McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet – Red 03, VFC-12 Fighting Omars, US Navy, NAS Oceana, VA, 2023

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA5135: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet Red 03 of VFC-12 Fighting Omars, US Navy, NAS Oceana, VA, 2023. Production run of 700 models
Length 10 inches Wingspan 7.5 inches

In 2021 USN adversary squadron VFC-12 “Fighting Omars” home-based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia began to upgrade from the “Legacy” Hornets (F-18A/B/C/D) to F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. VFC-12 is one of four specialist adversary units within the USN. This upgrade was meant to improve the role of adversary aircraft and pilots. Now with the F/A-18E/F pilots attending the Adversary squadron they will be flying the same type of aircraft they normally fly. VFC-12 began to give some of their F/A-18E/Fs a new “Cloud” camo scheme.

Designed as a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk and the A-7 Corsair II and as a complement to the F-14 Tomcat, the F/A-18 first flew on November 18, 1978. Perhaps best known as the aircraft of the US Navy’s Blue Angels, this carrier-capable, supersonic, all-weather fighter has many roles, including fighter escort, fleet air defence and close air support. The F/A-18 is a versatile aircraft: it can operate from carriers or land bases and a single switch converts it from fighter to strike mode. During Operation Desert Storm, the F/A-18 proved that, on a single mission, one aircraft could serve as both fighter and a bomber.