Information courtesy of "Sky Hawk" at http://www.skyhawk.org/ and http://en.wikipedia.org
VFA-86 VFA-86 is a US Navy Strike Fighter squadron based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Known as the "SideWinders" they fall under the command of Carrier Air Wing Eleven.
Their call sign is 'Winder' and the tail code is NH. The squadron flies the F/A-18C Hornet
Mission
To conduct prompt and sustained combat operations in support of the National Command Authority.
 - Reserve Fighter Squadron 921 (VF-921) was called to active duty from NAS St Louis on 01 Feb 1951 for the Korean War, flying th F4U Corsair. - On 04 Feb 1953, the Sqn was redesignated as VF-84 while deployed at Guantanomo Bay - Current Sqn insignia and current 'sidewinder' name were adopted in April 1954. - 01 Jul 1955 - Sqn was redisgnated as VA-86 - 01 Jul 1965 - Sqn conducted its first missions, flying from Independence against targets in South Vietnam. - Sqn transitioned to A-7E in 1974 and was deployed off USS Nimitz (CVN-68) - 15 July 1987, VA-86 was officially redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 86 (VFA-86) and began flying the F/A-18 Hornet. They were the first East Coast sqn to receive the C Model (lot 10)  |  Formed in February 1, 1951
Type of Sqn Fighter/Attack
Role of Sqn Close Air Support, Air Interdiction, Aerial Reconnaissance
Garrison/HQ MCAS Beaufort
Nickname SideWinders
Tail Code AB
Engagements Vietnam War Operation Linebacker Operation Linebacker II Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom
Aircraft Flown (Attack Aircraft) A4D-1 Skyhawk A-7A Corsair II
Aircraft Flown (Attack Aircraft) F8F-2 Bearcat F9F-5 Panther F7U-3M Cutlass F/A-18 Hornet |
Home Ports
Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location
Prior to 1951 - - - - - - Naval Air Station St. Louis as a reserve squadron.
March 28, 1951- - - - - - Naval Air Station Jacksonville
June 11, 1952 - - - - - - Naval Air Station Oceana
March 15, 1966- - - - - - Naval Air Station Cecil Field
Air Wings
Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
April 9, 1951- - - - - - - - E - - - - - - CVG-8
July 1955- - - - - - - - - - I - - - - - - ATG-181
July 1957 - - - - - - - - - AM - - - - - - ATG-181
January 15, 1958- - - - - - AG - - - - - - CVG-7
December 20, 1963 - - - - - AG - - - - - - CVW-7
October 16, 1967- - - - - - AE - - - - - - CVW-6
1969- - - - - - - - - - - - NL - - - - - - CVW-15
July 1, 1970 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - COMFAIRJACKSONVILLE
January 1971- - - - - - - - AJ - - - - - - CVW-8
September 1, 1987- - - - - - - - - - - - - COMLATWING 1
1988- - - - - - - - - - - - AB - - - - - - CVW-1
Deployments
Departure & Return - Air Wing - Carrier - Aircraft - - Area of Operations
11-28-51 to 06-11-52 - CVG-8 - CV 40 - F4U-4 - Mediterranean
06-11-53 to 07-21-53 - None- - CV 36 - F9F-5 - NorLant
09-28-54 to 04-22-55 - CVG-8 - CVA039 - F9F-5 - Mediterranean
09-02-58 to 03-12-59 - CVG-7 - CVA 15 - A4D-2- Mediterranean
08-04-60 to 03 ? -61 - CVG-7 - CVA 62 - A4D-2- Mediterranean
04-19-62 to 08-27-62 - CVG-7 - CVA 62 - A4D-2- Mediterranean
08-06-63 to 03-04-64 - CVG-7 - CVA 62 - A-4C - Mediterranean
09-08-64 to 11-05-64 - CVW-7 - CVA 62 - A-4E - NorLant/Mediterranean
05-10-65 to 12-13-65 - CVW-7 - CVA 62 - A-4E - WestPac/Vietnam
06-13-66 to 02-01-67 - CVW-7 - CVA 62 - A-4E - Mediterranean
04-10-68 to 12-16-68 - CVW-6 - CVA 66 - A-7A - World Cruise/ Vietnam
09-23-69 to 07-01-70 - CVW-15- CVA 43 - A-7A - WestPac/Vietnam
07-06-71 to 12-16-71 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7E - Mediterranean
06-05-72 to 03-24-73 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7C - WestPac/Vietnam
01-03-74 to 08-03-74 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7C - Mediterranean
09-06-74 to 10-12-74 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7C - NorLant
07-16-75 to 09-24-75 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Carib/NorLant
07-07-76 to 02-07-77 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean
12-01-77 to 07-20-78 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean/NorLant
09-10-79 to 05-26-80 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean/SoLant/IO
08-29-80 to 11-17-80 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - NorLant
08-03-81 to 02-12-82 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean
11-10-82 to 05-20-83 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Carib/Mediterranean
03-08-85 to 10-04-85 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Carib/Mediterranean
08-15-86 to 10-16-86 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - NorLant
12-30-86 to 07-26-87 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Med/SoLant/West Coast
02-08-89 to 04-03-89 - CVW-1 - CV 66 - F/A-18C Carib/NorLant
05-11-89 to 11-10-89 - CVW-1 - CV 66 - F/A-18C Mediterranean/IO
12-28-90 to 04-18-91 - CVW-1 - CV 66 - F/A-18C Mediterranean/RedSea/Persian Gulf
Aircraft
Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:
February 1951 - - - - - - - - - - - F4U-4 Vought Corsair I
June 18,1952- - - - - - - - - - - - F8F-2 Grmman Bearcat
September 1952 - - - - -- - - - - - F9F-5 Grumman Panther*
June 1955 - - - - - - - - - - - - - F7U-3M Vought Cutlass
May 26,1957 - - - - - - - - - - - - A4D-1 (A-4A) Dogulas Skyhawk
December 24,1957- - - - - - - - - - A4D-2 (A-4B) Dogulas Skyhawk
September 1962 - - - - - - - -- - - A4D-2N (A-4C) Dogulas Skyhawk
April 28, 1964- - - - - - - - - - - A-4E Dogulas Skyhawk
February 1967 - - - - - - - - - - - A-7A Vought Corsair II
October 1, 1970 - - - - - - - - - - A-7E Vought Corsair II
April 1972- - - - - - - - - - - - - A-7C Vought Corsair II
November 14, 1974 - - - - - - - - - A-7E Vought Corsair II
November 18, 1987 - - - - - - - - - F/A-18C Boeing Hornet
* The F9F through the F9F-5 Panther have straight wings;
The F9F-6 through the F9F-8 Cougar have swept wings.
