This '84 F/A-18A was used by the USNFDS up to 21 Apr'07. During the final minutes of the air show over MCAS Beaufort (SC), the pilots were doing a maneuver which involved all 6 Hornets joining to form a Delta triangle. 162897 did not rejoin and crashed, eight people on the ground got injured and the pilot, Lt.Cmdr. Kevin "Kojak" Davis (Blue Angels #6), was killed. The mishap was caused by a failure to perform a proper Anti-G Straining Maneuver, resulting in the pilot's suffering from possible physiological effects that contributed to his loss of situational awareness of his rate of descent.

The aircraft was one of a number of WW 1 replicas built by Electric Television Holdings Inc. in the USA for use in the 2006 movie "Flyboys" which was being filmed at RAF Halton at the time of the photograph.

A batch of 75 Safir trainers was contracted out to Aviolanda in Papendrecht by Saab. 50001 was the first. To F5 wing as 5-1 in July 1952. To Saab in November 1952 and exported to Japan in May 1953 as a candidate for a JASDF training requirement. The T-34A Mentor was chosen and the Safir was used for testing high-lift devices by a defence research agency, and then as a liaison aircraft. It is preserved at the Kakamigahara museum, Gifu. Photo from: Regionaal Archief Dordrecht

One of the many Vichy French aircraft captured by the Allies in Algeria. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

15th Air Force used to escort bombers. Photo from: National Archives at College Park, Maryland

Visiting Hellcat at the 1999 Planes of Fame show

Written off on November 15th 2012.