F/A-18F 166616 AG206 1/48 Hasegawa

[Stefan Buysse]

Hi,

 

Here's my Hasegawa F/A-18F that I started over 10 years ago, intending to build it as BuNo 166616 AG206, the tanker during VFA-103's first Super Hornet cruise.

 

I looked for some pictures today to confirm that the refueling pod at the time had the older type of turbine. The Wolfpack set has both styles of turbine.

Here's one I found:

166616 (cn F109) Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet Photo by Peter Boschert | AIRFIGHTERS.COM

 

I also discovered today that the aircraft was lost in 2013. Ironically for an aircraft that had served as a tanker, she ran into trouble while refueling over Afghanistan. The basket from a KC-135 broke off and got stuck on the refueling probe of 166616, making further refueling impossible and some debris caused damage to the starboard engine. A diversion to Oman was initiated, but they weren't going to make it with the fuel they had. Just before they reached the carrier, the port engine also quit. Both crewmembers ejected safely and were rescued. 

 

Cheers, Stefan.

[Wings unlevel]

Nice to know some history of your subject, and glad to hear the crew survived to fly another day!

 

Only today I was listening to the F-14 Tomcast podcast and one of the guests recounted a very similar story involving an F-14 he was the RIO in refuelling from a KC-10. Basket broke off, they got showered by fuel, and debris got ingested into one of the engines, which they lost. This time though they were able to land safely.