The Blue Angels “Hooked” Flying Product Ventures Planes

Wait, What?

After designing Home of the Brave Beverage Company’s brand identity, their team at the brewpub & museum (or “brewseum”) reached out again to Product Ventures to capitalize on our extensive prototyping capabilities. They asked if we could model planes for an interactive pilot experience game where you literally get to land your model fighter jet on an aircraft carrier deck.

The fighter jet models themselves had to be true to life in detail, durable, and safe to use in a brewpub environment. To produce the models Product Ventures created scale model CAD files of the fighter jet design. Once the CAD was complete PV CNC machined a “plug”, (a positive of the design), which was then use as a pattern to cast a silicone mold for the creation of the models themselves.

Product Ventures also CNC machined additional parts from Delrin, (a durable slick polymer) to use as landing gear for the fighter jets. The Delrin parts were inserted into the silicone mold and then a urethane foam was poured into the mold encapsulating the Delrin parts and left to cure. Once the urethane had set, the fighter plane model was removed from the mold, finished, and made ready for flight!

Back at the brewseum, the foam model fighter jets are being used for Tail Hook Tuesdays. To kick off the event and to salute naval aviation, the Blue Angels were on hand to lend their skills to the game. They were instantly hooked!

Blue Angels Crew

Pictured left to right
Lieutenant Commander Joe Swartz – U.S. Navy Flight Surgeon
Commander Bob Flynn – U.S. Navy Executive Officer
Captain Thomas Frosch – U.S. Navy Flight Leader/Commanding Officer #1 Blue Angel
Glen Tomlinson, President,  Home of the Brave Brewseum and Tours
Lieutenant Matt Suyderhoud – U.S. Navy Right Wing #2 Blue Angel (from Honolulu HI)
Commander Ryan Bernacchi – U.S. Navy Flight Leader/Commanding Officer #1 Blue Angel for 2016