Hobby Master 1:72 Air Power Series Die-cast Model

McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18A Hornet – N850NA / BuNo 161703, NASA, Edwards AFB, California, 2005

1:72 Scale.  Length: 9.25".  Wingspan: 6.25"


Limited production of approximately 700 models

Three F/A-18 Hornets were acquired from the USN by NASA between 1984 and 1991 of which one was a two-seater. One of the single-seats was F/A-18A Hornet #161703, c/n 48/A037, that was delivered to the USN and was flown by the Pacific Missile Test Center (PMTC-60) located at Point Mugu, CA. When it transferred to NASA it was registered as N850NA. The single-seat F/A-18 acted as a chase plane along with the camera equipped N852NA but N850NA was only used for an extra pair of eyes.

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, twin-engine, all-weather fighter and attack aircraft flown by the US Navy, US Marine Corps and other allied nations. The F/A-18 was first flown on November 18, 1978 with the first production flight taking place on April 12, 1980. The first 380 F/A-18s were the A version and in September 1987 production switched to the F/A-18C. Variants A and C are single-seat while B and D variants are tandem-seats. The Hornet can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases and have the capability of in-flight refueling. A total of 1,480 A-D variants were built.


Hobby Master is a manufacturer of high quality, pre-assembled, die-cast display models. Every model is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using specifications of the original aircraft or vehicle. They are made with diecast metal and some plastic components.

This model of an F/A-18 Hornet features: