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.
F/A-18A Hornet A21-39 was ordered by the RAAF in late 1981 and delivered in late 1988 and went into service with 3 Squadron. Eventually the aircraft was transferred to 77 Squadron at the RAAF base in Williamtown, NSW. In 2020 this aircraft was given a special paint scheme consisting of a dark green spine and tail with “1985-2020 33 Years Hornet” painted in white on the tail. The inside surface of the tails had an oriental lion image, the same as on the 77 Squadron crest.
