We’ve seen what the Navy’s west coast Hornet squadrons have offered up for their video this year – it was stunning work and set the bar high. However, not to be outdone by their longitudinally challenged brethren out west, Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic (SWFL) now has their very own 2015 video honoring the Hornet/Super Hornet squadrons at NAS Oceana. Home to sixteen operational squadrons that take their talents on world tours on a regular basis, Oceana is also home to the east coast F-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-106.
The “Gladiators” were the host squadron for this year’s Strike Fighter Ball, and are well represented in this year’s video, and the squadron’s airshow demonstration team also made the cut with several clips of their hometown Virginia Beach performances. This year’s east coast Strike Fighter Ball, 2015 edition is also chocked full of all the goodies we’ve come to expect with the SFB vids: low level flying, dropping bombs, and a healthy dose of vapor we all know the Hornet is known for creating. Keep an eye out for the lightning sequence – just stunningly beautiful! There’s also a bit of 360° camera work in this video, similar to this cool Super Hornet low-level video from a few months back.
2 F/A-18Es from VFA-81 “Sunliners” depart NAS Oceana. The Sunliners are attached to CVW-17 and recently deployed aboard the USS Carl Vinson, returning home in June 2015 (photo by Jonathan Derden)
With Air Wing 1 (VFA-11, VFA-211, and VFA-136) having just returned home from a lengthy, around-the-world cruise, and CVW-7 just getting their feet wet (so to speak…and we wish them all the best!) on their deployment, we should be seeing a lot more great footage in the next Strike Fighter Ball video.
Enlarge the video to full screen, crank the volume…and get after it!
(Featured Photo by Jonathan Derden)