This Sea Dragon suffered some technical issues and was parked at Muharraq. Years later, on 19 July 2012, this MH-53E was written off during a heavy lift operation, 58 miles southwest of Muscat, Oman. Of the five crew on board, two were killed.

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.

On static display as part of CoNA activities at NAS Pensacola, FL. Assigned to VT-31 at time of photo. Significance of CoNA paint scheme: Represents the NC-4, first aircraft in history to fly the Atlantic Ocean, May 1919.

Static display at airshow. Significance of Centennial of Naval Aviation paint scheme: VMA-312 Korean War.

On display at the old Celebrity Row at the fence line.

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.

w/o 18 July 1977 when with VFP-63 Det 5.

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.

A Rooks Prowler directed by a yellow shirt to the cat/launch position

Typical example of a hangar queen. The Super Hornet suffered some technical issues during the deployment that could be resolved on board. So the aircraft was partly cannibalized to keep sister ships alive. As can be seen, the radar, the fin tip launch rails and a hinge of the vertical stabilizer was removed