Hobby Master 1/72 F/A-18A Hornet "Cylon 02" BuNo 162416, VFA-127, US Navy, 1995 Diecast Aircraft

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.

VA-127 was established in 1962 and became VFA-127 on March 1, 1987. In the beginning the unit was known as “Royal Blues”, nicknamed “Batmen” but in 1981 they became “Cylons”. VFA-127 was designated as the Navy aggressor squadron. VFA-127 called NAS Fallon home from October 1, 1987 until March 23, 1996 when they were disestablished. VFA-127 operated the F/A-18A/B Hornet from March 1992 until dissolution in 1996. The excess aircraft were sent to other units or sold to other countries. 162416 was sold to Spain in 1995 and became C.15-75.

Role:	Fighter/Attack
Manufactured:	1980 to 1987
Numbers Produced:	A – 371
	B – 40
Crew:	A – 1
	B – 2
Dimensions
Length:	56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
Wingspan:	40 ft 8 in (12.4 m)
Folded:	27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Height:	15 ft 4 in (4.66 m)
Weight:
Empty:	28,000 lbs (12,700 kg)
Gross:	38,000 lbs (17,240 kg)
Maximum Take off:	56,000 lb (25,400 kg)
Performance
Engines:	2 X GE F404-GE turbofans producing 10,600 lb.s.t. dry & 15,800 lb.s.t with afterburning per engine
Fuel:
Internal:	1,670 U.S. gal (6,322 l)
External:	As many as 3 X 330 U.S. gal (1,249 l) drop tanks
Maximum Fuel:	2,660 U.S. gal (10,070 l)
Maximum Speed:	Mach 1.8 1,190 mph (1,915 km/h) @ 35,000 ft (10,670 m)
Landing Speed:	150 mph (241.4 km/h)
Combat Ceiling:	50,000 ft (15,240 m)
Maximum Range:	2,875 miles (4,627 km)
Armament:	1 X 20 mm M61A1 cannon in nose Plus
Hard Points:	4 X under-wing
	2 X fuselage corner stations
	1 X center-line
	2 X wing-tip
	To carry AIM-9 Sidewinder Missiles Or
	AIM-7 Sparrow Missiles Plus
	Up to 3 external fuel tanks and other assorted ordnance