Voris returned to re-form and lead the Blue Angels, this time flying the combat-proven F9F-5 Panther fighter jet.
In the Summer of 1952, during a demonstration for United States Naval Academy midshipmen at NAS Corpus Christi, Voris' and another plane collided in midair:
We were doing a Corpus Christi demo show for a midshipman orientation.
We'd had to cancel the show the first day because it was too rough.
We started the show with a parade pass at a 30-to-40-degree bank showing off the US Navy on the bottom of the wings.
We were going 400 knots—that's fast—200 feet in the air, when coming down for a pass we hit a massive [wind] shear and we collided.
Number four in the slot came up beneath me and sheared off underneath the nose.
He pulled up and ejected at low altitude.
He was still in the seat when he hit the water.

Voris blacked out momentarily, regaining consciousness a mere twenty-five feet above the ground, while still traveling at 400 knots:
Ground control was screaming at me, 'Eject!
Eject!'
but you have to be at least 2,000 feet up to eject.
The seats weren't very dependable and you could break your neck and back.
I had a jammed rudder and started to lose control.
Anyway, I got down.
It was the worst accident we ever had.

Despite losing almost all control of his aircraft resulting from its nearly-severed tail section, Voris miraculously managed to land safely; tragically, the pilot who hit the water died.
The team was back in the air two weeks later.
Voris stayed with the team until December, 1952 when he was selected to take command of Satan's Kittens aboard the USS Princeton (CV-37).
He was considered by the Blue Angels to be the "father" of the team right up until his death.
Voris returned to re-form and lead the Blue Angels, this time flying the combat-proven F9F-5 Panther fighter jet. In the Summer of 1952, during a demonstration for United States Naval Academy midshipmen at NAS Corpus Christi, Voris' and another plane collided in midair:
We were doing a Corpus Christi demo show for a midshipman orientation. We'd had to cancel the show the first day because it was too rough. We started the show with a parade pass at a 30-to-40-degree bank showing off the US Navy on the bottom of the wings. We were going 400 knots—that's fast—200 feet in the air, when coming down for a pass we hit a massive [wind] shear and we collided. Number four in the slot came up beneath me and sheared off underneath the nose. He pulled up and ejected at low altitude. He was still in the seat when he hit the water.
Voris blacked out momentarily, regaining consciousness a mere twenty-five feet above the ground, while still traveling at 400 knots:
Ground control was screaming at me, 'Eject! Eject!' but you have to be at least 2,000 feet up to eject. The seats weren't very dependable and you could break your neck and back. I had a jammed rudder and started to lose control. Anyway, I got down. It was the worst accident we ever had.
Despite losing almost all control of his aircraft resulting from its nearly-severed tail section, Voris miraculously managed to land safely; tragically, the pilot who hit the water died. The team was back in the air two weeks later. Voris stayed with the team until December, 1952 when he was selected to take command of Satan's Kittens aboard the USS Princeton (CV-37). He was considered by the Blue Angels to be the "father" of the team right up until his death.
Roy Marlin Voris