Chippy Ho by Philip West  One of the most potent multi-mission fighters ever built, the rugged McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet has been a mainstay of the US Navy and Marine Corps during the last two decades.  Philip has made a classic study of an F/A-18C Hornet from VFA-195, tactical call sign Chippies, flying a fully armed mission exercise near Mount Fuji while detached to Kadena AB, Okinawa. The colourfully painted squadron CAG bird Chippy Ho, strikes a menacing pose, equipped with AGM-88 missiles, AIM-9L Sidewinders, drop-tanks and sensor pods.The F-18 demonstrated its effectiveness and versatility during the Gulf War when, on a strike mission and loaded with 2,000 lb bombs, two Hornets from VFA-81 dispatched two Iraqi MiG-21s with Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles, before continuing to complete their bombing mission.   Top Cover by Michael Rondot  With Top Cover, Michael Rondot portrays a pilot's eye view of the speed and excitement of modern high-tech aerial warfare. High over a panorama of broken clouds, a pair of F/A-18C Hornets from VFA-81 'Sunliners' dive onto a group of F-16s simulating an attack on a formation of  low flying A-7 Corsairs far below. The low-flying A7s are in deep trouble, having been bounced by the F-16s, and will evade as hard as they can to shake off their opponents. For the F/A18 Hornet pilots the priority id to kill the F16s before they can threaten the A7s. The fight's on!  You could easily be forgiven for believing that US Navy and Marine Corps aviators enjoy an unfair advantage in life. They fly the finest aircraft around, in the most demanding and exciting roles, and they get to practise their art in some of the most beautiful and exotic parts of the world, basking in the glamour and mystique of US Naval Aviation. the reality is more down to earth. Flying the F/A18 Hornet in both the air-defence and the ground attack role is hard, challenging work. Pilots from the attack community have to learn the skills of air-to-air fighting, and air defenders have to learn the art of putting bombs and bullets onto a pinpoint target from a first pass attack in bad weather. It is an uncompromising and unforgiving environment, with no room for bullshit. Hornet the Hunter by Michael Rondot  Military pilots do not easily heap praise on one another's aircraft, but when the object of their attention is the McDonnell F18 hornet, they really do talk in superlatives. Whether displaying its awesome maneuverability and firepower in the air-to-air combat role, or delivering a hefty war load with unerring accuracy in the ground attack role, this aircraft has few, if any, equals.  Hornet the Hunter is the 6th print in Michael Rondot's authoritative series of Gulf War paintings. set against a deep blue sky receding into the pink heat haze of the desert, a pair of Canadian Armed Forces CF18s head for the danger zone on a Combat Air Patrol mission. The aircraft are loaded for action with a full war load of AIM7 Sparrow and AIM9 Sidewinder missiles, in addition to their 20mm M61 cannon.  Each print is counter signed by operational aircrew from Desert Shield and Desert Storm.