Three brand-new Hornets passed MCAS El Toro (CA) on this day during their delivery flight to MCB Kaneohe Bay (HI). This 163772/DB-02, ordered in FY87, had a USMC career from August 1989 onwards. It flew with VMFA-235, -232, -212 and was transferred to the US Navy because it was less stressed in comparisation with US Navy carrier operated Hornets. It was assigned to VFA-86, -136, -125 and -122 before it returned to the USMC. It was then assigned to VMFAT-101 before it was retired to AMARC on 14 September 2018.

Three brand-new Hornets passed MCAS El Toro (CA) on this day during their delivery flight to MCB Kaneohe Bay (HI). This 163769/DB-00, ordered in FY87, had a USMC career from August 1989 onwards. It flew with VMFA-235, -232, -212 and was transferred to the US Navy because it was less stressed in comparisation with US Navy carrier operated Hornets. It was assigned to VFA-97, -81 before it was retired to AMARG on 16 July 2008. It received inventory code 1A0087. Strangely enough, it left AMARG in January or February 2017 and returned in January 2018.

Hot pit refueling of a VMFA-323 "Death Rattlers" Hornet at homebase El Toro. This Block 21 (Lot 9), fiscal year 1985 Hornet was delivered to the US Navy on 10 Mar'87 and served VFA-12. It was later transferred to VFA-161 and then to the USMC VMFA-323 (as pictured), VMFA-531, again VMFA-323, then VMFA-314 and returned to the US Navy in 1996 with the NSAWC. It again was moved to the USMC with VMFA-142 and sadly crashed during an 1v1 air combat manoeuvring mission near Comanche (TX) after it entered an uncontrolled low-rate flat spin on 3 December 1999. The pilot ejected safely

Three brand-new Hornets passed MCAS El Toro (CA) on this day during their delivery flight to MCB Kaneohe Bay (HI). This 163770/DB-01, ordered in FY87, had a USMC career from August 1989 onwards. It flew with VMFA-235, -232, 212, VMFAT-101, and was then transferred to the US Navy because the airframe was less-stressed in comparison with the US Navy carrier operated Hornets.  It flew with VFA-81, VFA-94 and VFA-106 before it was retired to AMARG on 30 June 2014.

This FY83 Hornet is seen during some line maintenance in one of the hangars at homebase El Toro. Its predecessors within VMFA-323 "Death Rattlers" are painted on the wall. 162434 flew during its career only with VMFA-323 and VMFA-112 as it crashed with the latter on 21 April 2004. The aircraft came into serious troubles when flying a night mission from MCAS Miramar. Some 119 miles from that base and 20 miles from MCAS Yuma (AZ) contact was lost with the aircraft and pilot over the Imperial Valley desert south of Glamis. The pilot got killed in this crash.

Taxiing into apron H for crew rest.

The XO aircraft of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94 'Mighty Shrikes' The squadron is now operating the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Here a legacy Hornet of the squadron is seen deployed aboard the USS Nimitz with CVW-11. The team deployed on 3 March 2003 for an eight-month combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The first dual seat F-18 seen here at the flightline of Dryden FRC. The Hornet, originally built by McDonnell Douglas as YF-18B-2 (ordered by the US Navy in FY76) was first seen, fresh from the production line, in late 1979 and del;ivered on 5 Jan'80. The US Navy designated it TF-18A. The Hornet was assigned to the Naval Air Test Center at Pax River as T1 and modex 150. It was recoded 7T-150 and transferred to the NASA on 24 Jul'86. It was used as a system research aircraft (SRA) and became a dedicated SRA with multiple modifications from Oct'91. It is reported stored from Jun'86 at Armstrong.

A21-101 was the last of eight F/A-18s to be prepared by Boeing Australia for preservation. Each were assessed as having heritage significance. A21-101 was the first F/A-18 delivered to the RAAF and made an epic 15-hour non-stop delivery flight from California to RAAF Williamtown in May 1985 with the support of a USAF KC-10. Delivered to the museum in May 2023. Photo by: David Caughey

participating in a gun camp over the North Sea.