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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Northrop F-17 Cobra / F-18 Hornet
    Latest Model:F/A-18C-25-MC (Lot 10) Hornet
    Last Military Serial:163498 USN
    Construction Number:737/C053
    Compressed ID:McDD F/A-18C-25-MC (Lot 10) sn 1634...
    Latest Owner or Location:Captain Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial, Smyrna Municipal Airport, Smyrna, Tennessee

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a F/A-18C-25-MC (Lot 10) by McDonnell Douglas.

    24 August 1988

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 163498.

    By May 1989

    Transferred to Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81), NAS Oceana, VA.
    Operated with markings: AA-407

    From January 1991 to February 1991

    Deployed aboard USS Saratoga. Flew combat missions in support of Operation Desert Storm.

    By March 1999

    Transferred to Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115), NAS Lemoore, CA.
    Operated with markings: NK-212

    By November 2000

    Transferred to Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125), NAS Lemoore, CA.
    Operated with markings: NJ-367

    From By August 2003 to After March 2004

    Transferred to Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA-146), NAS Lemoore, CA.
    Operated with markings: NG-305

    By 2011

    Transferred to Navy Flight Demonstration Team (Blue Angels), NAS Pensacola, FL.
    Operated with markings: Blue Angels, 5

    From By June 2011 to After August 2011

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 2

    18 June 2011


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At Davenport, IA, flying through smoke left by previous act, and I am shooting into the sun.

    By November 2011

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 5

    From By March 2012 to After May 2012

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 2

    From By August 2012 to After November 2012

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 6

    From By March 2013 to After November 2014

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 1

    26 April 2014


    Photographer: Tom Tessier
    Notes: At NAS Fort Worth, TX Open House as Blue Angels #1.

    From By May 2015 to August 2015

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 6

    September 2015

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 4

    October 2015

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 3

    21 April 2016


    Photographer: Tom Tessier
    Notes: At NAS Fort Worth, TX. as Blue Angel #3.

    By September 2016

    Markings Applied: Blue Angels, 4

    30 May 2018

    To Captain Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial, Smyrna Municipal Airport, Smyrna, TN.
    Markings added: Blue Angels, 6
    Installed on this dated.
    View the Location Dossier

    7 June 2018

    Memorial dedicated, marked as aircraft Kuss was flying when crashed in 163455.


    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Print Sources
    Military Aircraft Serials of North America by S. Mitchell and A Eastwood

    Internet Sources
    Aerial Visuals - The Locator by Mike Henniger, Senior Editor
    AirFighters.com
    Airport Data
    Fighter Control
    Flicker
    Jet Photos
    Scramble of the Dutch Aviation Society
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher

    Individual Contributors
    Glenn Chatfield
    Mike Henniger

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