VFA-2 Bounty Hunters F/A-18F Model

VFA-2 Bounty Hunters F/A-18F  Model A beautifully carved 18 inch solid wood F/A-18F of the VFA-2 Bounty Hunters! Each model is carefully carved by master craftsmen and then meticulously painted to give a perfect piece of art! Length - 18 inches Made from Mahogany US Veteran Owned Business The product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger. The First Fighting Two By the mid-point of 1921, the Fleet Air Squadrons had been reorganized, providing an aviation force for each fleet with the squadron as the basis. The Air Squadrons, Pacific Fleet, were Spotting Squadrons Four and Three, Combat Squadrons Four (established on 23 September 1921) and Three, and Seaplane Patrol Squadron One. The USS AROOSTOOK was the flagship and tender for the Air Squadrons. The Commanding Officer of Combat Squadron Four was LCDR William Masek. It is believed that Spotting Four and Three, Combat Four and Three, and Seaplane Patrol One were the first formally organized and numbered fleet squadrons to be home-based at Naval Air Station San Diego. From the date the Air Squadrons, Pacific Fleet, were formed at the end of 1919 to the mid-1921 period, aviation units were identified simply as "shipplane," "landplane," and "seaplane" squadrons.   A name that was to stick for many years was assigned the North Island based squadrons in June 1922: "Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet." They had previously been named "Air Detachment, Pacific Fleet," "Air Forces, Pacific Fleet," and finally "Air Squadrons, Pacific Fleet." A reorganization was underway at mid-year to merge the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets into the U.S. Fleet. The Atlantic-based squadrons were renamed "Aircraft Squadrons, Scouting Fleet." Later that year, the squadron numbers were changed so that all squadrons were numbered serially by class in the order where they were initially authorized. The use of letter abbreviations to indicate mission was also adopted: "F" - Fighting; "O" - Observation; "T" - Torpedo Bombing; "B" - Bombing; etc. "V" meant Heavier-than-Air. Thus; "VF" would indicate "Fighting Squadron, Heavier-than-Air." Combat Squadron Four was officially re-designated Fighting Squadron Two on the 1 July 1922. Fighting Two was equipped with the Vought VE-7SF biplane. The c ollier USS JUPITER was converted to the carrier USS LANGLEY (CV-1), the first aircraft carrier operated by the United States Navy, and was commissioned at Norfolk on 20 March 1922. In July, Congress authorized conversion of the unfinished battle cruisers LEXINGTON and SARATOGA to aircraft carriers. Thus, before the Battle Fleet Squadrons were to see the first carrier, two more were on the way. As the year wore on, North Islanders, including VF-2, followed the LANGLEY story with intense interest, as it was known the carrier would ultimately be assigned to San Diego. On 17 October 1922, the first carrier takeoff was made from the LANGLEY. The pilot was Lieutenant V. C. Griffin in a Vought VE-7SF. The first landing on the LANGLEY was made 26 October 1922. A year later, still waiting for the LANGLEY, possibly the shortest takeoff on record was scored by one of four planes of Fighting Squadron Two, when the four were en route to San Francisco 15 October 1923. They were forced to land for fuel in a high wind and sand storm at Mojave, California. The planes landed successfully but, in taking off into the wind, one of the VE-7s was in the air within 6 feet of the starting point. Fleet maneuvers in southern Californian waters were the big story at North Island as 1923 ended. Both Fleets and the Army were to participate. North Island based squadrons VO-1, VO-2, VF-2 and VT-2 took part. On 30 November 1924, USS LANGLEY, called the "Covered Wagon," was moored at the North Island dock for the first time. This date marks the beginning of her service with Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet. Fighting Two was the first squadron trained to operate as a squadron from LANGLEY. During the closing days of 1924 and early 1925, the p