F/A-18F-53-MC Lot 22 LRIP 2 Super Hornets
F/A-18F BuNo 165673 (MSN 1503/F008) served with VFA-122 at Lemoore wearing side number NJ 106 before being assigned to the Blue Angels.673 was the first two-seat Super Hornet to arrive for duty with the Blues and has been seen wearing tail number 7.
F/A-18F BuNo 165674 (MSN 1504/F010) was an East Coast two-seater, assigned to VFA-106 at Oceana wearing side number AD 212 for much of its time there. Now that the jet is wearing that beautiful blue and gold paint scheme it’s been observed wearing tail number 8.
F/A-18F BuNo 165679 MSN 1516/F018 is the youngest F model assigned to the Blues. 679 was previously on strength with VFA-122 and wore side number NJ 101 while painted in a wicked awesome tan/sand/brown camouflage scheme similar to the blue-based scheme worn by F/A-18E BuNo 165538. Since becoming a Blue Angels jet 679 has been seen wearing tail numbers 4 and 7.
What About That Other Super Hornet, the F/A-18F Used to Shoot the In-the-Cockpit Shots for Maverick: Top Gun II?
That jet is F/A-18F BuNo 165796 (MSN 1524/F022). 796 was initially assigned to VFA-122 at Lemoore wearing side number NJ 122. From there the jet spent time with VFA-211 Fighting Checkmates based at Oceana wearing side number AB-101. By 2008 796 had switched coasts again, assigned to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) at NAS Fallon in Nevada. The jet wore side numbers 100 and 101 while assigned to Strike, but of course wore double nuts for her role in Maverick: Top Gun II. And that’s the rest of the story.
