Strana 30
F/A-18C, BuNo. 165208, VFA-131, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), August 2012
F/A-18C, BuNo. 164673, CONA, VFC-12, Naval Station Oceana, February 2011
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.
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.
KITS 06/2026
INFO Eduard30
June 2026