Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA3580
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C 165217/NE-400, VFA 34 "Blue Blasters", 2015
 
General Background
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.
 
The Aircraft
VF-34 “Blue Blasters” was established as VF-20 in 1943 with an insignia “Joker” bursting from a deck of cards and holding a machine gun. The squadron was re-designated VA-34 on 1 July 1955. In 1957 the unit adopted their present day nickname and insignia inspired by their blue tails and their nuclear delivery capabilities, hence, “Blue Blaster”. In 1996 they were re-designated as VFA-34 equipped with F/A-18C until 2019 when they received the F/A-18E. In 2020 VFA-34 was onboard USS George Washington to South America from September until December.