Best looking Navy/Marine unit markings

I have a bit of a bias. It's USMC all the way and I like F-8's and F-4's in VFMA-312 with the checks on the tails.

Regards,

Pat

Great topic, with 26 years in the USAF, how'd you come up with this one Berny13. And no, I don't take the jabs seriously, like you said it's all in good fun.

My first instinct was to say VF-84 now VF103 the Jolly Rogers, definately the most intimidating Tomcat squadron. But then I thought about all of the squadron markings I had seen on Tomcats living in San Diego my whole life. My dad was a school teacher, but in the Summers he worked construction. There was a lumber store on Miramar Rd. where he shopped frequently. When I was a kid the store owner would let me go up onto the roof, while my dad shopped, and watch the F-14s across the street at Fightertown U.S.A. It was great.

The logo for the VF-124 Gunfighters most accurately summed up the F-14 aviator attitude. A cocky, grey tomcat with belt and holster leaning against a menacing looking F-14. That is probably my favorite logo, even as a kid. The logo summed up what everybody knew, and that was; you don't dare mess with an F-14 or you will lose. It was a perfect logo.

But to answer the question, which marking looked the "best", as with the best helicopter question I find myself in agreement with Berny. The Sundowners logo was the most beautiful. Aside from the looks, which were great, the name conotes security. The Sundowners let cold war America know, when the day is ending and John Q. Taxpayer is on his way home to his family, The Sundowners are at work, keeping everybody safe. When I watch the credits for Top Gun I can't help but think of the Sundowners. Seeing their aircraft always reminds me of my childhood, and of long, sunny summer days watching F-14s taxi and touch and go at Miramar NAS.

F-4 'Diamondbacks':

F-14 'Wolfpack':





As mentioned earlier Sundowners and Jolly Rogers are cool looking. If you like Jolly Rogers F-14's you ought to check out a movie called The Final Countdown starring Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen. Best F-14 photography EVER.

You fighter pukes have been hogging all the space again! To me, there was nothing prettier than that big hornet with the long stinger on VA 113 Skyraiders , Corsairs and Hornets. It even looks good in lo-vis. And they could shoot down Migs too.

Ditto on Final Countdown Tank. That is such a great movie. The scene with the Tomcats and the Zeros is my favorite. If you haven't seen it, see it. Very thought provoking concept and incredible photography.

I always liked the wolfpack F-14's as well

Here are my choices..!!! WOW and I'm pro Air Force...!!!
F-14- VF 154 "Black Knights"
F-18- VFA 146 "All American Bug", VMFA(AW)-225 "Vikings, VFMA-112 "Cowboys" and finally VFA-115 "Eagles" CAG's bird (cousins Squadron). And there you have it in a nut shell.
Flaps up, Mike

I was sure someone would have picked VF-143, "Puking Dogs". That would have been my second choice.

jolly rogers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they own!

QUOTE: Originally posted by nwilliams The logo for the VF-124 Gunfighters most accurately summed up the F-14 aviator attitude. A cocky, grey tomcat with belt and holster leaning against a menacing looking F-14. That is probably my favorite logo, even as a kid. The logo summed up what everybody knew, and that was; you don't dare mess with an F-14 or you will lose. It was a perfect logo.

... nwilliams/

I agree ... perhaps not the best unit markings ... but very cool.

"anytime baby" ... that tomcat, the gunfighter gun belt ... the phrase ... said it perfectly !

best unit markings ... gee ... I agree again the Sundowners had/have the best!

and, well said, you expressed the feelings/thoughts behind or inferred by the Sundowners unit markings very well. thanks ...

Not exactly sure of the unit number? But It's USMC VMFA-531 early 70's F-4 Phantom. Blue tail and had lightning bolt and Skull as unit markings

Freedom Eagle,
Thanks for the nice comments. I had forgotten all about the VF-124 logo saying "anytime baby." What a perfect slogan.

jolly rogers!!! i like the concept of skull and cross bone. i use to call them the skull squadron, from macross the cartoon series.they are great!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Truckie942 Not exactly sure of the unit number? But It's USMC VMFA-531 early 70's F-4 Phantom. Blue tail and had lightning bolt and Skull as unit markings

You mean this?

Yeah, thats the squadron Tank! Earlier version of the tail markings was a Medium blue, then progressed to black. Also another set of markings for a squadron would be VF-111 "sundowners" Crusaders thru F-14's before they were Deactivated....some very colorful markings........Sven

Well, seeing as NAVAIR is one of my thangs, I have a hard time answering this one and sticking to only one choice. However, as a rule, I generally don't point out the usual suspects. (Toms of VF-84, 111 etc...) I usually go for something a bit more off the beaten path than most. Nonetheless, I'm rather surprised that none of the following have yet been mentioned.

I really like the look of VF-92 Phantoms from the late 60's early 70's. (I mean the later Spade emblem, not the Chess Piece.) And VF-32 had rather attractive markings on their Phantoms during this period, as well.

The list of all-time classics would be incomplete without these rather gaudy candidates: Flamed Crusaders of VF-84, and the Eagle-adorned Phantoms of VF-51. These birds are legendary amongst fans of NAVAIR.

Variously, some other "not-so-flashy" faves of mine but very colorful and smart looking, nonetheless, would be Phantoms of VF-201 & VF-202. VF-171 Phantoms (Previously owned by VF-101 and still wearing bicentennial markings in '77) are really nice looking jets. Tomcats: VF-2, VF-21, early VF-33 & VF-302.

If I had to pick my fave, it would be a most unlikely suspect. Rather plain-jane, but with a splash of color and exhibitng simplicity in the extreme; VF-191 Tomcats. Fitron 191 was in the middle of converting to the Tom in the early 90's when budget cuts saw the unit disestablished, along with it's sister-squadron VF-194.

Fade to Black...

VF-84 now VF103 the Jolly Rogers. The old black tail with the skull in crossbones must strike fear in any enemy!

yea i like sundowners for an F-4B and jolly rodgers for Tomcats best

VF-102 Diamondbacks had some of the coolest markings. I'm partial to the Pukin' Dogs (now the World Famous Dogs) too.

Semper Fi
Bryce

I, too grew up down the road from then NAS Miramar and loved VF-111 with the shark mouth and Rising Sun. To Tank, sorry, but I can still picture it in my mind when a VF-1 F-14 crashed short of the field and slid onto the freeway. Not a pretty picture. I miss the days of full color markings, now reserved for CAG birds or CO birds for the Marines. VMFA-531 had a nice tail. VMFP-3 had at one time a bright green tail with gold RF tail letters. Butz, VMFA-112? The Cowboys only have 2 rows of stars. VMFA-321out of Andrews used to have a nice blue tail with their customary pitchfork and stars and a blue nose with stars, which looked really nice on their Phantoms. I'm sorry, I'm anti 112...they were the rivals to my squadron, VMFA-134, the Smokes (Name derived from when we had F-4N's with J-79-8 engines which smoked any time you were not in 'burner). We were the first Reserve squadron to transition to the F/A-18A's back in '89 and are now a MCAS Miramar. Superscale has a 1/48 decal sheet for '134. Not all that colorful, compared to others, but I'd be proud to model it.