Gear Up Landing: The Story of the 1970 Cedar Rapids Air Show, featuring Ernie Christensen | Produced by Ryan Nothhaft, Blue Angel Phantoms YouTube Channel & Website | Thumbnail picture taken by Ardis Guyer at the 1970 Cedar Rapids Air Show

A picture can say a thousands words. That is the case for a photo captured at the 1970 Cedar Rapids Air Show depicting a Blue Angels F4 Phantom screaming down a runway with flames burrowing out the rear of the aircraft. Little did air show spectator, Ardis Guyer, realize what she was going to capture that day, but fifty years later, her photo is still widely shared and discussed amongst both casual and avid aviation enthusiasts.

In this video, you'll hear from former Blue Angels pilot and retired Navy Real Admiral, Ernie Christensen, as he discusses the events of that infoumaous picture. With two combat deployments to Vietnam already under his belt, Christensen joined the Blue Angels in 1969 during the team's first year with F4 Phantom. He served as the teams Left Wing (#3) before transitioning to the slot (#4) for the 1970 air show season.

As the team's slot pilot, Christensen was the only returning "diamond" pilot for 1970 and also served in the role of safety officer. 1970 was a milestone year for the Blue Angels as they made special trips to both Hawaii and Ecuador. The team also added a Marine C-130 to their inventory that is now affectionally known as "Fat Albert".

On August 30th, 1970 the Blues performed an air show at Cedar Rapids Airport, now known as Eastern Iowa Airport. As the performance came to a close and the team began their landing procedures, they encountered a strong cross wind. Touching down in sequential order, each pilot began to come on the radio to articulate the challenging conditions.

Christensen, lined up forth to land, began to peer out his cockpit to assess the situation and oversee his teammates landing. As the radio chatter continued to increase, so did Christensen's attention to his teammates, resulting in him forgetting to lower his own gear. As soon as he touched down, Christensen realized his error and began to act quick. With his teammates directly in front of him, he'd need to guide the plane to avoid a catastrophic collision. Slamming on the rudder, Christensen's was able to maneuver his Phantom around his teammate, however, now he was headed directly for a field and the uneven surface could potentially cause his plane to flip end over end. With no other options left, Christensen elected to eject from his F4. With just minor injuries, Christensen was relieved to learn that no was else was hurt.

Christensen went on to have a storied career in the Navy including roles as the Commanding Office for TOPGUN, the USS Kansas City, and the USS Ranger amongst others and retired in 1997. Today, Christensen is open to sharing his experience, as he wants it to be used as a learning for future aviators.

1970 BLUE ANGELS

1. CDR Harley Hall
2. Capt Kevin O'Mara, USMC
3. LT Jim Maslowski
4. LT Ernie Christensen
5. LT Steve Shoemaker
6. LCDR Skip Umstead
7. LCDR JD Davis
8. LT Dick Schram
MO LCDR Mack Prose
Doc LCDR Jack Keen
AO LT Mary Russell
SUPO CW02 Bill Thornhill