Navy to unveil Blue Angels inspired uniforms
Navy to unveil Blue Angels inspired uniforms
Design honoring Pensacola based Blues drawing rave reviews
The Navy Midshipmen will wear uniforms inspired by the Pensacola based Blue Angels flight demonstration team during the Dec. 9 Army-Navy Game in Philadelphia. The number font is inspired by the numbers on the tail of the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft that the Blue Angels fly, and the color is an exact match to the Blue Angels flight suit. The Blue Angel insignia on the right sleeve is the same design on the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft, and the U.S. flag on left sleeve matches the flight suits that the squadron wears in the cockpit. Navy will wear hand-painted helmets depicting The Blues famed delta formation, and a chrome facemask will mimic the visor of Blue Angels pilots.
“This tribute to the Blue Angels reflects the enthusiastic pride and appreciation we have for the Navy’s premier flying team and the motivation they convey to Navy football and the fleet at large,” Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk said in a press release.
Navy wore helmets last year to celebrate their 14-game winning streak with 14 yellow stars painted down the middle. Under Armour designed last year’s Navy uniforms to look like the ones worn by the 1963 team when Roger Staubach won the Heisman trophy. In 2015, Under Armour designed Navy uniforms and helmets to honor the entire fleet, with each position grouping wearing a different helmet design.
Last year, West Point’s football team wore jerseys designed to honor the World War II-era 82nd Airborne Division. Those uniforms will be remembered fondly as the ones worn by the team that ended the 14-game losing streak to Navy. Army will wear uniforms commemorating another of its storied infantries during Saturday’s rivalry showdown against Navy.
The Black Knights revealed white “Climb to Glory” uniforms honoring World War II’s 10th Mountain Division. Trained to handle difficult alpine terrains, the unit fought in harsh conditions and climates to battle Nazi resistance in Northern Italy. Army accompanied the release of its newest Nike attire with a website exploring the 10th Mountain Division’s rich history.
The helmets feature a crossed ski pin that some soldiers unofficially wore to depict their alpine beginnings. The panda bear on Nike’s cleats represent the mascot of their training ground in Colorado’s Camp Hale.
