Hobby Master HA5101 1:72 F/A-18E "90th Anniversary Scheme"

Hobby Master HA5101 1:72 F/A-18E Super Hornet 16634, VFA-14 Tophatters "90th Anniversary Scheme" USS Nimitz, 2009.

The McDonnell Douglas Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet is a twin-engine multi-role carrier-based aircraft. The “E” variant is single-seater while the “F” variant is a tandem-seat configuration. The “E” is a much larger, more advanced and more capable variant of the F/A-18C. The Super variant can carry a larger array of weapons as well as more of them and is capable of returning to the carrier while still carrying unspent munitions, a big savings in dollars. The first F/A-18E flight was in 1995 and began delivery to the USN in 1999.

VFA-14 “Topphatters” call themselves the oldest and boldest and with good reason, they formed in 1919 making them the oldest active USN squadron. The squadron began aircraft-carrier service aboard the USS Langley. The original squadron name was adopted in 1927, the “High-Hatters” which was relevant for the day and supposed to mean the very best, elite. In 1942 the name was changed to “Tophatters”. In 2001 the squadron became VFA-14 instead of VF-14 and are based at NAS Lemoore, California. This scheme represents the 90th Anniversary of the squadron.