F/A-18 A-F Hornet and Super Hornet

[Midnight Mover]

Really bad news: A USMC crashes into 3 San Diego homes, Pilot survived and is at Balboa Naval Hospital.

San Diego News Links below.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28115760

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Report-Plane-Crashes-Near-UTC.html

http://www.cbs8.com/stories/story.148319.html

http://www.10news.com/news/18229603/detail.html

This is indeed very bad for all involved

[NikonGuy]

Took this shot of this F/A 18 yesterday, Miramar.

[Midnight Mover]

Nice

[rander]

Here is something Few people get to see, any guesses what it is?

[Josh]

Here is something Few people get to see, any guesses what it is?

Looks like an intake to an F-18?

[rander]

Looks like an intake to an F-18?

Its a F/A-18 A-D model Center Barrel. The wings attach to it, The main landing gear trunnions are there, the fuel cell 2 and 3 bulkhead is there. Brand new ones do not have a single fastener hole drilled. That happens when the aft section is lazer aligned and mated in the fixture. Once the aft section is mated the lazer allignment of the forward section happens and more fastener holes are drilled.
A center Barrel change requires about 10and 1/2 monthes to complete and involves about 28,000 man hours. Most F/A-18 A-D aircraft will only get one Center Barrel change. The Fleet Readyness Center South West is the only place in the world that does this work. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are the only customers. Mostly because the services are the only operators to fly off aircraft carriers.  Aircraft in Foreign Military Service (FMS) usually will not need this change done.

[Josh]

Least I was partly right!

[WARBIRD KEITH]

Shots of VFA-143 Pukin Dogs  F/A-18E  #107 and VFA-83 Rampagers F/A-18C #305  taking off @ Nellis AFB 8-18-08 on a Air Warrior sortie

[WARBIRD KEITH]

Viking CAG Bird

[Midnight Mover]

Viking CAG Bird

Nice

[robin990]

A couple of training F-18Ds from today

[phantomphan1974]

Nice catch Skip!

[WARBIRD KEITH]

A couple of training F-18Ds from today

Nice catch!, Van Nuys?

[phantomphan1974]

Skip, can you see what the pilots name is?  I think its the guy I know that I met at Cable.  What tipped me off was the Marine squadron with NAVY on it.  The one closest to you.  Jay is his first name and last starts with a C.  Don't have access to my email for spelling.  If it is his jet I will send him the like to this.
He was one of the 2 pilots in Speed and Angels documentary. Website for film http://www.speedandangels.com/

[NikonGuy]

Cool, I that was a cool documentary.