The second prototype YF-18 has been parked for many years at the Fire & Rescue facility on the north side of Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress (KNFE) which is 11 mi/17 km SE of NAS Oceana in a rural area of Virginia. The single 8000 ft runway is used by Navy aircraft from NAS Oceana and NAS Norfolk for training. Photos from about 10 years ago still show the YF-18 wearing US Navy markings. It was previously at NAS Norfolk for fire fighting and crane practice with local aircraft carriers. It is difficult to view aircraft using from the runway which is surrounded by trees inside the base.

This is the first prototype Hornet, YF-18A-1 from fiscal year 1976. The Hornet made its first flight from McDD St. Louis on 18 Nov'78 and delivered to the US Navy at Paxtuxent River (MD) in Jan'79. The Full-Scale Development Hornet was later converted to RF-18, served the NASA from 3 Jun'85 and returned to the US Navy. The F/A-18A was stricken from service in 1986. It became a range target (!) at China Lake in Apr'90, but was luckily saved from a lot of bullet holes. It was then stored at the base from Nov'92. It is preserved with the US Naval Museum of Armament and Technology since Nov'93