Academy 12535 1/72 USN F/A-18F "VFA-103 Jolly Rogers" MCP Hornet

McDonnell-Douglas / Northrop F / A-18 Hornet is an on-board fighter and attack aircraft capable of operating in all weather conditions. The roots of the F / A-18 go back to 1974 and the F-17 prototype, which was of interest to the US Navy command this year. The contract for the serial construction of the aircraft was concluded in 1976. In order to accelerate the work, the Northrop concern entered into cooperation with the McDonnell-Douglas concern. As a result, on November 18, 1978, the test flight of the prototype took place, and a year later, successful landings on the aircraft carrier. Since 1982, the aircraft has been delivered to linear units with General Electric F404-GE-402 engines as the propulsion unit. Technical data (version F / A-18 C): Maximum speed: 1915 km / h, speed of climb: 254 m / s, practical ceiling 15 240 m, maximum range: 3340 km, operating radius: 280-740 km, armament: fixed- Single 20mm M61A-1 six-barrel cannon, underslung - up to 7700 kg of cargo.

Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (abbreviation VFA-103) is an American in-flight air unit created in May 1952. Currently, the most characteristic hallmark of the VFA-103 aircraft is the pirate flag, in English called Jolly Rogers, on the horizontal stabilizers. It was also the source of the squadron's unofficial name. The first aircraft on which the VFA-103 pilots flew were the FG-1D Corsair. In 1957, the unit was rearmed with the F-8 Crusader, as one of the first in the US Navy. At the turn of 1964/1965, the VFA-103 began to be armed with the new F-4 Phantom machines. In 1983, however, it was rearmed with the new Grumman F-14A Tomcat fighters, armed with AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. Currently, the basic aircraft of the unit is the F / A-18F Super Hornet. Strike Fighter Squadron 103 pilots took an active part in the Vietnam War (1964 / 195-1975) and in both Persian Gulf Wars (1990-1991 and 2003).

This is an injection-plastic jet aircraft model kit.