Hobby Master 1/72 HA3517 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A+ VMFA-232 "The Red Devils", March 2007
Hobbymaster 1/72 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A+ VMFA-232 The Red Devils March 2007
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.
VMFA-232 “Red Devils” are the oldest and most decorated fighter squadron in the Marine Corps. Their lineage goes back to VF-3M in 1925. VMFA-232 began to re-equip with the F/A- 18 in 1989. In 1991 they participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm and in 1996 the “Red Devils” were stationed at MCAS Miramar, California. January 2003 they took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in 2010 they did a tour in Afghanistan. F/A-18C 163714 has flown with VMFA-212, VMFA-232, VX-4 and VX-9.