Does anyone have any info on US Navy/Marine aircraft from about 1988 to 1990? Particularly where they were based and the individual aircraft locations.
Chris Brown provided me the information on the U.S. Air Force several years ago. Any help would be appreciated.

For that time period, the 1st major change would be moving MCAS Miramar squadrons back up to MCAS El Toro. Marine A-6s getting replaced with F-18Ds and a handful of Marine Reserve A-4 squadrons till around.

For the USN, I can only add "Tomcats!".

Good morning,
I have work in-progress mods for this timeframe. I haven't done anything for the Intruders, but the Hornets and RF-4s and KC-130s are in action. Some of the hangars needed adjustment as well. I was hoping to eventually model more of the support buildings and warehouses.

Hopefully later I can share the aircraft files.

I am using P3Dv5

Depending on exactly what detail you are looking for, Wikipedia can be useful so long as you also look at the source references. Try a search for "US Navy (or Marine Corps) Aviation order of battle 1988" etc, and Wikipedia will return unit, base and a/c type allocation (and sometimes number of aircraft assigned).

If you want individual aircraft details i.e. which Bu number was where during specific time periods then that will take more time to research. Also there will be hundreds of re-allocations during the period 1988-1990. I can respond to requests for details limited perhaps to a specific date (month/year), a specific unit or base to check what details I have available if this is what you are looking for. However I will not be able to gather together every Bu number allocation in such a specific time period, I just do not have available a single source for that info. I also have some carrier deployment aircraft details available for the period 1988-90. Let me know if I can help, I can but try to see what info I have available.

cheers,

Geoff

This is exciting!! After all that time I spent bringing Hornets, Phantoms, and Cats into the modern P3d era and modding them with FW and Carrier features, new loads ect... It would bring me great joy to see them get the love and attention they deserve!!!

I sure would love to see more land-based USN and USMC activity!

Jorgen

PM me an email, found a 1989 ORBAT doc.

There is also a wealth of serial/unit data available on Joe Baugher's USAF, USN, USMC and USCG web pages, all fully searchable -
https://www.aircraftinformation.info/JB_AIF/index.htm

I also like using the USN and USMC air unit pages https://www.seaforces.org/ https://www.seaforces.org/ mostly to visually confirm aircraft assignments from historical perspectives as well as https://scramble.nl/database/military/[ ... litary/usn[/url]usn To search by unit and or by type.

I have been in rut with finishing up F-35s for MCAS Cherry Point and Beaufort and finding the F-5 BuNos for Beaufort, but this thread has revived my retro project.

I use this NATO orbat from 1989, there are a few mistakes in it, a check with wikipedia will often gives the correct result

I installed this new KNZJ, and it looks fine, but somewhat bare in the absence of flight plans.

There was one Phantom (Navy/Marine colors) and a R5D standing around. And of course I forgot to take screenshots...

Jorgen

My mistake - not a R5D, but a C-131, and here are some pics.

Jorgen

And a couple more pics.

Jorgen

I have many good thoughts about this feedback and screenshots. I will admit the my El Toro is functional, but still lacking where I would prefer to get it before sharing, but the interest in retro inspired me to put it out there in some form.

Libraries for the buildings include:
MAIW_ABO.bgl
Luke Object Library.bgl

Here's a quick post on traffic and solutions for MCAS El Toro. I think I tinkered with adjusting some Miramar traffic from MAIW to start and return to KNZJ as opposed to KNKX with Miramar at the time of being NAS Miramar.
I can share the modified traffic if this is agreed to by the original authors.
As far as traffic in and around southern California. Have a look. I have never uploaded any of my retro repaints as I just didn't think they were that good.

Here are more samples of retro USN and USMC

Beautiful. What Sea Knight model is that?

gsnde wrote: 18 Feb 2026, 20:41 Beautiful. What Sea Knight model is that?

Isn't that the Rory Kelly flyable model update and conversion I did some time ago??? Sure looks like it anyway...

This guy:

https://militaryaiworks.com/download-ha ... rsion.html

jetpilot1980 wrote: 18 Feb 2026, 22:54

gsnde wrote: 18 Feb 2026, 20:41 Beautiful. What Sea Knight model is that?

Isn't that the Rory Kelly flyable model update and conversion I did some time ago??? Sure looks like it anyway...

This guy:

https://militaryaiworks.com/download-ha ... rsion.html

You are correct. This is the Rory Kelly model converted for VTOL.

Here are a few examples of A-7s I had been working on during early to mid 2025, but lost momentum. Some repaints might require improvements before uploading. For instance - trying to get tail codes to tilt at the most accurate angle for both sides of the aircraft.

NAS Cecil Field late 1980s.