Pilot - Frank Minich / Nav - "Lucky" Lesher. Enroute from NAS Key West to NAS Lemoore for that weekend's Open House (static show only).

Then boarded on CV-60 USS Saratoga

After this 1982 F/A-18B was retired in 2009, the dual seat legacy Hornet was preserved at Chino (CA) from Aprul 2012 onwards.

After this 1982 F/A-18A was retired on 22 February 2010, the aircraft was preserved at NAS Kingsville (TX)

November Delta 210 F-14A awaits to depart the 91' March show on the Monday after

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.

After a long career with the US Navy, NASA (N848NA) and the US Naval Reserves, this 1982 F/A-18A became a Blue Angels in 1999. The Hornet was retired on 26 March 2009, was moved to the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola (FL) but loaned to the Valiant Air Command Museum at Titusville (FL) since April 2011.

Wearing low-profile markings, devoid of titles and national or unit insignia.

The date of the picture in unknown. The museum clodes in 1981 and the aircraft moved out in 1983. The picture date probably from the final years of the aircraft at this location.

Wearing VAQ-142 "Grim Watchdogs" markings