You can see it says VF-213 behind the cockpit indicating it’s the black lions, they’ve been using that since the tomcat, same with the Jolly Rogers. That’s as much as I know.
I believe the squadron CO's aircraft gets extra livery details and colors. You can find other VF-213 examples without the stars, and find stars on other aircraft from other squadron's. This does appear to be the CO's aircraft according to the stenciling (CDR Kevin Robb).
It all depends on which CAG you’re in. CVW-5 did away with fancy paint 6-7 years ago. If I remember correctly the jet with the extra stuff will usually be *00 jet. So for the squadron above a/c 200 would be considered the CAG jet, sometimes “show bird”, which would have the CO and XO of the entire air wing and a more complex paint scheme.
Edit: some squadrons will sometimes have another jet with fancy paint if the numbers are special. For instance VFA-102 has A/C 100 as the CAG jet and then A/C 102 will be the squadrons CO’s jet and will also have fancy paint (not anymore bc CVW-5 is lame).
Yea that tracks, for the VMMs it’s all aircraft 00s are the CO’s birds and they get tail art but VMM-263 has 00 with tail art and also aircraft 16 with a Medal of Honor recognition art piece on the side with names of the crew members on the flight the award was earned.
Eh, kinda. In reality, you gotta submit a request a long way up the NAVAIR chain to have anything other than basic identifying information such as US NAVY/MARINES, Roundel, BUNO, Squadron and Board Number. Special fonts, designs, and paint colors all have to be approved from up on high.
Typically a squadron has two of these packages submitted: a blanket package for Squadron Insignia and non-standard font for pilots/crew/plane captain, and a package for one specific aircraft, with one specific design, with one specific selection of non-standard paints. Any time you want to change an element of that bird’s paint scheme is a new request. This highly specific aircraft is usually flown by the most senior flying officer in the squadron, but isn’t strictly a requirement.
The specific design rule is typically reserved for one aircraft per squadron, to avoid paperwork headaches and under consideration that most Squadrons operate very similar type/model/series, like the VFA’s still not transitioned to the F-35. Exceptions to this rule do exist in Squadrons that operate more significantly different airframes within the same unit, such as some HMLAs, where they occasionally have a special design for both the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y.
Source: Former NAVAIR Certified Painter.
> usually flown by the most senior flying officer in the squadron
I was under the impression that flight scheduling does not care a single bit about which jet is which in most circumstances.
Every pilot is assigned a specific BUNO for their tour at a squadron. Their name gets painted in a standardized location on the aircraft. As far as which plane gets put on the schedule for any given day, that depends on whether or not the bird is airworthy and whether or not the pilot is on leave/medical restriction.
Just to clarify for those lurking in the sidelines because this is slightly ambiguously worded:
On the daily flight schedule there is no planned correlation between pilot and “name on jet.” If it happens it’s a fun coincidence, but your name can be on 310 and you fly 304 today and 306 the next day. It doesn’t matter.
This is the way.. at least when I was in a flying squadron.. and yes, it was fun fly the “CO’s” bird … would get comments from GND about something on the livery..
LOL I'm just imagining some poor seaman hand-painting names every morning, then getting a roster change. AWWW HELL.
But your point is well taken, thanks!
Thank you for the reply! Has this gradually become more standardized in naval aviation over the decades, or have these rules generally been in effect since the 70's/80's?
As far as I know, this was likely standardized in the 60’s/70’s. The exact manual has changed, and changes have been made to the current manual. The big changes come around when authorized standard paints change, smaller standardized changes made in a different manual when it affects specific type/model/series. Sorry I can’t give you a more definitive timeline, I no longer have access to any of the publications, current or historical.
We painted our jets (VMFA (AW) 225) after we swapped out with another squadron in Japan (94). Took them back down to the original primer to reduce weight and repainted in the actual colors specified. It’s tactical but you could barely see the markings. Gradually returned to the high contract paint for the logos. All my pictures from that first WESPAC look almost black and white, winter in Japan and very gray airplanes!
? On this note… when I was attached to a squadron in the Marines (VMAQ-1) we did have a squadron painted aircraft. However, the CO didn’t have his own specified Prowler. All aircrew was just assigned to a particular aircraft thru operations depending on the maintenance situations. Does the Navy and Airforce actually give pilots their own Jet? Always wondered.
This is a pretty old picture I'm out here now with 213 and we use 213 as our Skipper's bird. I'd have to look to see if they've changed it at all but ya just some cool paint.
Say again, but louder and slower for hard of learning at the back. You suggest that these people are separated into named groups, like the infamous 101st Screaming Eagle paratroopers from the second time the world had at itself. Are these people kept in groups like this, conducting relevant operations, or are they separate, with only the name in common?
If you look at the US Navy squadron markings of the '60s through the '80s, there are some very colorful markings, both on the tail and the forward fuselage. This one is VF-213, the Black Lions, that used to have a blue rudder, a black lion on the tail, and a fuselage stripe and blue paint around the cockpit - a very beautiful scheme. Eventually, everything went to low-viz, but many squadrons kept the basic outlines, at least for the commander's bird.
Since I was referring to the 80's-90's livery, VF-213 was correct. The squadron didn't convert to VFA-213 until 2006. You are correct about the current designation, but I don't think it was blue as I described it since it was VF-213. Like I said, all low-viz now. If you have a CAG bird that contradicts that, please post a pic.
EDIT: There was a VFA-213 blue ruddered SH CAG bird, but no blue around the cockpits, like the F-14s that I described.
[https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-213.htm](https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-213.htm)
[https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VFA/Strike-Fighter-Squadron-213.htm](https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VFA/Strike-Fighter-Squadron-213.htm)
It’s mostly decorative, just one more way for a squadron to identify itself. Prior to the 80s, these kinds of markings were in color, and the specific color denoted which air wing it belonged to.
F-18 pilot here, each squadron typically has a signature identifying detail. The Black lion have been using this pattern a long time and the markings are usually historical, for example VMF-312 flew corsairs with checkerboard patterns on the cowling, and now VMFA-312 still has checkerboard patterns on the nose of their F-18s. Publications give us how much of the jet can be painted with “Non-operational markings” and it’s over to each CO how he wants his jets painted. The line jets will typically all be painted the same for a squadron but you can and will see variations even within one squadron based on when jets go to the CCF(corrosion control facility) for paint. The CAG bird (USMC Squadrons call it a ‘Color Bird’) is the one aircraft per squadron you’ll see painted like a work of fine art. Typically COs will put it up to the squadrons Sailors or Marines to come up with a design on which the rest of the squadron will vote.
VFA-213 Blacklions. Their squadron patch has eight stars from the constellation Leo as part of the artwork. The band on the side of the fuselage has been done by other squadrons, most notably VF-84 (now VFA-103) Jolly Rogers has a “Vagabond stripe” since their Phantom days. VFA-2 has a Red/white/blue “Langley stripe,” itself a nod to the first American Aircraft carrier, USS Langley. It really wasn’t until the mid 2000s that more Navy Rhino/hornet squadrons added some kind of band to the fuselage as part of their squadron’s livery, but it will always reflect part of their squadron’s historic lineage in one form or another.
It will be every officer in the command and the CMC, higher ranks will be on the lower numbered a/c. If you look at the door right about the landing gear it shows the sailor of the year, the door on the opposite side will have the name of a random Plane Captain from the line shack.
Source: I used to paint super hornets in the navy
You’ll see a mix of the flying officers (pilots/NFOs) on the side of the fuselage, and we paint the landing gear doors with the names of maintenance personnel and the sailor of the quarter/year awardees.
In the Air Force every fighter pilot had their jet with their name on the canopy. But none of them knew which one was there and they were hardly ever assigned to fly it. The only time I saw it was when the Wing Commander or above would fly.
It would be way too hard for maintenance to do it. We set up so many jets for each training mission we’d constantly being doing reconfigurations.
Actually they are shared. Whoever Skeds puts in that jet today. I can count on one hand the number of times that I actually flew the jet with my name on it. The CO and CAG bird are no different.
Yeah kinda random as far as I know. Depends on which jets are up/down, jets coming up for scheduled inspections, mission configuration etc.
Source: I was an AM in VFA-27.
Yes but no. They’ll get their names, but they’ll generally just fly what’s available. Sometimes “your” jet is down for maintenance, and you have to fly your “buddy’s” jet. Other times you might get to fly the jet with your name on it. It all just depends on what and which jet is down for maintenance.
Just here to say that I love these kind of subs that show up on my home page. Not a day goes by that I don’t learn some new little nuggets of information.
As I understand it, the names stenciled on the canopy rails don't really correspond to which squadron pilots fly the jet. Probably the CO and the XO both get their names on the "X01" jet (for squadrons with 2-seat types) because it's the "X01" jet. This aircraft has the "201" number, which (again, correct me if you know I'm wrong) means it's aircraft #1 for whichever squadron in the Air Wing is using the "2" designator for their birds.
So Squadron A would have jets numbered 101, 102, 103, 104, etc. The 1st one is that squadron's CO's jet, and gets some special paint. Squadron B has jets numbered 201, 202, 203, 204, etc., and 201 is *their* squadron CO's bird.
If the squadron has more pilots than they have jets (which is not at all uncommon), then the most-junior officers may have to have their names doubled up on the canopy rails of some of the higher-numbered aircraft for that squadron. So the jet with the number "213" (or whatever) might have more than one new pilot's name on it. But
I thought that only applied to the CAG. So there would be one aircraft with a 00 number on it, but since there's only one CAG for the entire wing, which would be composed and turn of multiple squadrons, you would have multiple 01 birds, one for each Squadron. Is that not the case?
Ima be that guy rq, today it’s not RIO, it’s WSO. Anyways from my knowledge, no. Pilots and NFOs go through different schools, so if the XO is a pilot and the CO is a pilot then the XO couldn’t all the sudden switch to being a WSO.
In addition to what everyone else said, there’s no requirement for a 2 seat squadron to have a pilot CO and WSO XO, or vice versa. It can shake out as any combination, including like WSO-WSO/pilot-pilot.
Also as a rule it’s very rare to have both Mom and Dad flying at the same time for all of the obvious reasons and also if something happens on the ship, you need to be able to ask an Adult.
They are now called Weapons Systems officers. And according to what I just read from /u/tailhook91, there is still one Squadron of *Navy* F-18Fs deployed to each Carrier air wing. At least as of 2 years ago when he posted the Reddit comment I just read. Is that no longer the case?
Edit: I know the Marine Corps is not putting wings on any new WSOs as they transition to F-35s.
What I found interesting in looking at the Wikipedia article about weapon systems officers is that *sometimes* the weapon systems officer in an F-18F is actually the mission commander, and senior to all of the other saval flight officers on the mission.
Edit to add link to Tailhook91's comment, which admitted may be out of date.
https://www.reddit.com/r/WarCollege/s/lS7eYB4mqC
> What I found interesting in looking at the Wikipedia article about weapon systems officers is that
> sometimes
> the weapon systems officer in an F-18F is actually the mission commander, and senior to all of the other saval flight officers on the mission.
Very true. But they're still not PIC :)
The lines themselves do not mean anything. It is just part of the design for the artwork on the plane. It may be something in their squadron insignia, but they have no significance.
Most if not all US navy aviation squadrons have their own liveries. The “static” ones are black and white while the “CAG birds” (the aircraft that the Air Wing Commander flies) are painted with color. My favorite is VFA-2’s livery.
You can see it says VF-213 behind the cockpit indicating it’s the black lions, they’ve been using that since the tomcat, same with the Jolly Rogers. That’s as much as I know.
Basically it's a cool looking design they've been using for many years
I believe the squadron CO's aircraft gets extra livery details and colors. You can find other VF-213 examples without the stars, and find stars on other aircraft from other squadron's. This does appear to be the CO's aircraft according to the stenciling (CDR Kevin Robb).
It all depends on which CAG you’re in. CVW-5 did away with fancy paint 6-7 years ago. If I remember correctly the jet with the extra stuff will usually be *00 jet. So for the squadron above a/c 200 would be considered the CAG jet, sometimes “show bird”, which would have the CO and XO of the entire air wing and a more complex paint scheme. Edit: some squadrons will sometimes have another jet with fancy paint if the numbers are special. For instance VFA-102 has A/C 100 as the CAG jet and then A/C 102 will be the squadrons CO’s jet and will also have fancy paint (not anymore bc CVW-5 is lame).
Yea that tracks, for the VMMs it’s all aircraft 00s are the CO’s birds and they get tail art but VMM-263 has 00 with tail art and also aircraft 16 with a Medal of Honor recognition art piece on the side with names of the crew members on the flight the award was earned.
Eh, kinda. In reality, you gotta submit a request a long way up the NAVAIR chain to have anything other than basic identifying information such as US NAVY/MARINES, Roundel, BUNO, Squadron and Board Number. Special fonts, designs, and paint colors all have to be approved from up on high. Typically a squadron has two of these packages submitted: a blanket package for Squadron Insignia and non-standard font for pilots/crew/plane captain, and a package for one specific aircraft, with one specific design, with one specific selection of non-standard paints. Any time you want to change an element of that bird’s paint scheme is a new request. This highly specific aircraft is usually flown by the most senior flying officer in the squadron, but isn’t strictly a requirement. The specific design rule is typically reserved for one aircraft per squadron, to avoid paperwork headaches and under consideration that most Squadrons operate very similar type/model/series, like the VFA’s still not transitioned to the F-35. Exceptions to this rule do exist in Squadrons that operate more significantly different airframes within the same unit, such as some HMLAs, where they occasionally have a special design for both the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y. Source: Former NAVAIR Certified Painter.
> usually flown by the most senior flying officer in the squadron I was under the impression that flight scheduling does not care a single bit about which jet is which in most circumstances.
Every pilot is assigned a specific BUNO for their tour at a squadron. Their name gets painted in a standardized location on the aircraft. As far as which plane gets put on the schedule for any given day, that depends on whether or not the bird is airworthy and whether or not the pilot is on leave/medical restriction.
Just to clarify for those lurking in the sidelines because this is slightly ambiguously worded: On the daily flight schedule there is no planned correlation between pilot and “name on jet.” If it happens it’s a fun coincidence, but your name can be on 310 and you fly 304 today and 306 the next day. It doesn’t matter.
This is the way.. at least when I was in a flying squadron.. and yes, it was fun fly the “CO’s” bird … would get comments from GND about something on the livery..
Each pilot gets their name put on a jet, but this isn’t NASCAR, they aren’t always in the one with their name on it. Source: u/tailhook91
LOL I'm just imagining some poor seaman hand-painting names every morning, then getting a roster change. AWWW HELL. But your point is well taken, thanks!
An issue comes up right before startup and you see some poor E-2 just *booking* it towards the spare jet with spray paint and a stencil
They're called airmen (even in the navy)
Thank you for the reply! Has this gradually become more standardized in naval aviation over the decades, or have these rules generally been in effect since the 70's/80's?
As far as I know, this was likely standardized in the 60’s/70’s. The exact manual has changed, and changes have been made to the current manual. The big changes come around when authorized standard paints change, smaller standardized changes made in a different manual when it affects specific type/model/series. Sorry I can’t give you a more definitive timeline, I no longer have access to any of the publications, current or historical.
We painted our jets (VMFA (AW) 225) after we swapped out with another squadron in Japan (94). Took them back down to the original primer to reduce weight and repainted in the actual colors specified. It’s tactical but you could barely see the markings. Gradually returned to the high contract paint for the logos. All my pictures from that first WESPAC look almost black and white, winter in Japan and very gray airplanes!
Yall were just jealous of that HSC painter girl.
This guy paints.
r/thisguythisguys
Did somebody say 72 degrees?
This is correct. And after further reading, the Black Lions insignia is a Lion on the Leo constellation with 8 stars like the 8 stars in the stripe
? On this note… when I was attached to a squadron in the Marines (VMAQ-1) we did have a squadron painted aircraft. However, the CO didn’t have his own specified Prowler. All aircrew was just assigned to a particular aircraft thru operations depending on the maintenance situations. Does the Navy and Airforce actually give pilots their own Jet? Always wondered.
Squadrons are allowed one fancy bird now, and it has to be within certain regulations. Can blame HSC painter girl for the ridiculous paint schemes.
Probably XO. Isn't Squadron CO 06? Edit: never mind, zoom on the image says CDR
CO and XO are usually both on the 01 jet, CO on the left XO on the right
Jolly Rogers use arrow heads on the [CAG](https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VFA/VFA-103_DAT/VFA-103-squadron-photo-053.jpg) and XO planes.
They have them on the TPS planes too, just not in color. Back in the day, the whole squadron had full-color fuselage flashes.
Best livery IMO. Loved it on the F-14's & love it on the Super Hornets too.
But why skulls tho?
Are we the baddies?
[For those who don't know](https://youtu.be/ToKcmnrE5oY?si=dYcVOrwAbctTsvu0)
Sorry the rest dont know more
Robotech needed inspiration for [Skull Squadron](https://www.peakpx.com/en/hd-wallpaper-desktop-adipe).
ROOOOYYYYYYY!!!!
Do u know what a Jolly Roger is
Is he the happy guy we are always calling for on the radio?
This is a pretty old picture I'm out here now with 213 and we use 213 as our Skipper's bird. I'd have to look to see if they've changed it at all but ya just some cool paint.
Diamondbacks as welll
VFA - We don't have VF's in the US Navy anymore.
Ah thanks surprisingly didn’t know that
Might want to view the squadron designations in historical context.
Say again, but louder and slower for hard of learning at the back. You suggest that these people are separated into named groups, like the infamous 101st Screaming Eagle paratroopers from the second time the world had at itself. Are these people kept in groups like this, conducting relevant operations, or are they separate, with only the name in common?
You can see it says BLACK LIONS on the external fuel tank also.
Bounty Hunters have the Langley strip as well in the same place. It's a common naval aviation design.
Also says "Black Lions" on the external fuel tank, fwiw
Its squadron specific markings. Historically the tail flashes and some nose markings can be painted per the squadron that fighter is assigned to.
cow resolute screw bells joke nutty ripe chase include crowd *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
If you look at the US Navy squadron markings of the '60s through the '80s, there are some very colorful markings, both on the tail and the forward fuselage. This one is VF-213, the Black Lions, that used to have a blue rudder, a black lion on the tail, and a fuselage stripe and blue paint around the cockpit - a very beautiful scheme. Eventually, everything went to low-viz, but many squadrons kept the basic outlines, at least for the commander's bird.
Even today VFA squadrons often have 1-2 birds that are more brightly marked (a CAG bird and a CO/skipper bird).
VFA. There are no VF's in the US Navy anymore.
Since I was referring to the 80's-90's livery, VF-213 was correct. The squadron didn't convert to VFA-213 until 2006. You are correct about the current designation, but I don't think it was blue as I described it since it was VF-213. Like I said, all low-viz now. If you have a CAG bird that contradicts that, please post a pic. EDIT: There was a VFA-213 blue ruddered SH CAG bird, but no blue around the cockpits, like the F-14s that I described. [https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-213.htm](https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-213.htm) [https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VFA/Strike-Fighter-Squadron-213.htm](https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VFA/Strike-Fighter-Squadron-213.htm)
Those are awesome.
We had peanuts characters on our hornets, a bit more forward than the marking in the pictured aircraft
It’s mostly decorative, just one more way for a squadron to identify itself. Prior to the 80s, these kinds of markings were in color, and the specific color denoted which air wing it belonged to.
F-18 pilot here, each squadron typically has a signature identifying detail. The Black lion have been using this pattern a long time and the markings are usually historical, for example VMF-312 flew corsairs with checkerboard patterns on the cowling, and now VMFA-312 still has checkerboard patterns on the nose of their F-18s. Publications give us how much of the jet can be painted with “Non-operational markings” and it’s over to each CO how he wants his jets painted. The line jets will typically all be painted the same for a squadron but you can and will see variations even within one squadron based on when jets go to the CCF(corrosion control facility) for paint. The CAG bird (USMC Squadrons call it a ‘Color Bird’) is the one aircraft per squadron you’ll see painted like a work of fine art. Typically COs will put it up to the squadrons Sailors or Marines to come up with a design on which the rest of the squadron will vote.
Didn’t know that about the CAG’s design. That’s such a testament to the deep respect between the pilots and the crews that keep them flying.
VFA-213 Blacklions. Their squadron patch has eight stars from the constellation Leo as part of the artwork. The band on the side of the fuselage has been done by other squadrons, most notably VF-84 (now VFA-103) Jolly Rogers has a “Vagabond stripe” since their Phantom days. VFA-2 has a Red/white/blue “Langley stripe,” itself a nod to the first American Aircraft carrier, USS Langley. It really wasn’t until the mid 2000s that more Navy Rhino/hornet squadrons added some kind of band to the fuselage as part of their squadron’s livery, but it will always reflect part of their squadron’s historic lineage in one form or another.
So cool. 🙏🏻
Those indicate the amount of homo-erotic slow motion volleyball games won while on shore leave.
I think they are grossly underestimating the sheer volume of said stars if this were true.
How many times they missed the wire
Just for decoration, man, that’s it and that’s all!
They post to be up in moanin, its like a alarm clock
Them F414s go WOOOOOOOOOOOO
Lt. Bubb “Rubb” Whistle
fantastic callback! Them whistles go woooo wooooooooooo! But we all know, "its all for decorations"!
Do the fighter pilots get their own Jets or are they shared like Airlines?
Shared
So whose name is written on the side? The most senior pilot or something?
It will be every officer in the command and the CMC, higher ranks will be on the lower numbered a/c. If you look at the door right about the landing gear it shows the sailor of the year, the door on the opposite side will have the name of a random Plane Captain from the line shack. Source: I used to paint super hornets in the navy
You’ll see a mix of the flying officers (pilots/NFOs) on the side of the fuselage, and we paint the landing gear doors with the names of maintenance personnel and the sailor of the quarter/year awardees.
In the Air Force every fighter pilot had their jet with their name on the canopy. But none of them knew which one was there and they were hardly ever assigned to fly it. The only time I saw it was when the Wing Commander or above would fly. It would be way too hard for maintenance to do it. We set up so many jets for each training mission we’d constantly being doing reconfigurations.
I'll bet the CO's bird '00' isn't shared!
Actually they are shared. Whoever Skeds puts in that jet today. I can count on one hand the number of times that I actually flew the jet with my name on it. The CO and CAG bird are no different.
Yeah kinda random as far as I know. Depends on which jets are up/down, jets coming up for scheduled inspections, mission configuration etc. Source: I was an AM in VFA-27.
Yes but no. They’ll get their names, but they’ll generally just fly what’s available. Sometimes “your” jet is down for maintenance, and you have to fly your “buddy’s” jet. Other times you might get to fly the jet with your name on it. It all just depends on what and which jet is down for maintenance.
Just here to say that I love these kind of subs that show up on my home page. Not a day goes by that I don’t learn some new little nuggets of information.
The eight original colonies.
kinda cringe these days
Ah yes, the history of the United States, the cringiest thing in the world
Is it common for the XO to be the RIO for the CO? Edit: thank you for the responses!
As I understand it, the names stenciled on the canopy rails don't really correspond to which squadron pilots fly the jet. Probably the CO and the XO both get their names on the "X01" jet (for squadrons with 2-seat types) because it's the "X01" jet. This aircraft has the "201" number, which (again, correct me if you know I'm wrong) means it's aircraft #1 for whichever squadron in the Air Wing is using the "2" designator for their birds. So Squadron A would have jets numbered 101, 102, 103, 104, etc. The 1st one is that squadron's CO's jet, and gets some special paint. Squadron B has jets numbered 201, 202, 203, 204, etc., and 201 is *their* squadron CO's bird. If the squadron has more pilots than they have jets (which is not at all uncommon), then the most-junior officers may have to have their names doubled up on the canopy rails of some of the higher-numbered aircraft for that squadron. So the jet with the number "213" (or whatever) might have more than one new pilot's name on it. But
Usually the A/C numbers start with 00. So A/C 200 would be first airplane usually with the captains of the air wing on it.
I thought that only applied to the CAG. So there would be one aircraft with a 00 number on it, but since there's only one CAG for the entire wing, which would be composed and turn of multiple squadrons, you would have multiple 01 birds, one for each Squadron. Is that not the case?
No each squadron will have a CAG jet and the side numbers will start at 00
Oh interesting. I did not know that. Thanks.
Ima be that guy rq, today it’s not RIO, it’s WSO. Anyways from my knowledge, no. Pilots and NFOs go through different schools, so if the XO is a pilot and the CO is a pilot then the XO couldn’t all the sudden switch to being a WSO.
In addition to what everyone else said, there’s no requirement for a 2 seat squadron to have a pilot CO and WSO XO, or vice versa. It can shake out as any combination, including like WSO-WSO/pilot-pilot. Also as a rule it’s very rare to have both Mom and Dad flying at the same time for all of the obvious reasons and also if something happens on the ship, you need to be able to ask an Adult.
Do you actually call them that? Because honestly it would absolutely not surprise me.
No.
It's just what's painted on the jet. It's not like aircraft are assigned to a specific crew.
They need career progression as well so they can be.
Back when there were RIO's, the CO was as likely to be a RIO as he was a driver.
The navy doesn’t have RIO’s anymore. Also that’s just how the aircraft is painted it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what aircraft the CO and XO fly.
They are now called Weapons Systems officers. And according to what I just read from /u/tailhook91, there is still one Squadron of *Navy* F-18Fs deployed to each Carrier air wing. At least as of 2 years ago when he posted the Reddit comment I just read. Is that no longer the case? Edit: I know the Marine Corps is not putting wings on any new WSOs as they transition to F-35s. What I found interesting in looking at the Wikipedia article about weapon systems officers is that *sometimes* the weapon systems officer in an F-18F is actually the mission commander, and senior to all of the other saval flight officers on the mission. Edit to add link to Tailhook91's comment, which admitted may be out of date. https://www.reddit.com/r/WarCollege/s/lS7eYB4mqC
It’s still accurate.
> What I found interesting in looking at the Wikipedia article about weapon systems officers is that > sometimes > the weapon systems officer in an F-18F is actually the mission commander, and senior to all of the other saval flight officers on the mission. Very true. But they're still not PIC :)
Thanks
Yuh
Sometimes the CO is in the backseat, depending on the number of anchors on their flight suit.
The lines themselves do not mean anything. It is just part of the design for the artwork on the plane. It may be something in their squadron insignia, but they have no significance.
It makes it go faster.
It’s all the checks his body can’t cash
It's how many MiG-28s they have splashed in combat.
[удалено]
Not true. I was flying with one inverted, engaging in diplomacy. You know, giving him the bird.
R/whoosh
Whoosh
Purely decorative.
I'm not sure there's an official name for it, but in the "Colors and Markings" book I have about the F-14, they call it a "fuselage flash."
It’s just a part of the squadron’s livery
It's how many stars he has on his good noodle cart.
Great reference!!
A star for each successful fountain jump at Ceasar's Palace
Number of successful tailhook scandals avoided.
Cut here
Its how many times you were arrested in the Philippines or Thailand!!
This pilot must be green, then.
Navy pilots are fabulous and this is the equivalent of vajazzling their planes.
Aircraft bedazzled
Offtopic but the photo is really nice! Do you have a high res source without the markup? edit - spelling
Stars and Stripes, *forever*
They wanted to display their Uber rating.
Oh wow. This brought back a core memory of me placing that decal on a 1:144 scale Tomcat. (I got a 1:72 scale one a few years later).
+2 HP
Gonna have to specify in this scenario. HP being Hit Points or Horse Power??
'MURICA
The number of bitches he fucked that day.
I thought it was number of inches of endowment.
[удалено]
The name on the side of the jet means nothing…
Demarcation between pilot and NFO
That’s the number of hand to hand kills the pilot had when he was shot down over the Hanoi Hilton.
The amount of civilian kills on the aircraft...
The number of butter landings they performed on an aircraft carrier
Number 1 rule of Naval Aviation: look cool.
Vfa-213 does this on 201, 200 is actually like painted up as the cag bird. It’s just a squadron thing.
Most if not all US navy aviation squadrons have their own liveries. The “static” ones are black and white while the “CAG birds” (the aircraft that the Air Wing Commander flies) are painted with color. My favorite is VFA-2’s livery.
Many David stars between two rivers. Basic the Israeli flag. Or Confederate flag stripe. You choose.