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All about the F/A 18 Hornet

3,521 BRC21yt  6.6 years ago

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations and, since 1986, by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

F/A-18 Hornet

A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C in October 2003, flying over the South China Sea
Role Multirole fighter
National origin United States
Manufacturer McDonnell Douglas (1974–1997)
Boeing (1997–present)
Northrop (1974–present)
First flight 18 November 1978
Introduction November 1983 (USN)[citation needed]
7 January 1984 (USMC)
Status In service
Primary users United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
Royal Australian Air Force
Spanish Air Force
Number built F/A-18A/B/C/D: 1,480[1]
Unit cost
US$29 million (F-18C/D) (2006)[2]
Developed from Northrop YF-17
Variants McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet
High Alpha Research Vehicle
Developed into Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Boeing X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing
The F/A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,034 knots, 1,190 mph or 1,915 km/h at 40,000 ft or 12,200 m). It can carry a wide variety of bombs and missiles, including air-to-air and air-to-ground, supplemented by the 20-mm M61 Vulcan cannon. It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust-to-weight ratio. The F/A-18 has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, primarily attributed to its leading-edge extensions. The

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    3,521 BRC21yt

    Thanks @Gestour

    6.6 years ago
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    313k Gestour

    @BRC21yt Ok, i'll try.

    6.6 years ago
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    3,521 BRC21yt

    Oh and guestor would you make a Cockpit with a rocket propelled ejector seat plz? @Gestour

    6.6 years ago
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    3,521 BRC21yt

    It was a pic I still have yet to delete it @PilotOfFuture

    6.6 years ago
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    in wich unierse is "USMC FA-18 Hornet.jpg" a URL?

    6.6 years ago
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    313k Gestour

    @Tully2001 The fighter's primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), air interdiction, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role.

    The Hornet first saw combat action during the 1986 United States bombing of Libya and subsequently participated in the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War. The F/A-18 Hornet provided the baseline design for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, its larger, evolutionary redesign.

    Thats the rest of it, right from Wikipedia.

    6.6 years ago