Some trivia I learned about this airframe: She was nearly lost due to a major hydraulic leak during RIMPAC 2004 aboard the USS Stennis. This account was given by a sailor that was on RIMPAC with the squadron. A member of a page I run was assigned to the Black Lions when this plane was with the Black Lions. She was modex 101 with the unit and wore the lion on her nose. He also states that she was the first Tomcat to fire her gun in combat. I am not sure how accurate that info is, but I am pretty positive about the hydraulic leak.