Action!

Baby Hornet calls the ball... F/A-18C during a sunset landing at the BiG-E in the Persian Gulf

A clean Hornet near a war-zone, quite unique to see this one on board without bombs, missiles or targeting pod attached. The Enterprise was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom when this picture was made, and nearly all aircraft were loaded with weapons.

A F/A-18C Block 49 that was delivered to the US Navy in 1997. The pilot just took position in hiscockpit and is awaiting approval to activating the engines of the Hornet. The plane captain is just leaning against the nose cone.

Arriving at a carrier is always kind of hectic, all this cargo was off-loaded from a C-2A Greyhound (and a large Hornet engine part is not included in this picture...). On the right of the pile of cargo, you can identify my black photo camera backpack and accompanied with a brown travel bag, both on top of a metal box. But... the F/A-18C is of course more important in this picture. This Hornet started to fly with the Navy in the mid-nineties and was last noted (2020) operating within the USMC.

Maintenance on a baby Hornet in the huge hangar deck of the Enterprise.

Blasting away over the Persian Gulf after it cat shot from CVN-65 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Dancing Hornet with its suspensions to the max, one engine full afterburner (in case the aircraft misses its wire) and the number three wire connected to the hook!

CAG bird of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 86 Sidewinders seen during its landing on board the Big E.