Markings for F/A-18C 1/48

COL A

F/A-18C, BuNo. 163508, Lt/Cdr. Mark Fox, CO of VFA-81 Sunliners, USS Saratoga (CV-60), Jan 1991

Mark Irby Fox was born on March 1, 1956, Abilene, Texas. He was commissioned in June 1978 upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy and designated naval aviator in March 1980. During his career, Fox deployed from both coasts in five fleet tours, flying the A-7E Corsair II and F/A-18 Hornet in over 100 combat and contingency missions off the coasts of Lebanon and Libya, and over the Balkans and Iraq. On January 17,1991, en route to bomb an Iraqui airfield, he scored the first Navy MiG kill of Operation Desert Storm.. He also led the opening strike of Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 21, 2003. During his career he progressed to the rank of Vice Admiral and served in many positions up to the Commander United States Naval Forces Central Command (CENTCOM). Fox retired from the navy in April 2016, and worked as Customer Affairs Vice President for Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest military shipbuilding company in the USA. 

COL B

F/A-18C, BuNo. 165403, Capt. Gregory Newkirk, CC of VFA-34 Blue Blasters, USS Carl Vinston (CVN-70), January 2018

Gregory Newkirk, a native of Medina, Ohio, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1993. He was designated a naval aviator in May 1996 and after he completed his training on F/A-18 in 1997, he joined the Blue Diamonds of VFA-146. He completed multiple deployments on board the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) during Operation Southern Watch against Iraq in 1992. Newkirk was ordered to VFA-122 in October 2000 as part of an initial cadre of instructor pilots for the new F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. He then reported to the Kestrels of VFA-137, already in the rank of Rear Admiral, later he was transitioned to VFA-122 Flying Eagles and instructor pilot and then to the Argonauts of VFA-147, where he served as its CO from December 2010. In 2012, Newkirk reported to the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. as part of the inaugural class of the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Management. In 2016 he reported to Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2) embarked on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) making two deployments to the Western Pacific. It is believed he was the pilot who lost his F/A-18E in a crash on April 21, 2017, when  the pilot was unable to maintain on-speed angle of attack due to a hydraulics malfunction. In April 2024, he took command of Task Force 70 and Carrier Strike Group 5, forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. Rear Admiral Newkirk has accumulated over 4000 flight hours, 1000 arrested landings on 10 aircraft carriers and has served as a Strike Lead in four Air Wings.

COL C

F/A-18C, BuNo. 165208, VFA-131, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), August 2012

Wildcats of VFA-131 were established at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, on October 3, 1983. The squadron received their first Hornets F/A-18A in May 1984. In January 1985, the squadron moved to Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida, becoming the Atlantic Fleet’s first F/A-18 squadron. In April 1986 the squadron participated in the Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libyian missile sites, when the F/A-18s were used in combat for the first time. In February 1998, the unit joined USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) for her maiden deployment, supporting Operation Southern Watch in Iraq. In February 2002, the squadron deployed to the North Arabian Sea to take part in Operation Enduring Freedom, flying combat sorties over Afghanistan and from January to July 2004, VFA-131 deployed aboard USS George Washington (CVN-73) in support of Operation Freedom. Between June and December 2016 the squadron deployed aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, flying combat missions in Iraq and Syria. On September 22, 2017, VFA-131 flew the F/A-18C Horntes for the last time at NAS Oceana, before transitioning to the Super Hornets. This aircraft sported the name of Capt. Terry S. Morris, who was at the time DCAG of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7. Morris later took command of CVW 7, leading it from 2012 to 2014. However, he was not a pilot and did not fly the Hornet. He was Naval Flight officer for E-2C Hawkeyes and as a young officer he bailed out from an E-2C which had caught a fire. When the crew was safe, this plane was shot down in order to avoid it reaching the populated area.

COL D

F/A-18C, BuNo. 164673, CONA, VFC-12, Naval Station Oceana, February 2011

The history of VFC-12 Fighting Omars started on October 6, 1943, when the Composite Squadron VC-12 was set and armed with F4F Wildcats and TBF Avengers, operating aboard USS Card (CVE-11) in Western Pacific. On June 7, 1945, the unit was disbanded. Three years later the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron VAW-2 was established, redesignated VC-12 on September 1, 1948. The unit operated TBM-3W Avengers, AF-2W Guardians and AD-5W Skyraiders. During the Korean War, a VC-12 detachment saw combat while operating from USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31). In July 1956 the unit was redesignated VAW-12 and disbanded on April 1, 1967. The current VFC-12 was established on September 1, 1973, at NAF Detroit, Michigan as the Navy’s first Reserve Fleet Composite Squadron with A-4 Skyhawks and dual seat TA-4Js under designation VC-12. The Squadron provided support services including air combat training for other US Navy air units. In 1975, VC-12 moved to its current home at NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, California. In June 1988, VC-12 was redesignated Fighter Squadron Composite Twelve (VFC-12). In 1994, the unit transitioned to the F/A-18A/B Hornets, in 2004 the As were upgraded to A+ standard and two years later they were changed for F/A-18Cs from VFA-87. In 2012 VFC-12 gave them back to VFA-87 and kept F/A-18A+ until 2021 when the Squadron converted to F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The Hornet depicted here was painted Sea Blue with additional white markings of the Hellcats operating in WW2 onboard USS Randolph (CV-15). The special colors were part of the Centennial of US Naval Aviation (CONA) in 2011.  

COL E

F/A-18C, BuNo. 165227, LtCol. Clayton D. Gard, CO of VMFA-312 Checkerboards, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, November 2022

Clayton Douglas Gard III comes from a military family as the third generation of men of this name serving in military. He graduated from Miami Southridge Senior High School in 1983 and received his Bachelor’s Degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1988. Gard’s military career is primarily associated with flying the F/A-18 Hornet. He was commander of VMFA-312 from December 2021 to June 2023. During his command, he led the squadron in major exercises in the Pacific, such as in Japan during Exercise Ryukyu Vice 23.1 at Kadena Air Base. On May 31, 2023, he flew his ceremonial final flight with VMFA-312 and, one day later, handed over command to Lt.Col. Matthew Gaede. In November 2024, he was officially promoted to the rank of colonel.

COL F

F/A-18C, BuNo. 1645405, LtCol. William T. Paxton, CO of VMFA-112 Cowboys, NAS/JRB Fort Worth, 2024

William Thomas Paxton hails from rural farm country in Berlin, Pennsylvania. He attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and reported to The Basic School in July of 2005. He was designated a naval aviator in July of 2008, and then reported to VFA-106 in Virginia Beach to learn to fly the F/A-18 in August of 2008. In July 2009, Paxton reported to MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, where he was assigned to VMFA-312 as part of CVW-3 in preparation for a deployment. In spring 2010, the Checkerboards deployed on the USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75) supporting coalition forces in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. He finished this tour in 2012 as the Pilot Training Officer, preparing the unit for a follow-on carrier deployment. In November 2013, Paxton returned from his service as Forward Air Controller to join VMFA- 251. The Thunderbolts embarked on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He took command of VMFA-112 in May 2024.

COL G

F/A-18C, BuNo. 165214, LtCol. Edmund B. Hipp, VFA-115 Silver Eagles, Iwakuni MCAS, Japan, February 2022

The predecessor to VFA-115, VMF-115 was organized on July 1, 1943 at Santa Barbara, California. Sixteen days later, the command was assumed by one of the Marine Corps’ most famous Aces, Major Joseph Foss, holder of the World War II Marine Corps record of twenty-six enemy aircraft shot down. The squadron quickly picked up the nickname Joe’s Jokers. In December 1949, VMF-115 became the first Marine Corps squadron to receive a full complement of Grumman F9F-2 Panther jet fighters and after a long spell with Skyrays, the unit was re-designated VMFA-115 on January 1, 1964, and transitioned to Phantoms II. After flying them for more than 20 years, VMFA-115 began the transition to the F/A-18A Hornet on January 1, 1985, and officially stood up with 14 aircraft on August 16, 1985. The following year, the squadron became officially known as the Silver Eagles. Nearing the end of 2001, the squadron obtained their first F/A-18A+ aircraft modification. VMFA-115’s achievements have highlighted the history of Marine Corps aviation as the squadron has seen extensive service in nearly every conflict in which Marines have fought.

COL H

F/A-18C, BuNo. 164709, VFA-146, Blue Diamonds, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), July 2014

The Attack Squadron 146 was set on February 1, 1956, as the Navy’s newest jet attack squadron. The squadron’s original nickname was the Blacktails, which was derived from its assigned color as the sixth squadron of the air group. VA-146 started with only a handful of F9F-8 Cougars and its first West Pac deployment began on January 21, 1957, as CVG-14, embarked in USS Hornet (CVA-12) and departed from San Diego. Upon the squadron’s return in July, the Blacktails began transitioning into the new FJ-4B Fury. In 1959, under Cdr. W. W. Alldredge, the squadron adopted the Blue Diamonds nickname. In December 1968, VA-146 was completely re-equipped with the A-7B Corsair II. In the spring of 1989, VA-146 was re-designated VFA-146 and transitioned to F/A-18C. The Blue Diamonds were the first fleet squadron to receive this new version of the Hornet. VFA-146 made its first deployment with the Hornet on USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 1991, arriving on station to participate in the last days of Operation Desert Storm. VFA-146 and Carrier Air Wing Eleven deployed on board USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in April 2013. They flew combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, additionally, the Diamonds participated in multinational exercises with South Korea, Japan, France, and Great Britain. On May 26, 2015, the Blue Diamonds achieved their qualification in the Super Hornet. Since then, the Blue Diamonds tested some of the new systems and capabilities of the Super Hornet, executing live missile shoots with CVW-11 during multiple detachments.