re: #363 Pawn of the Oppressor

I agree with you - the F-18 show just isn’t the same. I have fond memories of the Skyhawks. Last year I visited the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. They have a display of the Blue Angels A-4s, three of which were used in the 1984 season (the last A-4 show I remember seeing). Seeing them on display was like seeing old friends again after thirty years. The last time I saw these planes, I was five and they were doing rolls and loops over my head:

Picture from the 2nd floor deck of the museum.

That said, the F/A-18 has proved a major upgrade as a fighter and attack aircraft over the Skyhawk, It’s greater range and heavier warload were things our carriers needed and if its not quite the dogfighter the A-4 was, its being able to use the AIM-120 AMRAAM means its less likely to need to get close.