- Blue Diamonds (aerobatic team)
"for the Royal Air Force acrobatic team see
No. 92 Squadron RAF "The Blue Diamonds is the primary aerobatic team of the
Philippine Air Force . It was known throughout the world and praised by many.Fact|date=March 2008 It is the main counterpart theBlue Angels of theUSN and the Thunderbirds of theUSAF . It is based in Basa Air Base, in Pampanga.History
The team was organized in 1953, by 1Lt. Jose Gonzalez and his group. The team first used
P-51D as their first planes, even jet aircraft was used by the Air Force. As the Air Force grew its popularity and strength, the team was also growing. In 1959, they used theF-86D when the Air Force was modernized. Lt. Lino C. Abadia was the group commander of the team. They performed in the country everyAviation Week .Smoke was introduced in 1958, and in 1959, the team performed with theRepublic of China Air Force in August 1 and theU.S. Air Force Thunderbirds . In 1963, the team did not perform, because most of the team's pilots were members of the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron or the Limbas Squadron, and they were called toCongo for aUnited Nations peacekeeping activity. The team continued to perform in 1965, and they used the F-5 Freedom Fighter in 1968.In 1970's, crisis came into the Philippines. But in 1971, the sister team of the Blue Diamonds, the
Red Aces was formed. In 1976, the team was disbanded because of the problems that came about. But in 1986, they were revived again, when military problems were eased out. In 2006, when the Air Force phased out their F-5 jets, the team was temporarily disbanded. Presently, the Red Aces are now dominant, but the team still hoped that the government will buy certain new and advanced fighter aircraft like the AmericanF-16 Fighting Falcon &F/A-18 Hornet , IsraeliKfir , FrenchMirage 2000 or the SwedishJAS 39 Gripen .Aircraft
References
* [http://www.paf.mil.ph/Gallery3/bluedia5.html Blue Diamonds - The Aircraft] . Philippine Air Force. Retrieved on
2008-04-03 .
* [http://www.paf.mil.ph/Gallery3/bluedia2.html Blue Diamonds - The Story] . Philippine Air Force. Retrieved on2008-04-03 .External links
* [http://www.paf.mil.ph/Gallery3/bluedia.html The Blue Diamonds]
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