F/A-18A Hornet, VMFA-314, USMC, 2019 (1:72)

Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale HA3562 F/A-18A ++ Hornet 162442, VMFA-314, US Marines, June 2019.

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic twin engine all-weather night fighter and attack aircraft. The F/A-18s first flew in November 1978 and the first production flight on April 12, 1980. The first 380 aircraft were F/A-18As and in September 1987 production switched to the F/A-18C. Variants A and C are single-seat aircraft while B and D are tandem-seats. The Hornet can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases with the capability of in flight refueling. A total of 1,480 A-D variants were built.

On June 5, 2019 a photo shoot took place over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The aircraft involved were F/A-18++ 162442 from the VMFA-314 "Black Knights" and F-35C 169601 that would soon be transferred to VMFA-314. The F-35C was piloted by Captain Tommy Beau Locke from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 "Rough Raiders" while the F/A-18++ 162442 was piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Cedar Hinton, CAG for VMFA-314. This was a symbolic gesture of passing the torch from the old to the new.