Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA5135
F/A-18 Aggressor "Cloud Scheme" 165789, VFC-12, US Navy, 2023
 
General Background
The McDonnell Douglas Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet is a twin-engine multi-role carrier-based aircraft. The “E” variant is single-seater while the “F” variant is a tandem-seat configuration. The “E” is a much larger, more advanced and more capable variant of the F/A-18C. The Super variant can carry a larger array of weapons as well as more of them and is capable of returning to the carrier while still carrying unspent munitions, a big savings in dollars. The first F/A-18E flight was in 1995 and began delivery to the USN in 1999.
 
The Aircraft
In 2021 USN adversary squadron VFC-12 “Fighting Omars” home-based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia began to upgrade from the “Legacy” Hornets (F-18A/B/C/D) to F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. VFC-12 is one of four specialist adversary units within the USN. This upgrade was meant to improve the role of adversary aircraft and pilots. Now with the F/A-18E/F pilots attending the Adversary squadron they will be flying the same type of aircraft they normally fly. VFC-12 began to give some of their F/A-18E/Fs a new “Cloud” camo scheme.