F/A-18 HORNET - American Supersonic Twin Engine Combat Jet Made By McDonnell Douglas. HD Documentary

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-capable, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) and Northrop (now part of Northrop Grumman), the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations, and formerly, by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.
The F/A-18 was designed to be a highly versatile aircraft due to its avionics, cockpit displays, and excellent aerodynamic characteristics, with the ability to carry a wide variety of weapons. The aircraft can perform fighter escort, fleet air defense, suppression of enemy air defenses, air interdiction, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role.
The Hornet first saw combat action during the 1986 United States bombing of Libya and subsequently participated in the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War. The F/A-18 Hornet served as the baseline for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, its larger, evolutionary redesign.
The U.S. Navy started the Naval Fighter-Attack, Experimental (VFAX) program to procure a multirole aircraft to replace the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, the A-7 Corsair II, and the remaining McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs, and to complement the F-14 Tomcat. Vice Admiral Kent Lee, then head of Naval Air Systems Command, was the lead advocate for the VFAX against strong opposition from many Navy officers, including Vice Admiral William D. Houser, deputy chief of naval operations for air warfare - the highest-ranking naval aviator.
In August 1973, Congress mandated that the Navy pursue a lower-cost alternative to the F-14. Grumman proposed a stripped F-14 designated the F-14X, while McDonnell Douglas proposed a naval variant of the F-15, but both were nearly as expensive as the F-14. That summer, Secretary of Defense James R. Schlesinger ordered the Navy to evaluate the competitors in the Air Force's Lightweight Fighter (LWF) program, the General Dynamics YF-16 and Northrop YF-17. The Air Force competition specified a day fighter with no strike capability. In May 1974, the House Armed Services Committee redirected $34 million from the VFAX to a new program, the Navy Air Combat Fighter (NACF), intended to make maximum use of the technology developed for the LWF program.
The F/A-18 is a twin engine, midwing, multimission tactical aircraft. It is highly maneuverable, due to its good thrust-to-weight ratio, digital fly-by-wire control system, and leading-edge extensions, which allow the Hornet to remain controllable at high angles of attack. The trapezoidal wing has a 20-degree sweepback on the leading edge and a straight trailing edge. The wing has full-span, leading-edge flaps and the trailing edge has single-slotted flaps and ailerons over the entire span.
Canted vertical stabilizers are another distinguishing design element, one among several other such elements that enable the Hornet's excellent high angle of attack ability, including oversized horizontal stabilators, oversized trailing-edge flaps that operate as flaperons, large full-length leading-edge slats, and flight control computer programming that multiplies the movement of each control surface at low speeds and moves the vertical rudders inboard instead of simply left and right.
General characteristics
Crew: 1 (C)/2 (D - pilot and weapon systems officer)
Length: 56 ft 1 in (17.1 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 4 in (12.3 m) with AIM-9 Sidewinders on wingtip LAU-7 launchers
Width: 27 ft 7 in (8.4 m) wing folded
Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.7 m)
Wing area: 410 sq ft (38 m2)
Aspect ratio: 4
Airfoil: root:NACA 65A005 mod.; tip:NACA 65A003.5 mod.
Empty weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
Gross weight: 36,970 lb (16,769 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 51,900 lb (23,541 kg)
Fuel capacity: 10,860 pounds (4,930 kg) internally
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F404-GE-402 afterburning turbofan engines, 11,000 lbf (49 kN) thrust each dry, 17,750 lbf (79.0 kN) with afterburner
Performance
Maximum speed: 1,034 kn (1,190 mph, 1,915 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m)
Maximum speed: Mach 1.8
Cruise speed: 570 kn (660 mph, 1,060 km/h)
Range: 1,089 nmi (1,253 mi, 2,017 km)
Combat range: 400 nmi (460 mi, 740 km) air-air mission
Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km)
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
Wing loading: 93 lb/sq ft (450 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.96 (1.13 with loaded weight at 50% internal fuel)
#f18hornet #f18 #f18superhornet

[@Dronescapes]

Click the link to watch more aircraft, heroes, and their stories, and missions: www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes

[@chronosschiron]

whats the superhornet is it the same

[@chronosschiron]

never mind The Super Hornet is largely a new aircraft at about 20% larger, 7,000 lb (3,200 kg) heavier empty weight, and 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) heavier maximum weight than the original Hornet. The Super Hornet carries 33% more internal fuel, increasing mission range by 41% and endurance by 50% over the "Legacy" Hornet.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

I grew up loving the F-14, was like 15 when Top Gun came out, it’s always held a sweet spot for me. But the F-18 really is a bad ass aircraft and has had longevity way beyond the 14. It’ll be a sad day when all of these old warbirds are retired and all we have a F-35’s all over. Yea, I know all about the modern needs and capabilities the 35 brings, but it’s just not as slick and sexy as this generation of aircraft. Sorry to all you Fat Amy drivers, it’s just the way it is.

[@varnellhopkinsiii6863]

I felt the same about the f4 and all the rest of the Vietnam Era fighters, especially the 106.

[@hotlanta35]

F35 is too high maintenance, I think planes like the hornet is much better in many ways.

[@Duvstep910]

Interesting fact: if you remove the limiter (like the Canadian demo team does on their hornets) it can actually pull up to 10 Gs

[@airprok8328]

Did not know that! Cool fact. The block 3 will be a beast

[@c1ph3rpunk]

Ouch.

[@icecream_2987]

That’s gotta hard on the body/frame of the acft

[@Blackhawks87]

@@icecream_2987 Exactly why they have G limiters in our fighters. Otherwise you'll rip the airframe to shreds if your body can even handle 9+ Gs

[@S1lverspike]

That’s a great idea if you want to rip bolts and wings off. Even if they don’t come off the stress put on the aircraft greatly shortens it’s service life. The hornet is one of the best high aoa fighters out there and doesn’t really need to pull more than 7.5gs with the aim9x

[@jedibusiness789]

I was with first Hornet squadron VFA 125 Powerplant shop. Engine change in 20 minutes because unlike F4 and A7 the Hornet had an accessory mounted gearbox which held the generator, fuel pump, starter control valve and hydraulic pump and driven by a PTO shaft attached to the Engine gearbox. On the A7 and F4 those components were attached to the engine. Had a lot of issues with rubber bladder fuel tanks leaking but we’re resolve. Drop tanks were troublesome but Mac Air built a test rig that allowed us to test tanks and effect repairs. Usually it was the bleed air check valve. Folks need to understand in 1980 we were just starting to train pilots and technicians pushing them into the fleet. Cold War tempo was getting hot and we had the bird that became the backbone of Naval Aviation.

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you for your service M K

[@robertsmall8965]

Hey @jedibusiness789 , I was with VFA 125 Airframes, 83-86. I remember the pre-production birds we first received. Great aircraft!!!

[@stevencarr5635]

My father's cousin is a mechanic for the raaf base Edinburgh here in Australia and the fa/18 hornet,is still one of the best fighter jets that was ever made same as the tomcats f/15&f/16

[@airprok8328]

I love the hornet! Very underrated aircraft and the block 3 were getting soon, will be a beast

[@kellywilson8440]

I was stationed in the very first f-18 squadron on the east coast VFA-131 Wildcats out of NAS Cecil Field fla 1984/1988 , We were attached to CAG-13 onboard the USS Coral Sea and seen the first combat in Libya operation el-dorado canyon , Airlants first and finest sure miss those days good video !

[@xtrmonkey9421]

Best ever. Looks amazing.

[@timpeterson2738]

First jet I ever saw do a hovering stand, at Abbotsford B.C. in 1986 I think. 2 days before the airshow one of the Canadian F 18s came in on the appron slowly pulling his nose up with throttle cut, moved into a vertical stand and then he pivoted around 360 degrees, got some fine pictures!!!! He then throttled up, lowered his nose and slowly flew away. Their were some Russian pilots there one in a 29 and a 27 I think, might have been a 28, can't remember, but one of them talked to the canuck pilot and 1 day after the airshow ended ,he was working out how his bird could do the same stunt, crazy pilots out there.

[@samajier2566]

Amazing

[@lindseythaemert4053]

Military might not have officially said anything about the f-117 until 1988 but I knew about it in 1982 as a young high school student it was the worst kept secret I had ever seen

[@wjewell63]

Great post .,again..👍

[@Dronescapes]

thank you

[@martincalero7390]

For me, the Charlie Hornet is the best version and the top predator in the air.

[@sammcbride2464]

The US has some skills. I would not want to attack us.

[@kwgm8578]

FA-18. F is for Fighter. A is for Attack. Or, Air/Air and Air/Ground, and not Ground/Air.

[@sammcbride2464]

The hero of this story sounds like the F-117.

[@ZacVaper]

"Ground to Air"...Don't you mean Air to Ground?

[@f4tweet]

Probably the Growler version, wild weasel.

[@section8usmc53]

​@@f4tweet That makes no sense. You're never attacking from the ground to the air in an aircraft. Air to air. Air to ground. Reconnaissance. Electronic warfare. All done from the air, to an air or ground target.

[@ismailucar2608]

SAM. surface to air

[@ZacVaper]

@@ismailucar2608 Has nothing to do with this conversation.

[@markv6558]

Hey.... That's Peter Thomas (of Forensic Files) narrating this around 30ish minutes into the program... :)

[@Mako2-1]

Best fighter in dcs

[@timpeterson2738]

Big thing in Vietnam is there were no spy's able to transmit on the ground info to be used to target manufacturers locations within north Vietnam.

[@fishbike9103]

“Mikoyan MIG-29”: Was Mr. Gurevich made the victim of a purge or something?

[@avd1697]

Fun fact, Northrop makes the aft fuselage for the F-18 E/F/G

[@palanthis]

Very interesting. Thank you! (Thinking out loud here) I don't understand the production methodology used in docs like these. The script was clearly written by a non-native English speaker, while the narration was done by someone who is a native speaker. And yet the structural and grammatical errors are left in. That's never made sense to me. Like the narrator never said "Hey, this sentence is wrong, it should be ______". Anyway....

[@modelmickey]

Yeah, right from the start I was left wondering how an aircraft managed "ground to air attacks".

[@jeebusk]

Omg, the a stands for "ground to air attacks" ... ?

[@section8usmc53]

30 seconds in and you've already got it backwards? 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

1986 Ooeration Prairie Fire was the F18’s first combat mission in 1986. Followed by Operation El Dorado Canyon in 1986.

[@sammcbride2464]

Where is the mention of the B1-B? That supersonic bomber had some action in Iraq.

[@kcrossley01]

incorrect after 30 sec. your in a fighter. ground to air is not the A. its air to ground.... do the reseach

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Two tours with the F18. First with the A/B, second with the C/D. Aviation Ordnance in the Corps. If you don’t have ordnance, you’re just another unscheduled airliner. Awesome birds and now the E/F lives on, for now.

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Note on the C/D (probably the A/B as wel) When unable to carry centerline tank and instead carrying two wing tanks, the bird wanted to fly inverted. I know because I downed centerline capability on one of our birds for failure of the emergency jettison test. It took about a year before they found the issue (a misplaced pin in a cannon plug buried in the front wheel well) and they had to fly dual wing tanks and the pilots weren’t happy. A lot of pressure on me in the quality assurance shop to sign it off because “you’re wrong” but I was later vindicated when they found that miss placed pin. Kind of hard to send the signal when the wire isn’t a proper circuit.

[@slowneutron6163]

"It saved what is left of my dwindling dignity and relevancy................................no, wait, it didn't."-Tom Cruise

[@dne9394]

@@JackThelRipper they dont have 2 seat versions for filming. and, military less apt to let new tech stealth to be so closely filmed.

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

The F117 IS NOT properly assigned. It is a ground attack aircraft (this property the A117) but the Air Force wanted to call it a fighter because that’s sexier to military pilots.

[@harry5112]

Legacy Hornet video..SuperHornet thumbnail 🤔

[@cameronpickard7456]

they gave canada this not the f 15

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Not sure why this is titled F18.

[@sammcbride2464]

i still have the question....would you rather fly an F-`18 or an F-35? I am thinkking the F-18.

[@kralikkral5560]

Most underestimated jet - I would give it to Ukraine, if I would be US president. 100 F/A-18 to Ukraine and the Russians would leave Ukraine during 6 months.

[@4gegtyreeyuyeddffvyt]

Is this the jet that chased the imaginary tic tac ufo ?

[@DavidPigbody]

Imaginary?

[@Olly1775]

Kind of. That was a F/A-18 Super Hornet, which is an upgraded version of the F/A-18 legacy models. A,B,C,D are the legacy models and the E,F,G are Super Hornets.

[@wjewell63]

Again...great post...👍

[@wjewell63]

Woops wrong place...lol

[@BROKEN-PILOT]

Until you've personally witnessed or perhaps "interacted" with one, or maybe even with an extraterrestrial biological entity, you'll continue to be an inexperienced commenter, thereby lacking anything worth reading.