McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet
The F/A-18 Hornet came about as a US Navy replacement for late model A-4 Skyhawks, A-7 Corsair IIs, and F-4 Phantom II squadrons not replaced by the F-14 Tomcat. It was also heavily influenced by the need for a fighter cheaper than the F-14. The Navy participated in the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) competition won by the F-16 Falcon, but found the F-16 unsuited for carrier operations.
With this in mind, the Navy approached Northrop and McDonnell Douglas to build a suitable multirole fighter based around the loser of the LWF competition, the YF-17 Cobra. The resulting F-18 Hornet was larger and much more versatile than the Cobra, though it retained the latter’s basic design. Initially, Hornet production was to be divided into the dedicated fighter F-18 and strike A-18, but with advances in technology, the two were combined into a single airframe as the F/A-18.
The first YF-18A flew in 1978, the production F/A-18A in 1980, and service entry in 1983, with the US Marine Corps in January and the US Navy two months later. The Hornet was found to be very agile, exceptionally easy to maintain, and more than able to live up to its multirole reputation, to the point that it is considered to be the world’s first true multirole fighter, where fighter and attack roles are integrated into the same airframe and can be switched by literally the push of a button. Its only drawback was a lack of range and initial problems with stabilator cracks, which was solved by strengthening the stabilators and adding small wing fences to force away air from the tail.
The F/A-18A/B was superseded on the production line in early 1987 by the C/D models, which differed from the earlier type by using an upgraded APG-65 radar, improved engines, internal ECM suite, and the ability to carry the AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, and AIM-120 AMRAAM, though the latter would not actually come into service until 1993. The F/A-18C/D incorporated field modifications made to A/B models; those of the latter still in service by 1993 received a similar upgrade with the addition of the APG-70 radar. USN/USMC Hornets of all types would see action over Iraq in the First Gulf War, and later Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq a second time.
USMC all-weather units replaced their A-6 Intruders with F/A-18Ds, which were night attack capable with the addition of FLIR, improved multifunction displays, and lowlight goggle compatibility. The USN later followed suit, with the F-18C replacing the A-6E as well from 1995. Though the F/A-18C/D has been supplemented by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and is due to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II, it will continue as the backbone of the USN/USMC for some years to come. In addition to the US, the Hornet also serves with the previously mentioned nations of Canada and Spain, as well as Australia, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Switzerland.
F/A-18B BuNo 161943 was one of the first B-models to join the Navy, arriving with VFA-125 ("Rough Riders") at NAS Lemoore, California to begin training new Hornet pilots in 1984. In 1985, it would change coasts, going to VFA-106 ("Gladiators") to do the same job at NAS Oceana, Virginia. In 1989, 161943 was back on the West Coast with VMFAT-101 ("Sharpshooters"), training new Marine Hornet pilots. Finally, in 1991, it would be assigned to the Blue Angels as Blue Angel 7, the two-seater assigned to the team for flying around the narrator, acting as a spare if necessary, and taking up assorted VIPs (and the occasional Blue Angel ground crew) on PR missions. After a very long stay with the Blue Angels, 161943 was retired in 2008 and donated to the Yanks Air Museum.
Since 161943 never went to sea, it would be referred to as a "goldbrick" in Navy parlance. Since I saw the Blues a few times before 2008, I imagine I've seen 161943 before, albeit from a distance! This aircraft also seems to dislike being photographed: not only did my picture not turn out very well (that was my fault, not Yanks--I was moving around), but Yanks' official pictures of 161943 also seem to be blurry!
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet
The F/A-18 Hornet came about as a US Navy replacement for late model A-4 Skyhawks, A-7 Corsair IIs, and F-4 Phantom II squadrons not replaced by the F-14 Tomcat. It was also heavily influenced by the need for a fighter cheaper than the F-14. The Navy participated in the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) competition won by the F-16 Falcon, but found the F-16 unsuited for carrier operations.
With this in mind, the Navy approached Northrop and McDonnell Douglas to build a suitable multirole fighter based around the loser of the LWF competition, the YF-17 Cobra. The resulting F-18 Hornet was larger and much more versatile than the Cobra, though it retained the latter’s basic design. Initially, Hornet production was to be divided into the dedicated fighter F-18 and strike A-18, but with advances in technology, the two were combined into a single airframe as the F/A-18.
The first YF-18A flew in 1978, the production F/A-18A in 1980, and service entry in 1983, with the US Marine Corps in January and the US Navy two months later. The Hornet was found to be very agile, exceptionally easy to maintain, and more than able to live up to its multirole reputation, to the point that it is considered to be the world’s first true multirole fighter, where fighter and attack roles are integrated into the same airframe and can be switched by literally the push of a button. Its only drawback was a lack of range and initial problems with stabilator cracks, which was solved by strengthening the stabilators and adding small wing fences to force away air from the tail.
The F/A-18A/B was superseded on the production line in early 1987 by the C/D models, which differed from the earlier type by using an upgraded APG-65 radar, improved engines, internal ECM suite, and the ability to carry the AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, and AIM-120 AMRAAM, though the latter would not actually come into service until 1993. The F/A-18C/D incorporated field modifications made to A/B models; those of the latter still in service by 1993 received a similar upgrade with the addition of the APG-70 radar. USN/USMC Hornets of all types would see action over Iraq in the First Gulf War, and later Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq a second time.
USMC all-weather units replaced their A-6 Intruders with F/A-18Ds, which were night attack capable with the addition of FLIR, improved multifunction displays, and lowlight goggle compatibility. The USN later followed suit, with the F-18C replacing the A-6E as well from 1995. Though the F/A-18C/D has been supplemented by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and is due to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II, it will continue as the backbone of the USN/USMC for some years to come. In addition to the US, the Hornet also serves with the previously mentioned nations of Canada and Spain, as well as Australia, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Switzerland.
F/A-18B BuNo 161943 was one of the first B-models to join the Navy, arriving with VFA-125 ("Rough Riders") at NAS Lemoore, California to begin training new Hornet pilots in 1984. In 1985, it would change coasts, going to VFA-106 ("Gladiators") to do the same job at NAS Oceana, Virginia. In 1989, 161943 was back on the West Coast with VMFAT-101 ("Sharpshooters"), training new Marine Hornet pilots. Finally, in 1991, it would be assigned to the Blue Angels as Blue Angel 7, the two-seater assigned to the team for flying around the narrator, acting as a spare if necessary, and taking up assorted VIPs (and the occasional Blue Angel ground crew) on PR missions. After a very long stay with the Blue Angels, 161943 was retired in 2008 and donated to the Yanks Air Museum.
Since 161943 never went to sea, it would be referred to as a "goldbrick" in Navy parlance. Since I saw the Blues a few times before 2008, I imagine I've seen 161943 before, albeit from a distance! This aircraft also seems to dislike being photographed: not only did my picture not turn out very well (that was my fault, not Yanks--I was moving around), but Yanks' official pictures of 161943 also seem to be blurry!