The Museum's F/A-18C "Hornet", BuNo 163435, has a long service history. It rolled out of the St. Louis McDonnell Douglas facility in 1987 and was transferred to the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 82 (nicknamed the "Marauders") based at NAS Cecil Field, FL. From 1990 through spring 1991 the aircraft was deployed aboard USS America while it performed combat operations supporting Operation Desert Storm. Later, it served in VFA 81 (the "Sunliners"), based at NAS Oceana, VA. In June 2006 the Navy transferred the veteran aircraft to the Blue Angels.