A fresh coat of history
Navy aircraft aren’t exactly known for their fashionable colors. But this year, to celebrate the century-long union of Navy ships and aircraft, squadrons across the country have traded their drab paint for something a bit splashier. Each participating squadron has painted one of its aircraft in a pattern inspired by a historic plane or helicopter. Here’s a look at some of the fancy warbirds and their famous forbears.
To view the slides
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To buy a poster
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More
'Daring Birdman' kicked off a century of naval aviation
Replica plane marks historic flight
Plane's visit marks 1911 aviation feat
Chopper gets historic paint job
Squadron honors Vietnam-era helo
Strike Fighter Squadron 106, Oceana Naval Air Station, Virginia Beach
Mission Fighter and attack aircraft
Historical inspiration The Grumman F-6F Hellcat flown by Bomber-Fighter Squadron 17 aboard the carrier Hornet, which conducted air strikes on Japan during World War II
Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron 84, Norfolk Naval Station
Mission Naval special warfare support
Historical inspiration The Bell UH-1, or Huey, the workhorse of the Vietnam War. Additional design elements honor Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron 3, one of the most decorated Navy squadrons of the war. The repainted helicopter bears the names of the 44 squadron members who were killed in action.
Training Squadron 35, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Texas
Mission Advanced multi-engine flight training
Historical inspiration Aircraft, such as these Douglas SBD Dauntlesses, in the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea. It was the first naval battle in which opposing ships never came in sight of each other.
Training Air Wing 5, Whiting Field Naval Air Station, Santa Rosa County, Fla.
Mission Advanced helicopter training
Historical inspiration First seen in 1914, the anchor painted on the helicopter is considered the earliest standard naval insignia to appear on an aircraft.
Training Wing 1, Meridian Naval Air Station, Mississippi
Mission Advanced jet training
Historical inspiration Aircraft assigned to the Enterprise Air Group around 1939, such as this Grumman F3F-2 Fighter. Two years later, the carrier was en route to Hawaii when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30, Point Mugu Naval Air Station, Ventura County, Calif.
Mission Surveillance, precision targeting
Historical inspiration Aircraft in the 1942 Battle of Midway, the turning point of the war in the Pacific during World War II. American forces defeated the Japanese, sinking four carriers.
Strike Fighter Squadron 106, Oceana Naval Air Station, Virginia Beach
Mission Fighter and attack aircraft
Historical inspiration The Douglas A-4E Skyhawk flown by Attack Squadron 106 aboard the carrier Forrestal in Vietnam in 1967
Helicopter Sea Combat Support Squadron 2, Norfolk Naval Station
Mission Multi-mission shipborne helicopter
Historical inspiration The Korean War-era Sikorsky HO3S helicopter. Additional design elements honor Capt. John W. Thornton, a Korean War pilot who was awarded the Navy Cross for volunteering in 1951 for a dangerous mission to rescue a key intelligence unit trapped in the mountains behind enemy lines. Thornton was captured and spent more than two years as a prisoner of war.
Training Wing 5, Whiting Field Naval Air Station, Santa Rosa County, Fla.
Mission Flight training Historical inspiration The “Yellow Peril” flight trainers of the 1930s through the ’50s
Electronic Attack Squadron 129, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Washington state
Mission Radar jamming, strike support
Historical inspiration The aircraft of Air Group 85, as they looked in 1944-45 when they were assigned to the carrier Shangri-La
Click an image above to view the current and historic plane