#1661 VMFAT-101 Hornet print
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No 1661 - 164903 '101, F/A-18C Hornet, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron101, MAG-13, MCAS Miramar, California.
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) was commissioned at MCAS El Toro, CA on 3 January 1969 as part of the Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron trained Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers in the employment of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. VMFAT-101 flew its first training sortie on 20 February 1969, and completed its first class of fighter aircrew by August of that year. During the summer of 1970, VMFAT-101 relocated to MCAS Yuma, AZ. In 1972, the Sharpshooters earned their first CNO Aviation Safety Award for excellence in aviation safety after compiling over 18,300 mishap free flight hours. In July 1974, VMFAT-101 absorbed the assets of VMFAT-201 from MCAS Cherry Point, NC and became the largest fixed wing tactical jet squadron and the sole remaining F-4 training squadron in the Marine Corps. The Sharpshooters earned the 1976 CNO Aviation Safety Award, as well as the CG Fleet Marine Forces Pacific Aviation Safety Award in 1978 and 1979, while it amassed over 30,000 mishap free flight hours. The Sharpshooters continued to train aircrew in the venerable Phantom II and in 1983 earned the coveted MCAA Robert M. Hanson Award as the finest fighter squadron in Marine Aviation. On 20 May 1987, VMFAT-101 trained its last F-4 replacement aircrew, and in July the squadron flew its remaining 10 F-4 aircraft to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for permanent storage. During the 18 years that VMFAT-101 flew the Phantom, the Sharpshooters amassed over 125,000 flight hours training Marine and Navy aircrew for the fleet. On 29 September 1987, VMFAT-101 returned to MCAS El Toro to prepare for duty as the third F/A-18 fleet replacement squadron (FRS). On 31 March 1988, MCCRTG-10 deactivated and VMFAT-101 joined Marine Aircraft Group 11. By October of that year, the Sharpshooters owned 21 F/A-18s, trained 25 qualified instructor pilots, and were ready to begin training new Hornet pilots. By May 1989, VFMAT-101 graduated 23 new F/A-18 pilots and had accumulated over 11,000 mishap free Hornet flight hours. On 10 January 1990, VMFAT-101 accepted its first two seat F/A-18D night attack Hornets, and began training aircrew for the transition of the Marine Corps’ A-6E Intruder squadrons into the Hornet. On 1 October 1998, following a BRAC directed change of duty station, VMFAT-101 moved to MCAS Miramar, CA. Currently, the Sharpshooters utilize the F/A-18C and D with aircraft ranging from LotXII to LotXXI. The Sharpshooters train around MCAS Miramar for all phases of the Replacement Aircrew syllabus. In July 2019, VMFAT-101 executed their last carrier qualifying (CQ) detachment aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN 68). VMFAT-101 is the largest aircraft squadron in the Marine Corps and is composed of nearly 600 Marines and Sailors. For over 50 years, VMFAT-101 has been entrusted with the mission of shaping the future of Naval Aviation. Each year, VMFAT-101 qualifies combat aviators in the F/A-18 and sends them on to operational squadrons around the world.
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