Richmond Times-Dispatch
NORFOLK - A Navy F/A-18A Hornet fighter, “some assembly required,” is for sale on the online auction house eBay.
The price for the jet, which formerly belonged to the Navy’s Blue Angels aerial-demonstration team, is just over $1 million, or about $9 million for a buyer who wants it assembled, painted and certified ready-to-fly.
“Complete with extras including bomb racks, drop tanks and pylons,” the eBay offering notes.
Normally, the Navy either mothballs a jet after it is no longer deemed usable or leases worn-out models to museums. Only rarely can a surplus jet be sold to a third party, a Navy spokesman said last week.
There are also policies against reselling them or shipping them out of the country. The Navy’s official position is that it is aware of the auction and is looking into the matter.
The FBI came out to visit Landa after he put the jet up for bidding.
“They wanted to have the scoop on it,” he said.
Landa said the owner has offered the government an opportunity to buy the jet back.
Last week, the Hornet was briefly listed as sold to someone who agreed to the Buy-It-Now price of $1,075,000.
That pulled the jet temporarily off eBay. But Landa said he knew immediately it was a phony bid.
“Anybody who doesn’t call you when bidding a million dollars” is not a serious bidder, he said.
Landa makes his living selling cell-phone towers and other communications equipment. He has brokered aircraft for 20 years to support his own flying hobby. He said he is also in the process of selling an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter and Russian MiG- 29s. But the Hornet will be unique.
“They can say it’s a former Blue Angel,” he said. “The only one in existence. Probably the only one that ever will be.”