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Navy Jet eBayed - Some Assembly Required?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the cash-on-delivery dept.

madmancarman writes "The world's only F/A-18 Hornet in private ownership, formerly a Navy Blue Angel Jet, is for sale on eBay. The initial asking price? $1 million unassembled, or $9 million assembled and certified airworthy 'with your choice of paint' - more info is available via a Yahoo News story. I wonder how much it would cost to fully arm it? The same person selling the F/A-18 is also selling a 1950's T-33, and claims they'll soon be auctioning off an F-16 and a Mig-29 as well. Build your own air force for fun and profit!"

5 of 704 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Assembly AND Military Experience Required by B3ryllium · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You can acquire a private island for less than $9 million. A fair bit less.

  2. Government oversight? by warlockgs · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Interesting. Are there any sort of government oversights as to how these can be sold and to whom? I would hate for some wack-job with money to get a hold of one of these, get some armament via the black market, and use it to do something regrettable.

  3. Re:If you have the cash...buy it assembled by paganizer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Hmm.
    I'm an ex-navy fire control & Avionics tech for this bird (lot 12 being the last one I worked on).
    What say we see who buys it and offer ourselves as ground crew? I've got a friend who's a BB stacker, just need a power guy...
    Assuming, of course, that it has the AN/APG-65 radar/avionics package still onboard; thats what I can't see the Navy willing to let fall into private hands, but I also can't see the bird flying without it, it's fairly integrated.

    --
    Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
  4. 9 million seems expensive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    After the breakup of the Soviet bloc you could pick up migs for salvage or scrap from abandoned bases in Eastern Europe and East Germany. These went for thousands or mere hundreds of dollars rather than millions, and many were fully working units. Most were bought up for scap and stripped down for titanium and other resources. Many however just 'disappeared'.

    Look at some figures for the armaments in East Europe pre 1989, and then see if you can find any stories which account for what happened to all that military gear. You may be slightly worried.

  5. think it 's a scam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I knew the rohntowers.com sounded familiar... The guy (Micheal Landa) has an alleged checkered past: http://www.bishoptower.com/landa/