30th Anniversary of F/A-18 E1 Super Hornet First Flight at National Museum of Transportation

ST. LOUIS - Aug. 4, 2025 - PRLog -- The National Museum of Transportation celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the first flight of the first F/A-18 Super Hornet ever built - E1, with a series of events planned this fall.

On October 15, CAPT Kevin "Proton" McLaughlin, USN Retired, former Commander of TOPGUN, technical advisor to the movie Top Gun: Maverick, and lead pilot in the largest ever 21-aircraft missing man flyover at the George H.W. Bush's funeral, will speak at the Museum at 7 pm.  The fee is $30 and advanced reservations are required at tnmot.org

A 'Legacy Letters' exhibit will open on October 22.  Individuals that work or have worked on the F18 are invited to send their thoughts on being part of the production of this iconic aircraft to museum@tnmot.org SUBJECT: LEGACY LETTERS.  Letters should be 700 words or less.

Activities include book signings, pilot panels, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing Days at The National Museum of Transportation and many other events.  Please visit tnmot.org for complete information.

The F/A-18 E1, the first Super Hornet ever built, is a U.S. navy carrier-based supersonic fighter jet.  It was designed as an upgrade to the earlier F/A-18 Hornet, offering improved capabilities in range, payload, and endurance.  E1 was first flown on November 29, 1995, leaving from St. Louis, Missouri.

The F/A-18 E1 SUPER Hornet is currently on exhibit at The National Museum of Transportation on loan courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum on behalf of the Navy History and Heritage Command.

The National Museum of Transportation, 2933 Barrett Station Road, St. Louis, MO, is a 501(c)(3) organization relying on the generosity of the community to continue preserving the past for the next generations.  The Museum receives no governmental funding.  The Museum is recognized as having 'one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the Country,' according to representatives from the Smithsonian Institution.   For the past two years, The National Museum of Transportation has proudly ranked in the top five in the USA Today Readers' Choice Poll for Best Open-Air Museum in the Country.

https://tnmot.org/