McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet – Vandy 1, VX-9 Vampires, US Navy, NAWS China Lake, CA, March 2023, Loaded

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA5136B: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet Vandy 1 of VX-9 Vampires, US Navy, NAWS China Lake, CA, March 2023, Loaded configuration. Production run of 500 models.

Length 10 inches Wingspan 7.5 inches

Residing one hundred and fifty miles North East of L.A. and nestled in the western most part of the Mojave Desert just outside of Ridgecrest, California is the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake (NAWS). China Lake’s VX-9 “Vampires” are charged with the testing and evaluation of weapons and their related systems in direct support of the United States Naval Aviation Fleet. The skilled Sailors and Marines of VX-9 are known for their ability to adapt to the dynamic testing environment that the aviation field provides.

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.