Blue Angels F/A-18A Hornet

Blue Angels F/A-18A HornetOur F A 18A Hornet, BuNo: 161973, boasts an illustrious history as a former Blue Angels aircraft. Serving as the #1 lead aircraft, it was piloted by Commander Pat Moneymaker during the 1990 season, and by Captain Greg Wooldridge in the 1991 1992 seasons. Subsequently, it served as the #5 Angel piloted by Ken Switzer in the 1993 season, before being retired in 1994. Captain Greg Wooldridge, the only three time Blue Angels Boss, reunites with his former

Our F/A-18A Hornet, BuNo: 161973, boasts an illustrious history as a former Blue Angels aircraft. Serving as the #1 lead aircraft, it was piloted by Commander Pat Moneymaker during the 1990 season, and by Captain Greg Wooldridge in the 1991-1992 seasons. Subsequently, it served as the #5 Angel piloted by Ken Switzer in the 1993 season, before being retired in 1994.

Captain Greg Wooldridge, the only three-time Blue Angels Boss, reunites with his former Blue Angels Hornet he flew in Moscow, Russia at our Saint Louis, MO storage lot.

Our BuNo: 161973 Leading the formation at an airshow. Credit: Ian Abbott

Our distinguished Blue Angel was involved in a midair collision with Blue Angel #2 (BuNo: 161524), piloted by Captain Chase Moseley on January 23, 1990, at NAS El Centro, California. Despite sustaining right wing damage, our aircraft BuNo: 161973 landed safely, while Blue Angel #2 crashed, with Captain Moseley successfully ejecting. Following a right-wing replacement, our Blue Angel resumed service and completed the 1990-1993 seasons.

In 1992, our F/A-18A Hornet undertook a European Tour, visiting the UK, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Sweden, Finland, and culminating in Moscow, Russia, after the fall of the Soviet Union. It was flown by Captain Gregory Wooldridge during this tour, which was marked by a historic performance with the Russian Knights demonstration team over Moscow, on September 5th, 1992, with 161973 as the #1 lead aircraft.

Our Blue Angel, bottom right, partial. Pictured in Moscow, Russia with the Russian Knights.

Our aircraft completed one more season in 1993, renumbered as the #5 Blue Angel and piloted by Captain Ken Switzer. It was decommissioned from service in 1994 and subsequently found its way into private hands.

In 2004, our F/A-18 made headlines when it appeared on eBay. In 2023 we rediscovered this aviation treasure in a state of disrepair, and immediately purchased it.

Our Blue Angel at our lot in St. Louis, MO. 

We had to sand down the gray primer that a previous owner sprayed on our Blue Angels Hornet and then had to buff the original paint back to its original luster. Most tags will retain the original blue gloss, but we have other interesting variants that showcase the light blue primer under the Blue Angels paint as well.

Panel close-up. Credit

We are currently restoring the cockpit and have artfully recycled parts of the fuselage for TransportTags. The legacy of arguably the most historic Blue Angels aircraft of all time will live on — not only with the cockpit being restored in the future, but also through Blue Angels TransportTags. These tags will be cherished by our collectors as unique pieces of aviation treasure that tell the tale of this storied aircraft, the pilots who flew it, and the places around the world it visited. (Please note that Transport Tags LLC is NOT an authorized or licensed distributor of the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy, or McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing Aircraft Company, and uses their name, markings, etc., for identification purposes ONLY in accordance with the Lanham Act).