F/A-18A+ 1/72 Die Cast Model, VMFA-333 "The Shamrocks", late 1980s, by Hobby Master F/A-18A+ 1/72 Die Cast Model, VMFA-333 "The Shamrocks", late 1980s, by Hobby Master HA3519

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic twin engine all-weather night fighter and attack aircraft. The F/A-18s first flew in November 1978 and the first production flight on April 12, 1980. The first 380 aircraft were F/A-18As and in September 1987 production switched to the F/A-18C. Variants A and C are single-seat aircraft while B and D are tandem- seats. The Hornet can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases with the capability of in flight refueling. A total of 1,480 A-D variants were built. VMFA-333 "Fighting Shamrocks" or "Trip Trey" (333) originally formed on August 1, 1943 and fought in WWII until being de-activated on November 1, 1945. On August 1, 1952 the squadron was re-activated and went on to fight in Vietnam and "Operation Desert Storm". In October 1987 VMFA-333 upgraded from their F-4 Phantom IIs to the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The "Fighting Shamrock" F/A-18s wear three very distinctive shamrocks painted on their vertical stabilizers. On March 31, 1992 the Trip Trey was once again de-activated.