The coloured tail of VMFA-251 Thunderbolts in maintenance.

Action!

Baby Hornet calls the ball... F/A-18C during a sunset landing at the BiG-E in the Persian Gulf

You will be surprised how fast the elevator of a carrier moves. When you are on it, you even feel the force of gravity a little, likewise a fast person elevator in a building. Difference is that this elevator carries aircraft, equipment and cargo at the same time. This Hornet is a F/A-18C Block 28 and was ordered in FY87. It was delivered to the US Navy just below three years and started operating with VFA-113. It was last noted within the USMC in mid-2018. Its current whereabouts are unknown.

A clean Hornet near a war-zone, quite unique to see this one on board without bombs, missiles or targeting pod attached. The Enterprise was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom when this picture was made, and nearly all aircraft were loaded with weapons.

A F/A-18C Block 49 that was delivered to the US Navy in 1997. The pilot just took position in hiscockpit and is awaiting approval to activating the engines of the Hornet. The plane captain is just leaning against the nose cone.

Arriving at a carrier is always kind of hectic, all this cargo was off-loaded from a C-2A Greyhound (and a large Hornet engine part is not included in this picture...). On the right of the pile of cargo, you can identify my black photo camera backpack and accompanied with a brown travel bag, both on top of a metal box. But... the F/A-18C is of course more important in this picture. This Hornet started to fly with the Navy in the mid-nineties and was last noted (2020) operating within the USMC.

Françoise Soyez sent me some photos from the inheritance of her father, who served in the Armée de l'Air in North Africa. He was from the Basque Country and this photo may show the Dutch Pander plane at Biarritz, since PH-AGN won an air rally there in 1930. Photo from: Paul Altayrac collection

The MB.80 was a purpose-built small ambulance plane with good rough-field performance, accommodating one patient in a hold between the engine and the cockpit. The prototype first flew in 1932. Twenty MB.81 production machines were built. They saw action in Morocco and Syria and a few in France too during 1939-40. Photo from: Dassault

This is a F/A-18C-27 Lot 11 ordered in US FY87. The Hornet was delivered on 17 February 1989 and started its career with the USMC as WD-13 with VMFA-212, was transferred as WT-06 to VMFA-232 (Feb 91), DB-15 VMFA-235 (Mar 93), WT-11 VMFA-232 (Sep 93), WD-04 VMFA-212 (Mar 95), DB-10 VMFA-235 (Jul 95), WT-07 VMFA-232 (Jan 96), WD-01 VMFA-212 (Jun 96), WT-01 VMFA-232 (Feb 02), and then swapped to the US Navy AB-410 VFA-86 (Feb 03), AB-304 VFA-136 (Feb 06), NJ-302 VFA-125 (Aug 08), VFA-122(by Jul 11), as eventually coded 25 with VFA-122 in a 100 years navy c/s (Apr 11). Since January 2014 stored at Davis-M.

A F/A-18C-28 ordered in US FY87. The aircraft first flew with the USMC as DB-05 with VMFA-235 (dec89), then WT-05 VMFA-232 (aug93), WT-07 VMFA-232 (oct94), WD-11 VMFA-212 (mar95), DB-15 VMFA-235 (sep95), no marks feb96, WT-14 VMFA-232 (mar96), WD-04 VMFA-212 (aug96), WD-12 VMFA-212 (apr01), WD-212 VMFA-212 (may04), VE-215 VMFA-115 (jan06), DR-209 VMFA-312 (aug06), seen as RK-06 NADep North Island (CA) (oct06) and transferred to the US Navy as AB-312 VFA-136 (jul07) and AD-324 VFA-106 (sep08). Since March 2014 stored as such as 309th AMARG at Davis Monthan (AZ).

Being prepared for a launch from catapult number three, this Strike Fighter squadron 136 Knighthawks legacy Hornet shows some serious precision guided bombs under its wings.

There is less space in the huge hangar deck. A part is reserved for parking aircraft during bad weather conditions and another part is dedicated for maintenance. Especially that part is packed as can be seen on this 24mm picture of a EA-6B in maintenance. The Prowler is stored at the 309th AMARG at Davis Monthan since July 2014.