Hobby Master HA5122 | F/A-18F Super Hornet, US Navy, NE100/165916, VFA-2 "Bounty Hunters", USS Abraham Lincoln, 2012
F/A-18F Super Hornet, US Navy, NE100/165916, VFA-2 "Bounty Hunters", USS Abraham Lincoln, 2012
Scale 1:72 / Diecast model
Note: Model is once used for a photo shoot, but in excellent condition, see pictures
US Navy Fighter Squadron 2 (VF-2) Bounty Hunters was established on October 14th, 1972. The squadron flew the F-14 Tomcat and deployed several times on various carriers including participation in Operation Desert Storm aboard the USS Ranger. They deployed with the F-14 for the last time aboard the USS Constellation in 2003 as part of Operation Southern Watch. Upon return, VF-2 was re-designated VFA-2 and transitioned to the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
Designed as a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk and the A-7 Corsair II and as a complement to the F-14 Tomcat, the F/A-18 first flew on November 18, 1978. Perhaps best known as the aircraft of the US Navy's Blue Angels, this carrier-capable, supersonic, all-weather fighter has many roles, including fighter escort, fleet air defense and close air support. The F/A-18 is a versatile aircraft: it can operate from carriers or land bases and a single switch converts it from fighter to strike mode. During Operation Desert Storm, the F/A-18 proved that, on a single mission, one aircraft could serve as both fighter and a bomber.