CF-18s in Baden were 'pooled' assets. Aircraft were allocated to squadrons as needed. If an aircraft went 'hard-down' it was usually passed off to 1 AMS (Air Maintenance Squadron),
It often took a long drive to another dispersal to find your aircraft.
It would not be uncommon to deploy with aircraft carrying other squadron's markings and not your own.
Patrick is correct. The European weather was brutal on our Hornets. Especially the newer aircraft.
There was a definite difference in the thickness of the paint on later aircraft, I suppose MacAir was learning how little paint composites needed. The weave pattern was more discernable the younger the aircraft was.
As aircraft rotated from Canada it was shocking how much cleaner a 5 year older Hornet looked to a Baden bird. And it wasn't thru lack of proper washing either.
The search light was a rare option in Baden. It was mostly a grey blanking plate behind the plexiglass porthole.
When we first received the Hornet in Cold Lake we were not to refer to the aircraft as CF-18s nor as the Hornet, apparently not bilingual. Naturally every badge, patch, sticker, ballcap and t-shirt was blazoned with CF-18 Hornet Handler.
And for your modelling fun - I parked the 7th Hornet we received direct from St. Louis. They forgot to paint CANADA on one side of the aircraft
Dave