Turning sharp to runway 31R at NAS Fallon, this Rhino of Strike Fighter squadron (VFA) 22 "Fighting Redcocks" shows a massive 62 air-to-ground MK82 or bomb mission marks, as well as four AGM-65 Maverick marks and five (most probably) JDAM marks. Busy plane/squadron...

This is a F/A-18F Block 54 of the LOw Rate Initial Production 3, ordered in FY99. It was delivered to the US Navy in Jul'01 and started to serve VX-9 (with modex 511). In mid-2003, the Rhino was transferred to VFA-102 (modex 104) and then in Jan'04 to VFA-122 (NJ-132). in early 2005, transferred to VFA-211 (AB-211), then in mid-2008 to VFA-122 (AB-111). in Mar'09 it started to serve the NSAWC (12), received modex 104 by Feb'11. The NSAWC became NAWDC and the Hornet kept the same modex. Then in mid-2023 the F/A-18F was selected for the Blue Angels, and was repainted in the blue demo colours.

The Diamondbacks double nuts. The squadron was established as VA-36 on 1 July 1955 and was redesignated at the same moment to VF-102, started with F2H Banshees. From 1956, it flew F4D Skyrays and from 1961 F-4 Phantoms. Saw combat over Vietnam from 1968, flew air cover ops during Yom Kippur in 1973, swapped to F-14 Tomcat in 1981. Was involved in the Op El Dorado Canyon (Libya) in 1986, took part in Op Desert Shield (Iraq) in 1990, supported the Balkan war in 1993, deployed several times to Op Southern Watch (Iraq) and op Enduring Freedom in 2001. Transitioned to F/A-18F in 2004.

Used by Boeing for this impressive flight demonstration

Now using the callsign "CLUTCH" during a det at the NAF. Interesting that most jets only carried the Mk76's on the right wing and not the left.

Rolling out from runway 7R

The other three in front are 165539/4, 165666/4 and 165664/7. Odd how the Blue Angels are flying two with team number '4' at once