F/A-18 Hornet (Blue Angels) - NAS. Pensacola, Florida, USA. - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

F/A-18 Hornet (Blue Angels)

"The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations and, since 1986, by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

A multi-mission aircraft designed to replace the F-4 Phantom II and A-7 Corsair II, the F/A-18 Hornet became the front line naval strike fighter shortly after fleet introduction in the mid-1980s. Equally at home in air-to-air or air-to-ground missions, the aircraft is highly maneuverable and instrumented to optimize single pilot control of numerous weapons systems. This F/A-18A Hornet (Bureau Number 161961) is in the markings of the Blue Angels Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron to which it was assigned before acquisition by the Museum.

Blue Angels Hornet at a Glance
The F/A-18 Hornet has served the Blue Angels since 1987, the longest tenure of any airplane types assigned to the U.S Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.

The Hornets assigned to the Blue Angels have reached their limit when it comes to operational flying from aircraft carriers. To this end, the airplanes that thrill air show audiences around the nation each year are among the longest-serving F/A-18s in the Navy’s inventory, each with extensive history.

The Blue Angel F/A-18s have the nose cannon removed, a smoke-oil tank installed and a spring installed on the stick which applies pressure for better formation and inverted flying. Otherwise, the aircraft that the squadron flies are the same as those in the fleet."
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Type of Aircraft: (make/model): F/A-18 Hornet Tail Number: (S/N): Blue Angel Tail numbers: 1 - (Bureau Number 161961) Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): National Museum of Naval Aviation Pensacola. inside / outside: outside Other Information:: A must visit museum. Access restrictions: Free admission to the Museum & Free Parking. - You require a Passport or Government issued ID. (Some State IDs accepted, but not all) to enter the Airbase via the West Gate off Blue Angel Parkway. Pensacola.

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/12/2017 veritas vita visited it