F/A-18E1 (with nose boom), the first of seven flight test aircraft for the F/A-18E/F program, flies with an F/A-18C near St. Louis during its fourth flight on Feb. 9, 1996. McDonnell Douglas E/F project pilot Fred Madenwald was at the controls of E1 for the 1.9-hour mission. Navy Lt. Cdr. Tom Gurney flew E1 to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD. on Feb. 14, 1996.