NASA's F/A-18D Chase Aircraft Gets a Facelift

[moonstone_laura]

This was several days ago but still worth a mention:

An F/A-18 aircraft received from the U.S. Navy in 2021 has been rejuvenated, had its NASA colors added, and is close to flight certification at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, in Edwards, California.

Thanks to the U.S. Air Force Corrosion Control Facility on Edwards Air Force Base, also known as the Paint Barn, the F/A-18D aircraft designated NASA 862 will join the center’s stable of aircraft with its new colors. NASA 862 is intended to track, or “chase,” the quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft and provide a platform for videographers and photographers to document flights.

Full Story:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-cha ... a-facelift

[Nighthawk237]

Interesting how the article suggests it (164058) is ex Pax River (maybe it was just for a short while) but actually appears to be ex VMFAT-101 (Miramar).

P.

[moonstone_laura]

Interesting how the article suggests it (164058) is ex Pax River (maybe it was just for a short while) but actually appears to be ex VMFAT-101 (Miramar).

P.

Yes, I think that might be a mistake in the official NASA release. Key Aero reports it as ex-USMC:

The dual-seat fighter (ex-USMC BuNo 164058 ‘SH-252’, now registered as N862NA ‘NASA 862’) was operated by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) ‘Sharpshooters’ at MCAS Miramar, California, until it was delivered to NASA in October 2021.

[747woody]

Interesting how the article suggests it (164058) is ex Pax River (maybe it was just for a short while) but actually appears to be ex VMFAT-101 (Miramar).

They do have an ex-Pax River jet but it's an F/A-18B: 161947/N867NA, it was at the Edwards airshow last year.

[Nighthawk237]

Yes. It's one I need to see as well and was aware I missed it by not going to Edwards :-(

Thank you

[Unknown74]

Is one of these the Twin Stick Hornet which appeared in the BBC Test Pilot Series from around 1987/ 1988?