Skip over navigation

McDonnell Douglas CF-188B

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is one of the great success stories of the American aerospace industry. This twin-engined supersonic fighter and attack aircraft can operate from both aircraft carriers and land bases. Developed primarily for use by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, it also serves in the air forces of seven other countries, from Canada to Australia, and from Finland to Malaysia.

Canada was the first foreign country to order F/A-18s with a contract for 138 CF-188s signed in April 1980. They were to replace three older aircraft of the Canadian Forces: the McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo all-weather fighter used to protect Canada’s air space, as well as the Canadair-built CF-104 Starfighter and CF-116 (CF-5) attack fighters dedicated to help NATO in Europe.

Museum Example

The Museum’s aircraft is the first CF-188, rolled out at the McDonnell Douglas factory in late July 1982. An acceptance ceremony took place in Ottawa in late October. It arrived at Cold Lake (Alberta) four days later and was assigned to 410 “Cougar” Squadron, the operational training unit for the CF-188. The aircraft landed at Rockcliffe on 18 October 2001, using a mobile arresting gear mechanism which allowed it to land on the rather short runway behind the main building.

Specifications

Wing Span:
11.4 m (37 ft 6 in)
Length:
17.1 m (56 ft)
Height:
4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Weight, Empty:
10,610 kg (23,400 lb)
Weight, Gross:
23,535 kg (51,900 lb)
Cruising Speed:
907 km/h (564 mph)
Max Speed:
1,915 km/h (1,190 mph)
Rate of Climb:
15,240 m (50,000 ft) /min
Combat Ceiling:
15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Range, with external tanks:
3,330 km (2,070 miles)
Power Plant:
two General Electric F404-GE-400 turbofans 7,255 kg (16,000 lb) thrust each with afterburner

Additional Photographs

The Canada Aviation Museum’s Image Bank contains additional photographs of this aircraft. Images are provided for non-commercial study or research purposes only and may not be reproduced or published without the prior consent of the Canada Aviation Museum.

Find out more about our Image bank here.