavyweight Championship transferred back to Raw, marking the first (and only) time this occurred.
CM Punk held the contract for 92 days.

2009
WM XXV
Any world championship match
CM Punk
Christian, Shelton Benjamin, Kane, Finlay, Montel Vontavious Porter, Kofi Kingston, and Mark Henry
14:32

CM Punk held the contract for 63 days.
CM Punk was the first back-to-back Money in the Bank contract winner.

2010
WM XXVI
Any world championship match
Jack Swagger
Shelton Benjamin, Christian, Kane, Matt Hardy, Drew McIntyre, Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, Montel Vontavious Porter, and Dolph Ziggler
13:44

Swagger becomes second MITB winner to switch brands after cashing in his contract.
Swagger held the contract for 2 days. (5 days according to WWE, due to the episode of WWE SmackDown airing on tape delay.)

Money in the Bank
World Heavyweight Championship match
Kane
Christian, Matt Hardy, Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes
26:18

Kane held the contract for 49 minutes. He was the first wrestler to cash in the contract on the same night as winning it.
Kane is the fastest wrestler to cash the money in the bank contract.

Money in the Bank
WWE Championship match
The Miz
Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Edge, John Morrison, Evan Bourne, Ted DiBiase, and Mark Henry
20:26

The Miz held the contract for 127 days.

2011
Money in the Bank
World Heavyweight Championship match
Daniel Bryan
Wade Barrett, Kane, Cody Rhodes, Sheamus, Sin Cara, Justin Gabriel, and Heath Slater
24:27

His first cash-in and win against Mark Henry was nullified. This marks the first time that a successful cash-in was reverted.
Bryan held the contract for 154 days.

Money in the Bank
WWE Championship match
Alberto Del Rio
The Miz, Rey Mysterio, Jack Swagger, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, and Alex Riley
15:54

Del Rio held the contract for 28 days.

2012
Money in the Bank
World Heavyweight Championship match
Dolph Ziggler
Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, Christian, Tyson Kidd, Sin Cara, Tensai, and Santino Marella
18:23

Successfully defended his contract against Chris Jericho on the August 20, 2012 episode of Raw in a career vs contract match.
Successfully defended his contract in a Ladder match against John Cena at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.[58]
Ziggler held the contract for 267 days.

Money in the Bank
WWE Championship match
John Cena
Chris Jericho, The Miz, Kane, and Big Show
20:15

Cena is the first wrestler to not win a world championship in a cash-in match. He is also the second wrestler to announce when he was going to cash it in.
Cena held the contract for 8 days.

2013
Money in the Bank
World Heavyweight Championship match
Damien Sandow
Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Dean Ambrose, Jack Swagger, Fandango, and Antonio Cesaro
16:24

Second Money in the Bank winner to fail to win a world championship in a cash-in match.
First wrestler to cleanly lose a cash-in match
Sandow held the contract for 106 days

Money in the Bank
WWE Championship match
Randy Orton
CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Christian, Sheamus, and Rob Van Dam
28:38

Orton held the contract for 35 days.

2014
Money in the Bank
WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
Seth Rollins
Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Rob Van Dam, and Dean Ambrose
23:10

Rollins held the contract for 273 days.
Rollins is the first to cash in at WrestleMania, the first to win the championship after cashing in without pinning the champion and the first to cash in while a championship match was in progress.

2015
Money in the Bank
WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
Sheamus
Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Kofi Kingston, Neville, Randy Orton, and Roman Reigns
20:50

Sheamus held the contract for 161 days.

2016
Money in the Bank
WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
Dean Ambrose
Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, and Alberto Del Rio
21:38

Ambrose held the contract for 57 minutes. Ambrose was the second wrestler to cash in the contract on the same night as winning it.

2017
Money in the Bank
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship match
Carmella
Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Natalya, and Tamina
13:20

This was the first Women's Money in the Bank ladder match.
Carmella held the contract for 2 days.
SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan stripped Carmella of the briefcase two days after the event because of interference by Carmella's manager James Ellsworth, who retrieved the briefcase for Carmella and dropped it to her. A rematch was scheduled for the June 27 episode of SmackDown Live.

Money in the Bank
WWE Championship match
Baron Corbin
AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Shinsuke Nakamura
29:45

Third Money in the Bank winner to fail to win a world championship in a cash-in match and the second to cleanly lose a cash-in match.
Corbin held the contract for 58 days.

SmackDown Live
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship match
Carmella
Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Natalya, and Tamina
24:00

This was a rematch ordered by SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan after he stripped Carmella of the briefcase following the controversial finish at the Money in the Bank PPV. As a result of his actions during the original match, James Ellsworth was banned from the arena, though Ellsworth still interfered in the match on Carmella's behalf.
This was the first Money in the Bank ladder match to not air on pay-per-view, as well as the first to take place on SmackDown Live.
Carmella has held the contract for 78+ days.

text: Record[edit]

text:
Championship
Successful cash-ins
Attempts
%

WWE (World Heavyweight) Championship
8
10
.800

World Heavyweight Championship
7
8
.875

WWE SmackDown Women's Championship
0
0
–

Total
15
18
.833

text: Cash-in matches[edit]

text:
Won match and title.

Won match but not title

Lost match

text: Males[edit]

text:
No.
Case Holder
Championship
Date
Location
Event
Results

01 !1
Edge
WWE Championship
January 8, 2006
Albany, NY
New Year's Revolution
Edge defeated John Cena after two Spears to win the championship following Cena's victory in an Elimination Chamber match.

02 !2
Rob Van Dam
WWE Championship
June 11, 2006
New York, NY
ECW One Night Stand
Van Dam defeated John Cena in an Extreme Rules match after an attack by Edge and a Five-Star Frog Splash to win the championship.

03 !3
Edge
World Heavyweight Championship
May 8, 2007 (aired May 11, 2007)
Pittsburgh, PA
SmackDown!
Edge defeated The Undertaker after a Spear to win the championship after Undertaker went to a draw in a steel cage match with Batista and was attacked by Mark Henry.

04 !4
CM Punk
World Heavyweight Championship
June 30, 2008
Oklahoma City, OK
Raw
CM Punk defeated Edge after GTS to win the championship after Edge was attacked by Batista.

05 !5
CM Punk
World Heavyweight Championship
June 7, 2009
New Orleans, LA
Extreme Rules
CM Punk defeated Jeff Hardy after two GTSs to win the championship following Hardy defeating Edge in a ladder match to win the championship.

06 !6
Jack Swagger
World Heavyweight Championship
March 30, 2010 (aired April 2, 2010)
Las Vegas, NV
SmackDown
Swagger defeated Chris Jericho after a gutwrench powerbomb to win the championship after Edge attacked an already injured Jericho.

07 !7
Kane
World Heavyweight Championship
July 18, 2010
Kansas City, MO
Money in the Bank
Kane defeated Rey Mysterio after a Tombstone Piledriver to win the championship after Mysterio successfully defended the championship against Jack Swagger.

08 !8
The Miz
WWE Championship
November 22, 2010
Orlando, FL
Raw
Miz defeated Randy Orton after a Skull Crushing Finale to win the championship after Orton was attacked by The Nexus following a successful defense of the championship against Nexus leader Wade Barrett.

09 !9
Alberto Del Rio
WWE Championship
August 14, 2011
Los Angeles, CA
SummerSlam
Del Rio defeated CM Punk after a step-up enzuigiri to win the championship after Punk defeated John Cena to become undisputed champion and was then attacked by Kevin Nash.

10 !10
Daniel Bryan
World Heavyweight Championship
December 18, 2011
Baltimore, MD
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
Bryan defeated Big Show after an attack by Mark Henry to win the championship after Show defeated Henry in a chairs match to win the title.

11 !11
John Cena
WWE Championship
July 23, 2012
Phoenix, AZ
Raw 1000
Cena won his cash-in match against CM Punk via disqualification after Big Show interfered, but failed to win the title because championships cannot change hands via count-outs or disqualifications (unless the match stipulation says otherwise).

12 !12
Dolph Ziggler
World Heavyweight Championship
April 8, 2013
East Rutherford, NJ
Raw
Ziggler defeated Alberto Del Rio after a Zig Zag to win the championship after Del Rio was attacked by Jack Swagger, who he had defeated along with Zeb Colter in a 2-on-1 handicap match.

13 !13
Randy Orton
WWE Championship
August 18, 2013
Los Angeles, CA
SummerSlam
Orton defeated Daniel Bryan after a Pedigree from Triple H (who was special guest referee) to win the championship after Bryan had defeated John Cena to win the title. This was the first cash-in to feature a special guest referee.

14 !14
Damien Sandow
World Heavyweight Championship
October 28, 2013
Orlando, FL
Raw
Sandow attacked champion John Cena and immediately cashed in the contract, but became the first man to lose a cash-in match when Cena won the match after an Attitude Adjustment.

15 !15
Seth Rollins
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
March 29, 2015
Santa Clara, CA
WrestleMania 31
During the main event between Roman Reigns and defending champion Brock Lesnar, Rollins cashed in his briefcase. The referee accepted the cash-in while the match was in progress and converted the singles match into a triple-threat match. Rollins then pinned Reigns after a Curb Stomp to win the title. This was the first cash-in where the contract holder did not pin the champion.

16 !16
Sheamus
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
November 22, 2015
Atlanta, GA
Survivor Series
Sheamus defeated Roman Reigns after a Brogue Kick to win the championship after Reigns defeated Dean Ambrose to win the vacant title.

17 !17
Dean Ambrose
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
June 19, 2016
Las Vegas, NV
Money in the Bank
Ambrose defeated Seth Rollins after a Dirty Deeds to win the championship after Rollins defeated Roman Reigns to win the title.

18 !18
Baron Corbin
WWE Championship
August 15, 2017
Providence, RI
SmackDown Live
Corbin interfered in a match between John Cena and WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and attacked Cena, who won by disqualification. He then cashed in the contract after almost departing, but after the match started, he attacked Cena who was on the apron and was then rolled-up by Mahal, making him the second man to have lost a cash-in match.

text: Participant list[edit]

text: Males[edit]

text:
Wrestler
Victories
Appearances

CM Punk
2
4

John Cena
1
1

Seth Rollins
1
1

Baron Corbin
1
1

Mr. Kennedy
1
2

Damien Sandow
1
2

Daniel Bryan
1
2

Alberto Del Rio
1
2

Edge
1
3

The Miz
1
3

Rob Van Dam
1
3

Sheamus
1
3

Dean Ambrose
1
3

Jack Swagger
1
4

Randy Orton
1
4

Dolph Ziggler
1
6

Kane
1
7

Chris Benoit
0
1

Ric Flair
0
1

Bobby Lashley
0
1

Jeff Hardy
0
1

King Booker
0
1

Carlito
0
1

Ted DiBiase
0
1

Heath Slater
0
1

Justin Gabriel
0
1

Rey Mysterio
0
1

Alex Riley
0
1

R-Truth
0
1

Santino Marella
0
1

Tensai
0
1

Tyson Kidd
0
1

Fandango
0
1

Neville
0
1

Roman Reigns
0
1

AJ Styles
0
1

Shinsuke Nakamura
0
1

Drew McIntyre
0
2

John Morrison
0
2

Mark Henry
0
2

Sin Cara
0
2

Big Show
0
2

Wade Barrett
0
2

(Antonio) Cesaro
0
2

Sami Zayn
0
2

Kevin Owens
0
2

Finlay
0
3

Montel Vontavious Porter
0
3

Evan Bourne
0
3

Matt Hardy
0
4

Cody Rhodes
0
4

Shelton Benjamin
0
5

Chris Jericho
0
5

Christian
0
6

Kofi Kingston
0
6

text: Females[edit]

text:
Wrestler
Victories
Appearances

Carmella
2
2

Becky Lynch
0
2

Charlotte Flair
0
2

Natalya
0
2

Tamina
0
2


document_title: Blue Angels

question_text: where did the name blue angels come from

root

text: Blue Angels

text: Mission[edit]

text: The mission of the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron is "To showcase the pride and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country through flight demonstrations and community outreach."[2]

tag: p

text: Shows[edit]

text: The Blue Angels' show season runs each year from March until November. They perform at both military and civilian airfields, and often perform directly over major cities such as San Francisco's "Fleet Week" maritime festival, Cleveland's annual Labor Day Air Show, the Chicago Air and Water Show, Jacksonville's Sea and Sky Spectacular, Milwaukee Air and Water Show, and Seattle's annual Seafair festival. A show is also performed for the United States Naval Academy including a flyover of graduation ceremonies.[6]

text: During their aerobatic demonstration, the Blues fly six F/A-18 Hornet aircraft, split into the Diamond Formation (Blue Angels 1 through 4) and the Lead and Opposing Solos (Blue Angels 5 and 6). Most of the show alternates between maneuvers performed by the Diamond Formation and those performed by the Solos. The Diamond, in tight formation and usually at lower speeds (400 mph), performs maneuvers such as formation loops, rolls, and transitions from one formation to another. The Solos showcase the high performance capabilities of their individual aircraft through the execution of high-speed passes, slow passes, fast rolls, slow rolls, and very tight turns. The highest speed flown during an air show is 700 mph (just under Mach 1) and the lowest speed is 120 mph.[2] Some of the maneuvers include both solo aircraft performing at once, such as opposing passes (toward each other in what appears to be a collision course) and mirror formations (back-to-back. belly-to-belly, or wingtip-to-wingtip, with one jet flying inverted). The Solos join the Diamond Formation near the end of the show for a number of maneuvers in the Delta Formation.

text: The parameters of each show must be tailored in accordance with local weather conditions at showtime: in clear weather the high show is performed; in overcast conditions a low show is performed, and in limited visibility (weather permitting) the flat show is presented. The high show requires at least an 8,000-foot (2,400 m) ceiling and visibility of at least 3 nautical miles (6 km) from the show's centerpoint. The minimum ceilings allowed for low and flat shows are 3,500 feet (~1 km) and 1,500 feet (460 m), respectively.[7]

text: Aircraft[edit]

text: The team flies fighter aircraft which have formerly served in the fleet and are maintained to nearly combat-ready status. Modifications to each aircraft include removal of the weapons and replacement with the tank that contains smoke-oil used in demonstrations, and outfitting with the control stick spring system for more precise aircraft control input. Control sticks are tensioned with 35 pounds (16 kg) of force installed on the control stick as to allow the pilot minimal room for uncommanded movement.

text: The show's narrator flies Blue Angel 7, a two-seat F/A-18D Hornet, to show sites. The Blues use this jet for backup, and to give demonstration rides to VIP civilians. Three backseats at each show are available; one of them goes to members of the press, the other two to "Key Influencers".[8]  The No. 4 slot pilot often flies the No. 7 aircraft in Friday's "practice" shows.

text: The Blue Angels use a United States Marine Corps Lockheed C-130T Hercules, nicknamed "Fat Albert", for their logistics, carrying spare parts, equipment, and to carry support personnel between shows. Beginning in 1975, "Bert" was used for Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) and short aerial demonstrations just prior to the main event at selected venues, but the JATO demonstration ended in 2009 due to dwindling supplies of rockets.[9] "Fat Albert Airlines" flies with an all-Marine crew of three officers and five enlisted personnel.

text: In August 2018 Boeing was awarded a contract to convert nine single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornets and two F/A-18F two-seaters for Blue Angels use, the converted aircraft are due to be completed 2021.[10]

text: Team members[edit]

text: All team members, both officer and enlisted, pilots and staff officers, come from the ranks of regular Navy and United States Marine Corps units. The demonstration pilots and narrator are made up of Navy and USMC Naval Aviators. Pilots serve two to three years,[2] and position assignments are made according to team needs, pilot experience levels, and career considerations for members. Other officers in the squadron, including a Naval Flight Officer who serves as the Events Coordinator, three USMC C-130 pilots, an Executive Officer, a Maintenance Officer, a Supply Officer, a Public Affairs Officer, an Administrative Officer, and a Flight Surgeon. Enlisted members range from E-4 to E-9 and perform all maintenance, administrative, and support functions. They serve three to four years in the squadron.[2] After serving with the squadron, members return to fleet assignments.

text: The officer selection process requires pilots and support officers (flight surgeon, events coordinator, maintenance officer, supply officer, and public affairs officer) wishing to become Blue Angels to apply formally via their chain-of-command, with a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and flight records. Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 demonstration pilots and naval flight officers are required to have a minimum of 1,250 tactical jet hours and be carrier-qualified. Marine Corps C-130 demonstration pilots are required to have 1,200 flight hours and be an aircraft commander.[11]

text: Applicants "rush" the team at one or more airshows, paid out of their own finances, and sit in on team briefs, post-show activities, and social events. Rushes are asked to tell a joke prior to the brief and are graded by the team as part of the rigorous selection process. Team members vote in secret on the next year's members, with no accountability to the higher Navy authority why an applicant was or was not selected. Selections must be unanimous. There have been female and racial minority staff officers as official Blue Angel members. The most recent minority Blue Angel pilot was Lt. Andre Webb on the 2018 team.[12] Flight surgeons serve a two-year term. They act as the team recorder during air shows and help oversee emergency response planning with the various air show planners. The first female Blue Angel flight surgeon was Lt. Tamara Schnurr, who was a member of the 2001 team.[13]

text: The team leader (#1) is the Commanding Officer and is always a Navy Commander, who may be promoted to Captain mid-tour if approved for Captain by the selection board. Pilots of numbers 2–7 are Navy Lieutenants or Lieutenant Commanders, or Marine Corps Captains or Majors. The number 7 pilot narrates for a year, and then typically flies Opposing and then Lead Solo the following two years, respectively. The number 3 pilot moves to the number 4 (slot) position for his second year. Blue Angel No. 4 serves as the demonstration safety officer, due largely to the perspective he is afforded from the slot position within the formation, as well as his status as a second-year demonstration pilot.

text: Commanding officer[edit]

text: Commander Eric C. Doyle is from League City, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1996. After college, Eric went to Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, where he was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in December 1996.

text: Doyle has accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours and has 600 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, seven Strike/Flight Air Medal, five Navy Commendation Medal, a Navy Achievement Medal and various personal, unit and service awards.  He joined the Blue Angels in September 2017.[15]

text: Training and weekly routine[edit]

text: Annual winter training takes place at NAF El Centro, California, where new and returning pilots hone skills learned in the fleet. During winter training, the pilots fly two practice sessions per day, six days a week, in order to fly the 120 training missions needed to perform the demonstration safely. Separation between the formation of aircraft and their maneuver altitude is gradually reduced over the course of about two months in January and February. The team then returns to their home base in Pensacola, Florida, in March, and continues to practice throughout the show season. A typical week during the season has practices at NAS Pensacola on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. The team then flies to its show venue for the upcoming weekend on Thursday, conducting "circle and arrival" orientation maneuvers upon arrival. The team flies a "practice" airshow at the show site on Friday. This show is attended by invited guests but is often open to the general public. The main airshows are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays, with the team returning home to NAS Pensacola on Sunday evenings after the show. Monday is the Blues' day off.

text: Pilots maneuver the flight stick with their right hand and operate the throttle with their left. They do not wear G-suits because the air bladders inside repeatedly deflate and inflate, interfering with that stability. To prevent blood from pooling in their legs, Blue Angel pilots have developed a method for tensing their muscles to prevent blood from pooling in their lower extremities, possibly rendering them unconscious.[16]

text: History[edit]

text: Origins[edit]

text: Formed as the Flight Exhibition Team in March 1946 at  Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida by Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Chester Nimitz, in an effort to raise awareness of naval aviation and boost morale. The team performed their first flight demonstration on June 15, 1946 in Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft.  The squadron was officially redesignated as the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron in December 1974.[17]

text: The Blue Angels name was suggested by Right Wing Pilot Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll after reading about the  Blue Angel nightclub in The New Yorker magazine. The first official Blue Angels team insignia or “crest” was designed in 1949 by Flight Leader Lt. Cmdr. Raleigh "Dusty" Rhodes. The aircraft silhouettes change as the team changes aircraft.[1]

text: Originally, demonstration aircraft were navy blue (nearly black) with gold lettering. The current shades of blue and yellow were adopted when the team transitioned to the Bearcat in 1946. For a single year, in 1949, the team performed in an all-yellow scheme with blue markings.[18]

text: On 24 April 1946, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester Nimitz issued a directive ordering the formation of a flight exhibition team to boost Navy morale, demonstrate naval air power, and maintain public interest in naval aviation. However, an underlying mission was to help the Navy generate public and political support for a larger allocation of the shrinking defense budget. In April of that year, Rear Admiral Ralph Davison personally selected Lieutenant Commander Roy Marlin "Butch" Voris, a World War II fighter ace, to assemble and train a flight demonstration team, naming him Officer-in-Charge and Flight Leader. Voris selected three fellow instructors to join him (Lt. Maurice "Wick" Wickendoll, Lt. Mel Cassidy, and Lt. Cmdr. Lloyd Barnard, veterans of the War in the Pacific), and they spent countless hours developing the show. The group perfected its initial maneuvers in secret over the Florida Everglades so that, in Voris' words, "if anything happened, just the alligators would know". The team's first demonstration before Navy officials took place on 10 May 1946 and was met with enthusiastic approval.

text: On 15 June Voris led a trio of Grumman F6F-5 Hellcats, specially modified to reduce weight and painted sea blue with gold leaf trim, through their inaugural 15-minute-long performance at their Florida home base, Naval Air Station Jacksonville.[1] The team employed a North American SNJ Texan, painted and configured to simulate a Japanese Zero, to simulate aerial combat. This aircraft was later painted yellow and dubbed the "Beetle Bomb". This aircraft is said to have been inspired by one of the Spike Jones' Murdering the Classics series of musical satires, set to the tune (in part) of the William Tell Overture as a thoroughbred horse race scene, with "Beetle Bomb" being the "trailing horse" in the lyrics.

text: The team thrilled spectators with low-flying maneuvers performed in tight formations, and (according to Voris) by "keeping something in front of the crowds at all times. My objective was to beat the Army Air Corps. If we did that, we'd get all the other side issues. I felt that if we weren't the best, it would be my naval career." The Blue Angels' first public demonstration also netted the team its first trophy, which sits on display at the team's current home at NAS Pensacola.

text: On 25 August 1946 the squadron upgraded their aircraft to the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat. In May 1947, flight leader Lt. Cmdr. Bob Clarke replaced Butch Voris as the leader of the team and introduced the famous Diamond Formation, now considered the Blue Angels' trademark.

text: In 1949, the team acquired a Douglas R4D Skytrain for logistics to and from show sites. The team's SNJ was also replaced by a F8F-1 "Bearcat", painted yellow for the air combat routine, inheriting the "Beetle Bomb" nickname. The Blues transitioned to the straight-wing Grumman Grumman F9F-2 Panther on 13 July 1949, wherein the F8F-1 "Beetle Bomb" was relegated to solo aerobatics before the main show, until it crashed on takeoff at a training show in Pensacola in 1950.

text: Team headquarters shifted from NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, to NAAS Whiting Field, Florida, in the fall of 1949, announced 14 July 1949.[19]

text: The "Blues" continued to perform nationwide until the start of the Korean War in 1950, when (due to a shortage of pilots, and no planes were available) the team was disbanded and its members were ordered to combat duty. Once aboard the aircraft carrier USS Princeton the group formed the core of VF-191, Satan's Kittens.

text: The Blue Angels were officially recommissioned on 25 October 1951, and reported to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Lt. Cdr. Voris was again tasked with assembling the team (he was the first of only two commanding officers to lead them twice). In 1953 the team traded its Sky Train for a Curtiss R5C Commando.

text: In August 1953, "Blues" leader LCDR Ray Hawkins became the first naval aviator to survive an ejection at supersonic speeds when his F9F-6 became uncontrollable on a cross-country flight.[20][21][22]

text: The first Marine Corps pilot, Capt Chuck Hiett, joined the team and they relocated to their current home of NAS Pensacola in the winter of 1954.[23] It was here they progressed to the swept-wing  Grumman F9F-8 Cougar.

text: In September 1956, the team added a sixth aircraft to the flight demonstration in the Opposing Solo position, and gave its first performance outside the United States at the International Air Exposition in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It also upgraded its logistics aircraft to the Douglas R5D Skymaster.[citation needed]

text: In January 1957, the team left its winter training facility at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California for a ten-year period. For the next ten years, the team would winter at NAS Key West, Florida. For the 1957 show season, the Blue Angels transitioned to the supersonic Grumman F11F-1 Tiger, first flying the short-nosed, and then the long-nosed versions. The first Six-Plane Delta Maneuvers were added in the 1958 season.[citation needed]

text: In July 1964, the Blue Angels participated in the Aeronaves de Mexico Anniversary Air Show over Mexico City, Mexico, before an estimated crowd of 1.5 million people.

text: In 1965, the Blue Angels conducted a Caribbean island tour, flying at five sites. Later that year, they embarked on a European tour to a dozen sites, including the Paris Air Show, where they were the only team to receive a standing ovation.

text: The Blues toured Europe again in 1967 touring six sites. In 1968 the C-54 Skymaster transport aircraft was replaced with a Lockheed VC-121J Constellation. The Blues transitioned to the two-seat McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II in 1969, nearly always keeping the back seat empty for flight demonstrations. The Phantom was the only plane to be flown by both the "Blues" and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. That year they also upgraded to the Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation for logistics.

text: The Blues received their first U.S. Marine Corps Lockheed KC-130F Hercules in 1970. An all-Marine crew manned it. That year, they went on their first South American tour. In 1971, the team conducted its first Far East Tour, performing at a dozen locations in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Guam, and the Philippines. In 1972, the Blue Angels were awarded the Navy's Meritorious Unit Commendation for the two-year period from 1 March 1970 – 31 December 1971. Another European tour followed in 1973, including air shows in Tehran, Iran, England, France, Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

text: In December 1974 the Navy Flight Demonstration Team downsized to the subsonic Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II and was reorganized into the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. This reorganization permitted the establishment of a commanding officer (the flight leader), added support officers, and further redefined the squadron's mission emphasizing the support of recruiting efforts. Commander Tony Less was the squadron's first official commanding officer.[citation needed]

text: On 8 November 1986 the Blue Angels completed their 40th anniversary year during ceremonies unveiling their present aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The power and aerodynamics of the Hornet allows them to perform a slow, high angle of attack "tail sitting" maneuver, and to fly a "dirty" (landing gear down) formation loop.[citation needed]

text: Also in 1986, LCDR Donnie Cochran, joined the Blue Angels as the first African-American Naval Aviator to be selected.[citation needed] He would return to lead the team in 1993.

text:
Today is a very special and memorable day in your military career that will remain with you throughout your lifetime. You have survived the ultimate test of your peers and have proven to be completely deserving to wear the crest of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The prestige of wearing the Blue Angels uniform carries with it an extraordinary honor – one that reflects not only on you as an individual, but on your teammates and the entire squadron. To the crowds at the air shows and to the public at hospitals and schools nationwide, you are a symbol of the Navy and Marine Corps' finest. You bring pride, hope and a promise for tomorrow's Navy and Marine Corps in the smiles and handshakes of today's youth. Remember today as the day you became a Blue Angel; look around at your teammates and commit this special bond to memory. "Once a Blue Angel, always a Blue Angel," rings true for all those who wear the crest of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Welcome to the team.
The Blue Angels Creed, written by JO1 Cathy Konn1991–1993[24]

tag: div

text: In 1992 the Blue Angels deployed for a month-long European tour, their first in 19 years, conducting shows in Sweden, Finland, Russia (first foreign flight demonstration team to perform there), Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

text: In 1998, CDR Patrick Driscoll made the first "Blue Jet" landing on a "haze gray and underway" aircraft carrier, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).

text: In 2006, the Blue Angels marked their 60th year of performing.[25] On 30 October 2008 a spokesman for the team announced that the team would complete its last three performances of the year with five jets instead of six. The change was because one pilot and another officer in the organization had been removed from duty for engaging in an "inappropriate relationship". The Navy stated that one of the individuals was a man and the other a woman, one a Marine and the other from the Navy, and that Rear Admiral Mark Guadagnini, chief of Naval air training, was reviewing the situation.[26] At the next performance at Lackland Air Force Base following the announcement the No. 4 or slot pilot, was absent from the formation. A spokesman for the team would not confirm the identity of the pilot removed from the team.[27] On 6 November 2008 both officers were found guilty at an admiral's mast on unspecified charges but the resulting punishment was not disclosed.[28] The names of the two members involved were later released on the Pensacola News Journal website/forum as pilot No. 4 USMC Maj. Clint Harris and the administrative officer, Navy Lt. Gretchen Doane.[29]

text: The Fat Albert performed its final JATO demonstration at the 2009 Pensacola Homecoming show, expending their 8 remaining JATO bottles. This demonstration not only was the last JATO performance of the squadron, but also the final JATO use of the U.S. Marine Corps.[30]

text: In 2009, the Blue Angels were inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.[31]

text: On 22 May 2011, the Blue Angels were performing at the Lynchburg Regional Airshow in Lynchburg, Virginia, when the Diamond formation flew the Barrel Roll Break maneuver at an altitude that was lower than the required minimum altitude.[32] The maneuver was aborted, the remainder of the demonstration canceled and all aircraft landed safely. The next day, the Blue Angels announced that they were initiating a safety stand-down, canceling their upcoming Naval Academy Airshow and returning to their home base in Pensacola, Florida, for additional training and airshow practice.[33] On 26 May, the Blue Angels announced they would not be flying their traditional fly-over of the Naval Academy Graduation Ceremony and that they were canceling their 28–29 May 2011 performances at the Millville Wings and Wheels Airshow in Millville, New Jersey.

text: On 27 May 2011, the Blue Angels announced that Commander Dave Koss, the squadron's Commanding Officer, would be stepping down. He was replaced by Captain Greg McWherter, the team's previous Commanding Officer.[34] The squadron canceled performances at the Rockford, Illinois Airfest 4–5 June and the Evansville, Indiana Freedom Festival Air Show 11–12 June to allow additional practice and demonstration training under McWherter's leadership.[34]

text: Between 2 and 4 September 2011 on Labor Day weekend, the Blue Angels flew for the first time with a 50–50 blend of conventional JP-5 jet fuel and a camelina-based biofuel at Naval Air Station Patuxent River airshow at Patuxent River, Maryland.[35][36]  McWherter flew an F/A-18 test flight on 17 August and stated there were no noticeable differences in performance from inside the cockpit.[37][38]

text: On 1 March 2013, the U.S. Navy announced that it was cancelling remaining 2013 performances after 1 April 2013 due to sequestration budget constraints.[39][40][41]  In October 2013, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, stating that "community and public outreach is a crucial Departmental activity", announced that the Blue Angels (along with the U.S. Air Force's Thunderbirds) would resume appearing at air shows starting in 2014, although the number of flyovers will continue to be severely reduced.[42]

text: In June 2014, Captain Greg McWherter, flight leader of the Blue Angels for 2008-2010 and 2011-2012, received letter of reprimand from Adm. Harry Harris after an admiral's mast for “failing to stop obvious and repeated instances of sexual harassment, condoning widespread lewd practices within the squadron and engaging in inappropriate and unprofessional discussions with his junior officers" during his second tour with the team.[43]

text: In July 2014, Marine Corps Capt. Katie Higgins, 27, became the first female pilot to join the Blue Angels.[44][45]  In July 2015, Cmdr Bob Flynn became the Blue Angels' first Executive Officer.

text: In July 2016, Boeing was awarded a $12 million contract to begin an engineering proposal for converting the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet for Blue Angels use, with the proposal to be completed by September 2017.[46]

text: Aircraft timeline[edit]

text: The "Blues" have flown eight different demonstration aircraft and five support aircraft models:[47]

text:
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat: June–August 1946
Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat: August 1946 – 1949
Grumman F9F-2 Panther: 1949 – June 1950 (first jet); F9F-5 Panther: 1951 - Winter 1954/55
Grumman F9F-8 Cougar: Winter 1954/55 - mid-season 1957 (swept-wing)
Grumman F11F-1 (F-11) Tiger: mid-season 1957 – 1968 (first supersonic jet)
McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II: 1969 – December 1974
Douglas A-4F Skyhawk: December 1974 – November 1986
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornet (F/A-18B/D are #7 aircraft): November 1986 – present

tag: ol

text:
Douglas R4D Skytrain: 1949–1955
Curtiss R5C Commando: 1953
Douglas R5D Skymaster: 1956–1968
Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation: 1969–1973
Lockheed C-130 Hercules "Fat Albert": 1970–present

text:
North American SNJ Texan "Beetle Bomb" (used to simulate a Japanese A6M Zero aircraft in demonstrations during the late 1940s)
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (Used during the 1950s as a VIP transport aircraft for the team)
Vought F7U Cutlass (two of the unusual F7Us were received in late 1952 and flown as a side demonstration during the 1953 season but they were not a part of their regular formations which at the time used the F9F Panther. Pilots and ground crew found it unsatisfactory and plans to use it as the team's primary aircraft were cancelled).

text: Show routine[edit]

text: This show routine was used in 2017

text:
Fat Albert (C-130) – high-performance takeoff (Low Transition)
Fat Albert – Parade Pass (Photo Pass. The plane banks around the front of the crowd)
Fat Albert – Flat Pass
Fat Albert – Head on Pass
Fat Albert – Short-Field Assault Landing
FA-18 Engine Start-Up and Taxi Out
Diamond Take-off (Either a low transition with turn, loop on takeoff, a half-Cuban 8 takeoff, or a Half Squirrel Cage)
Solos Take-off (Blue Angel #5: Dirty Roll on Take-Off; Blue Angel #6: Low Transition to High Performance Climb)
Diamond 360: Aircraft 1, 2, 3 and 4 are in their signature 18" wingtip-to-canopy diamond formation.
Opposing Knife-Edge Pass
Diamond Roll: The whole diamond formation rolls as a single entity.
Opposing Inverted to Inverted Rolls
Diamond Aileron Roll: All 4 diamond jets perform simultaneous aileron rolls.
Fortus: Solos flying in carrier landing configuration with No.5 inverted, establishing a "mirror image" effect.
Diamond Dirty Loop: The diamond flies a loop with all 4 jets in the carrier landing configuration.
Minimum Radius Turn (Highest G maneuver. No.5 flies a "horizontal loop" pulling 7 Gs to maintain a tight radius)
Double Farvel: Diamond formation flat pass with aircraft 1 and 4 inverted.
Opposing Minimum Radius Turn
Echelon Parade
Opposing Horizontal Rolls
Left Echelon Roll: The roll is made into the Echelon, which is somewhat difficult for the outside aircraft.
Sneak Pass: the fastest speed of the show is about 700 mph (just under Mach 1 at sea level) Video
Line-Abreast Loop – the most difficult formation maneuver to do well. No.5 joins the diamond as the 5 jets fly a loop in a straight line
Opposing Four-Point Hesitation Roll
Vertical Break
Opposing Vertical Pitch
Barrel Roll Break
Tuck Over Roll
Low Break Cross
Section High-Alpha Pass: (tail sitting), the show's slowest maneuver[48][49]
Diamond Burner 270
Delta Roll
Fleur de Lis
Solos Pass to Rejoin, Diamond flies a loop
Loop Break Cross (Delta Break): After the break the aircraft separate in six different directions, perform half Cuban Eights then cross in the center of the performance area.
Delta Breakout
Delta Pitch Up Carrier Break to Land

tag: ul

text: Accidents[edit]

text: During its history, 27 Blue Angels pilots have been killed in air show or training accidents.[50] Through the 2017 season there have been 261 pilots in the squadron's history,[51] giving the job a roughly 10% fatality rate.

text:
29 September 1946 – Lt. Ross "Robby" Robinson was killed during a performance when a wingtip broke off his Bearcat, sending him into an unrecoverable spin.
1952 – Two Panthers collided during a demonstration in Corpus Christi, Texas and one pilot was killed. The team resumed performances two weeks later.
2 August 1958 - Lt. John R. Dewenter landed, wheels up at Buffalo Niagara International Airport after experiencing engine troubles during a show in Clarence, NY. The Grumman F-11 Tiger landed on Runway 23 but exited airport property coming to rest in the intersection of Genesee Street and Dick Road, nearly hitting a gas station. Lt. Dewenter was uninjured, but the plane was a total loss.
14 October 1958 – Cmdr. Robert Nicholls Glasgow died during an orientation flight just days after reporting for duty as the new Blue Angels leader.[52]
15 March 1964 – Lt. George L. Neale, 29, was killed during an attempted emergency landing at Apalach Airport near Apalachicola, Florida. Lt. Neale's F-11A Tiger had experienced mechanical difficulties during a flight from West Palm Beach, Florida to NAS Pensacola, causing him to attempt the emergency landing. Failing to reach the airport, he ejected from the aircraft on final approach, but his parachute did not have sufficient time to fully deploy.[53]
2 September 1966 – Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver crashed his Tiger and was killed at the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto.
1 February 1967 – Lt Frank Gallagher was killed when his Tiger stalled during a practice Half Cuban 8 maneuver and spun into the ground.
18 February 1967 – Capt. Ronald Thompson was killed when his Tiger struck the ground during a practice formation loop.
14 January 1968 – Opposing solo Lt. Bill Worley was killed when his Tiger crashed during a practice double immelman.
30 August 1970 – Lt. Ernie Christensen belly-landed his F-4J Phantom at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids when he inadvertently left the landing gear in the up position.[54] He ejected safely, while the aircraft slid off the runway.
4 June 1971 – CDR Harley Hall safely ejected after his Phantom caught fire and crashed during practice over Narragansett Bay near the ex-NAS Quonset Point in Rhode Island.
14 February 1972 – Lt. Larry Watters was killed when his F-4J Phantom II struck the ground, upright, while practicing inverted flight, during winter training at NAF El Centro.
8 March 1973 – Capt. John Fogg, Lt. Marlin Wiita and LCDR Don Bentley survived a multi-aircraft mid-air collision during practice over the Superstition Mountains in California.
26 July 1973 – 2 pilots and a crew chief were killed in a mid-air collision between 2 Phantoms over Lakehurst, NJ during an arrival practice. Team Leader LCDR Skip Umstead, Capt. Mike Murphy and ADJ1 Ron Thomas perished. The rest of the season was cancelled after this incident.
22 February 1977 – Opposing solo Lt. Nile Kraft was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during practice.
8 November 1978 – One of the solo Skyhawks struck the ground after low roll during arrival maneuvers at NAS Miramar. Navy Lieutenant Michael Curtin was killed.
April 1980 – Lead Solo Lt. Jim Ross was unhurt when his Skyhawk suffered a fuel line fire during a show at NS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. LT Ross stayed with and landed the plane which left the end of the runway and taxied into the woods after a total hydraulic failure upon landing.
22 February 1982 – Lt. Cmdr Stu Powrie, Lead Solo was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California just after a dirty loop.
13 July 1985 – Lead and Opposing Solo Skyhawks collided during a show at Niagara Falls, killing opposing solo Lt. Cmdr. Mike Gershon. Lt. Andy Caputi ejected and parachuted to safety.[55]
12 February 1987 – Lead solo Lt. Dave Anderson ejected from his Hornet after a dual engine flameout during practice near El Centro, CA.
23 January 1990 – Two Blue Angel Hornets suffered a mid-air collision during a practice at El Centro. Marine Corps Maj. Charles Moseley ejected safely. Cmdr. Pat Moneymaker was able to land his airplane, which then required a complete right wing replacement.[56]
28 October 1999 – Lt. Cmdr. Kieron O'Connor, flying in the front seat of a two-seat Hornet, and recently selected demonstration pilot Lt. Kevin Colling (in the back seat) struck the ground during circle and arrival maneuvers in Valdosta, Georgia. Neither pilot survived.[57]
1 December 2004 – Lt. Ted Steelman ejected from his F/A-18 approximately one mile off Perdido Key after his aircraft struck the water, suffering catastrophic engine and structural damage. He suffered minor injuries.[58]
21 April 2007 – Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis crashed his Hornet near the end of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort airshow in Beaufort, South Carolina, and was killed.[59]
2 June 2016 – Capt. Jeff "Kooch" Kuss, (Opposing Solo, Blue Angel No. 6), died just after takeoff while performing the Split-S maneuver in his F/A-18 Hornet during a practice run for The Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna, Tennessee. The Navy investigation found that Capt. Kuss performed the maneuver at too low of an altitude while failing to retard the throttle out of afterburner, causing him to fall too fast and recover at too low of an altitude. Capt. Kuss ejected, but his parachute was immediately engulfed in flames, causing him to fall to his death. Kuss' body was recovered multiple yards away from the crash site. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The investigation also cites weather and pilot fatigue as additional causes to the crash.[60] In a strange twist, Captain Kuss' fatal crash happened hours after the Blue Angels' fellow pilots in the United States Air Force Thunderbirds suffered a crash of their own following the United States Air Force Academy graduation ceremony earlier that day.[61]

text: Other incidents involving former Blue Angels[edit]

text:
8 March 1951 – LCDR Johnny Magda,[62] while flying in Korea, was the first former Blue Angel killed in combat.
27 January 1973 – CDR Harley Hall (1970 team leader) was shot down flying an F-4J over Vietnam, and was officially listed as missing in action.

text: In the media[edit]

text:
The Blue Angels was a dramatic television series, starring Dennis Cross and Don Gordon, inspired by the team's exploits and filmed with the cooperation of the Navy. It aired in syndication from 26 September 1960 to 3 July 1961.[63]
The Blue Angels were the subject of "Flying Blue Angels", a pop song recorded by George, Johnny and the Pilots (Coed Co 555), that debuted on Billboard Magazine's "Bubbling Under the Hot 100" chart on 11 September 1961.
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience is a 1975 documentary film, written by Dune author Frank Herbert, featuring the team in practice and performance during their F-4J Phantom era; many of the aerial photography techniques pioneered in Threshold were later used in the film Top Gun.[64]
To Fly!, a short IMAX film featured at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum since its 1976 opening features footage from a camera on a Blue Angels A4 Skyhawk tail as the pilot performs in a show. https://www.si.edu/imax/movie/fly
In 2005, the Discovery Channel aired a documentary miniseries, Blue Angels: A Year in the Life, focusing on the intricate day-to-day details of that year's training and performance schedule.[65][66]
The video for the American rock band Van Halen's 1986 release "Dreams" consists of Blue Angels performance footage. The video was originally shot featuring the Blues in the A-4 Skyhawk. A later video features the F/A-18 Hornet.
The Blue Angels appeared in the episodes "Death Begins at Forty" and "Insult to Injury" of Tim Allen's television sitcom Home Improvement as themselves.
The Blue Angels made a brief appearance on I Love Toy Trains part 3.
The Blue Angels were featured in the IMAX film Magic of Flight.
In 2009, the MythBusters enlisted the aid of Blue Angels to help test the myth that a sonic boom could shatter glass.[67]
The Blue Angels are a major part of the novel Shadows of Power by James W. Huston.[68]
Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds is a 4 disc SkyTrax DVD set © 2012 TOPICS Entertainment, Inc. It features highlights from airshows performed in the United States shot from inside and outside the cockpit including interviews of squadron aviators, plus aerial combat footage taken during Desert Storm, histories of the two flying squadrons from 1947 through 2008 including on-screen notes on changes in Congressional budgeting and research program funding, photo gallery slide shows, and two "forward-looking" sequences Into the 21st Century detailing developments of the F/A-18 Hornet's C and E and F models (10 min.) and footage of the F-22 with commentary (20 min.).
In the television micro-series Star Wars: Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker's starfighter is named Azure Angel, after the Blue Angels team.[69]
In My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, the Wonderbolts are based on the Blue Angels.[70]

text: Notable alumni[edit]

text:
Chuck Brady – Astronaut
Donnie Cochran – first African-American Blue Angels aviator and commander
Edward L. Feightner – World War II fighter ace and Lead Solo
Anthony A. Less - First Commanding Officer of Blue Angels squadron, numerous other commands including Naval Air Forces Atlantic Fleet
Robert L. Rasmussen – Aviation Artist
Raleigh Rhodes —World War II veteran and third leader of the Blue Angels[71]
Roy Marlin Voris – First Blue Angel leader
Patrick M. Walsh – Left Wingman and Slot Pilot, 1985–1987; Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Former Vice Chief of Naval Operations and White House Fellow


document_title: Mariana Trench

question_text: what is the mariana trench and what does it do with tectonic plates

text: Mariana Trench

text: Names[edit]

text: The Mariana Trench is named for the nearby Mariana Islands (in turn named Las Marianas in honor of Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria, widow of Philip IV of Spain). The islands are part of the island arc that is formed on an over-riding plate, called the Mariana Plate (also named for the islands), on the western side of the trench.

text: Geology[edit]

text: The Mariana Trench is part of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana subduction system that forms the boundary between two tectonic plates. In this system, the western edge of one plate, the Pacific Plate, is subducted (i.e., thrust) beneath the smaller Mariana Plate that lies to the west. Crustal material at the western edge of the Pacific Plate is some of the oldest oceanic crust on earth (up to 170 million years old), and is therefore cooler and more dense; hence its great height difference relative to the higher-riding (and younger) Mariana Plate. The deepest area at the plate boundary is the Mariana Trench proper.

text: The movement of the Pacific and Mariana plates is also indirectly responsible for the formation of the Mariana Islands. These volcanic islands are caused by flux melting of the upper mantle due to release of water that is trapped in minerals of the subducted portion of the Pacific Plate.

text: Measurements[edit]

text: The trench was first sounded during the Challenger expedition in 1875, using a weighted rope, which recorded a depth of 4,475 fathoms (8,184 metres; 26,850 feet).[10] In 1877, a map was published called Tiefenkarte des Grossen Ozeans ("Deep map of the Great Ocean") by Petermann, which showed a Challenger Tief ("Challenger deep") at the location of that sounding. In 1899, USS Nero, a converted collier, recorded a depth of 5,269 fathoms (9,636 metres; 31,614 feet).[11]

text: In 1951, Challenger II surveyed the trench using echo sounding, a much more precise and vastly easier way to measure depth than the sounding equipment and drag lines used in the original expedition. During this survey, the deepest part of the trench was recorded when the Challenger II measured a depth of 5,960 fathoms (10,900 metres; 35,760 feet) at 11°19′N 142°15′E / 11.317°N 142.250°E / 11.317; 142.250, known as the Challenger Deep.[12]

text: In 1957, the Soviet vessel Vityaz reported a depth of 11,034 metres (36,201 ft) at a location dubbed the Mariana Hollow.[3]

text: In 1962, the surface ship M.V. Spencer F. Baird recorded a maximum depth of 10,915 metres (35,810 ft) using precision depth gauges.

text: In 1984, the Japanese survey vessel Takuyō (拓洋) collected data from the Mariana Trench using a narrow, multi-beam echo sounder; it reported a maximum depth of 10,924 metres (35,840 ft), also reported as 10,920 metres (35,830 ft) ±10 m (33 ft).[13] Remotely Operated Vehicle KAIKO reached the deepest area of the Mariana trench and made the deepest diving record of 10,911 metres (35,797 ft) on March 24, 1995.[14]

text: During surveys carried out between 1997 and 2001, a spot was found along the Mariana Trench that had depth similar to that of the Challenger Deep, possibly even deeper. It was discovered while scientists from the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology were completing a survey around Guam; they used a sonar mapping system towed behind the research ship to conduct the survey. This new spot was named the HMRG (Hawaii Mapping Research Group) Deep, after the group of scientists who discovered it.[15]

text: On 1 June 2009, sonar mapping of the Challenger Deep by the Simrad EM120 sonar multibeam bathymetry system for deep water, mapping aboard the RV Kilo Moana (mothership of the Nereus vehicle), indicated a spot with a depth of 10,971 metres (35,994 ft). The sonar system uses phase and amplitude bottom detection, with an accuracy of better than 0.2% of water depth across the entire swath (implying that the depth figure is accurate to ± 22 metres (72 ft)).[16][17]

text: In 2011, it was announced at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting that a US Navy hydrographic ship equipped with a multibeam echosounder conducted a survey which mapped the entire trench to 100 metres (330 ft) resolution.[2] The mapping revealed the existence of four rocky outcrops thought to be former seamounts.[18]

text: The Mariana Trench is a site chosen by researchers at Washington University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 2012 for a seismic survey to investigate the subsurface water cycle. Using both ocean-bottom seismometers and hydrophones the scientists are able to map structures as deep as 97 kilometres (60 mi) beneath the surface.[19]

text: Descents[edit]

text: Four descents have been achieved. The first was the manned descent by Swiss-designed, Italian-built, United States Navy-owned bathyscaphe Trieste which reached the bottom at 1:06 pm on 23 January 1960, with Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard on board.[12][21] Iron shot was used for ballast, with gasoline for buoyancy.[12] The onboard systems indicated a depth of 11,521 m (37,799 ft), but this was later revised to 10,916 m (35,814 ft).[22] The depth was estimated from a conversion of pressure measured and calculations based on the water density from sea surface to seabed.[21]

text: This was followed by the unmanned ROVs Kaikō in 1996 and Nereus in 2009. The first three expeditions directly measured very similar depths of 10,902 to 10,916 m (35,768 to 35,814 ft). The fourth was made by Canadian film director James Cameron in 2012. On 26 March, he reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the submersible vessel Deepsea Challenger.[23][24][25]

text: In July 2015, members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oregon State University, and the Coast Guard submerged a hydrophone into the deepest part of the Mariana Trench, the Challenger Deep, never having deployed one past a mile. The titanium-shelled hydrophone was designed to withstand the immense pressure 7 miles under.[26] Although researchers were unable to retrieve the hydrophone until November, the data capacity was full within the first 23 days. After months of analyzing the sounds, the experts were surprised to pick up natural and man-made sounds such as boats, earthquakes, a typhoon, and baleen whales.[27] Due to the mission's success, the researchers announced plans to deploy a second hydrophone in 2017 for an extended period of time.

text: Planned descents[edit]

text: As of February 2012, at least two other teams are planning piloted submarines to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Triton Submarines, a Florida-based company that designs and manufactures private submarines, plans for a crew of three to take 120 minutes to reach the seabed.[28] DOER Marine, a marine technology company based near San Francisco and set up in 1992, plans for a crew of two or three to take 90 minutes to reach the seabed.[29]

text: Life[edit]

text: The expedition conducted in 1960 claimed to have observed, with great surprise because of the high pressure, large creatures living at the bottom, such as a flatfish about 30 cm (12 in) long,[22] and shrimp.[30] According to Piccard, "The bottom appeared light and clear, a waste of firm diatomaceous ooze".[22] Many marine biologists are now skeptical of the supposed sighting of the flatfish, and it is suggested that the creature may instead have been a sea cucumber.[31][32] During the second expedition, the unmanned vehicle Kaikō collected mud samples from the seabed.[33] Tiny organisms were found to be living in those samples.

text: In July 2011, a research expedition deployed untethered landers, called dropcams, equipped with digital video and lights to explore this region of the deep sea. Amongst many other living organisms, some gigantic single-celled amoebas with a size of more than 10 cm (4 in), belonging to the class of xenophyophores were observed.[34] Xenophyophores are noteworthy for their size, their extreme abundance on the seafloor and their role as hosts for a variety of organisms.

text: In December 2014, a new species of snailfish was discovered at a depth of 8,145 m (26,722 ft), breaking the previous record for the deepest living fish seen on video.[35]

text: During the 2014 expedition, several new species were filmed including huge crustaceans known as supergiants. Deep-sea gigantism is the process where species grow larger than their shallow water relatives.[35]

text: In May 2017 an unidentified type of snailfish was filmed at a depth of 8,178 metres (26,800 ft).[36]

text: Pollution[edit]

text: In 2016, a research expedition looked at the chemical makeup of crustacean scavengers collected from a range of 7,841–10,250 metres within the trench. Within these organisms, the researchers found extremely elevated concentrations of PCBs, a chemical toxin banned for its environmental harm in the 1970s, concentrated at all depths within the sediment of the trench.[37]

text: Possible nuclear waste disposal site[edit]

text: Like other oceanic trenches, the Mariana Trench has been proposed as a site for nuclear waste disposal,[38][39] in the hope that tectonic plate subduction occurring at the site might eventually push the nuclear waste deep into the Earth's mantle, the second layer of the Earth. However, ocean dumping of nuclear waste is prohibited by international law.[38][39][40] Furthermore, plate subduction zones are associated with very large megathrust earthquakes, the effects of which are unpredictable for the safety of long-term disposal of nuclear wastes within the hadopelagic ecosystem.[39]