Back in the early 70s I was stationed at the Embassy at Washington DC and attended daily the very first International Air Show and Transport Expo (Transpo 72). This was the first occasion that a formation of Foreign Aircraft had ever flown over mainland USA (That what was quoted by the show organisers) All the American Military Display teams were there. OK it was over 30 years but it was accepted by all present both professional and the public that the Reds were far superior to all the other teams. In fact the following year both the Air Force (T38?) and the Navy switched to smaller aircraft from the F4. Since then I have seen nothing that from the American Teams or any other for that matter to change my opinion that the Red Arrows are the best precision aerobatic team in the world. Last week there was a programme on the Blue Angels and if my memory serves me correctly they stated as one of their aircraft reaches the end of its fatigue life they then bring in the oldest aircraft still in use strip everything down a bit different from what they say on their web site The Blue Angel F/A-18s have the nose cannon removed, a smoke-oil tank installed and a spring installed on the stick which applies pressure for better formation and inverted flying. Otherwise, the aircraft that the squadron flies are the same as those in the fleet. Each Blue Angel aircraft is fleet capable of being returned to combat duty aboard an aircraft carrier within 72 hours.