VFA-106 Unveils Special VFA-15 Paint Scheme For 2017 F/A-18C Hornet Demonstrations

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F/A-18C Hornet Demonstration In VFA-15 Commemorative Paint Scheme

The U.S. Navy’s East Coast TAC Demo squadron, VFA-106 Gladiators, recently introduced a commemorative paint scheme for their F/A-18C “Legacy Hornet” demo jet. The new paint scheme celebrates the legacy of VFA-15 Valions, which is scheduled to formally deactivate on May 31, 2017. The demo jet markings are representative of VA-15 while flying A-7E Corsair IIs during the 1970s. VA-15 transitioned to F/A-18s in January of 1987 and was subsequently re-designated VFA-15.

F/A-18C Hornet Demonstration In VFA-15 Commemorative Paint SchemeF/A-18C Hornet Demonstration In VFA-15 Commemorative Paint Scheme

The jet made its public debut March 10-12 at the Tico Warbird Airshow held annually at the Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Florida. The event was the team’s first of the 2017 airshow season. Lt. Scott “MacGruber” Lindahl piloted the jet for all three demonstrations of the weekend, much to the surprise and delight of the crowd. Overall, the jet was very well received and was the subject of much discussion due to the jet’s retro 1970s paint scheme.

The jet is a fitting tribute to the men and women currently serving in VFA-15, and provides honor and respect for all who served the mighty Valions during the squadron’s storied 75 year history.

– Shawn Yost

EDIT: Our comments include some credit for the paint scheme:
All of us in the VFA-15 Corrosion Workcenter painted the jet that paint scheme, the original A/C Modex was 301. The night before it came out from the paint hangar there onboard NAS OCEANA & was on display at my Navy Retirement Ceremony on Nov. 18, [2016]. I was the LPO for 12C Work Center & all my guys did a Fantastic JOB painting the jet. I like to give them the credit & they are as follows: Jared Paul Bowen, Yisus Vlzqz, Wayne Ragas, Jordan Soltis, Huy G Tran, Sean Collins, Narciso Diaz & Brent Fore

SEE ALSO: 2017 US Navy F-18 Hornet And Super Hornet Demo Team Schedules Released

F/A-18C Hornet Demonstration In VFA-15 Commemorative Paint Scheme

16 Responses

  1. Jesus

    Me and my crew painted that bird, sadly they didnt give us any credit…

    • RyanS

      We haven’t seen any details on who painted it or where. Send us some info and we can update it!

      • Raunel Vences

        …All of us in the VFA-15 Corrosion Workcenter painted the jet that paint scheme, the night before it came out from the paint hangar there in NAS OCEANA & was on display at my Navy Retirement Ceremony on Nov. 18, 2017…

      • Raunel Vences

        …All of us in the VFA-15 Corrosion Workcenter painted the jet that paint scheme, the original A/C Modex was 301. The night before it came out from the paint hangar there onboard NAS OCEANA & was on display at my Navy Retirement Ceremony on Nov. 18, 2017. I was the LPO for 12C Work Center & all my guys did a Fantastic JOB painting the jet. I like to give them the credit & they are as follows: Jared Paul Bowen, Yisus Vlzqz, Wayne Ragas, Jordan Soltis, Huy G Tran, Sean Collins, Narciso Diaz & Brent Fore…⚓…

  2. Strobe

    November 18, 2017, huh? They haven’t given you credit yet because you haven’t painted it yet.

  3. NAVAIR historian

    Poor reporting – VFA-15 jet, painted by VFA-15 but thankfully chopped to VFA-106 and kept in the scheme for the show season. The “1970s” scheme is actually “1980s-esque”, the Hornet not having entered service until that decade.

  4. Gregg

    Do Legacy Hornet’s have Flux Capacitors ?

    Beautiful scheme and work folks!

  5. Jesus Velazquez

    He had a Typo, AM1 Raunel
    Vences retirement ceremony was on Nov 18, 2016. The guys who painted this jet are:AM1 Jared Bowen, AM2 Huy Tran, AM3 Sean Collins, AM3 Jesus Velazquez(Me), AE3 Wayne Ragas and AO3 Jordan Soltis. We painted and designed this bird from scratch, even the lion on the Vertical Stab was free handed by AM2 Tran. The jet was painted by us while beign on VFA-15, the jet Modex was 301 representing our 2nd show bird, it transfered to VFA-106 because the congress is shutting us down. VFA-106 did not painted this jet, it belong to them now.

    • Kyle

      Are you able to tell me the paint color codes of the F-18? I’m restoring an old truck and want to paint it that color.

  6. Huy Tran

    Hi Shawn,

    These are really awesome photos. As a member of the paint crew I really appreciate your art and your support for this aircraft.

    If it is not too much to ask, would you approve of me using one of your pictures for my LinkedIn background? No edit will be made to the photo posted. I just really miss the aircraft 🙂

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