USAF Tailcodes question

[Unknown74]

Hi all on Fighter Control, I've got a question which has been gnawing away at me ever since I saw my first USAF Aircraft, why do some USAF Aircraft both Fighter and other types have white outlines around their tailcodes? Is it to do with that particular Aircraft being a Commander or Squadron Leaders Personal Aircraft?

[galaxysi]

Exactly that.They are marked up for the commanders,usually have the squadron/wing number written on the tail as well.

[page_verify]

You’re more likely to find commanders refer to them as the squadron jet or the heritage jet or the memorial jet etc. rather than their personal jet. There’s still some communities and commanders out there with these old fashioned egos but they’re gradually retiring.

[roughcutter]

I think as a rule of thumb, the serial of the aircraft selected for the CO's mount usually corresponded with the Wing/Squadron number, ie F-111E 68-0020 UH - 20th TFW CO. But echoing the previous poster it's a showboating/Esprit
de corps tradition that maybe dying out.

[Unknown74]

Cheerz for your replies….

[Doughnut]

You’re more likely to find commanders refer to them as the squadron jet or the heritage jet or the memorial jet etc. rather than their personal jet. There’s still some communities and commanders out there with these old fashioned egos but they’re gradually retiring.

Unfair to suggest personal "ego" has anything to do with the airbase, Wing or Squadron showing a little bit of personal pride in the aircraft they fly. Expect all USAF personal take pride in "their" jet whether they be Colonel or canteen staff. The USAF have strict rules on aircraft markings and I guess special serial presentation and naming / nose art is seen as a positive moral booster for the base and the local community.

[downes0106]

A related question....why don't the Mildenhall based aircraft have a tailcode?

[page_verify]

Doughnut,

I suspect I may have written my post in a way that meant you actually agreed with it albeit from a different perspective. My comment was sharing how the USAF (sadly) still has some individuals commanders who like to have "my jet with markings that means its mine" - yeah ok, the 1990s wants your leadership textbook back. That view goes against the view of many USAF leaders today - and which aligns with your comment - that it's the squadron's jet that allows everyone to celebrate their heritage, pride, and identity.

You’re more likely to find commanders refer to them as the squadron jet or the heritage jet or the memorial jet etc. rather than their personal jet. There’s still some communities and commanders out there with these old fashioned egos but they’re gradually retiring.

Unfair to suggest personal "ego" has anything to do with the airbase, Wing or Squadron showing a little bit of personal pride in the aircraft they fly. Expect all USAF personal take pride in "their" jet whether they be Colonel or canteen staff. The USAF have strict rules on aircraft markings and I guess special serial presentation and naming / nose art is seen as a positive moral booster for the base and the local community.

[BOLLO]

58-0100 KC-135 of the 100ARW.

[BOLLO]

A related question....why don't the Mildenhall based aircraft have a tailcode?

Have a read of this may be the answer to your question frlla

https://www.mildenhall.af.mil/News/Arti ... l-marking/

[luxto]

A related question....why don't the Mildenhall based aircraft have a tailcode?

Have a read of this may be the answer to your question frlla

https://www.mildenhall.af.mil/News/Arti ... l-marking/

One thing that's wrong with the historical write up is that the 100th Bomb Group operated from Mildenhall in WW2. It didn't, it flew out of Thorpe Abbotts.

[BOLLO]

Yes I know was just trying to use the article as a poss explanation of the tail code that sall .

[downes0106]

Thanks, I'll have a read.

[Bilvo]

I think as a rule of thumb, the serial of the aircraft selected for the CO's mount usually corresponded with the Wing/Squadron number, ie F-111E 68-0020 UH - 20th TFW CO. But echoing the previous poster it's a showboating/Esprit
de corps tradition that maybe dying out.

To a degree, yes, and I think back in the 80/90's this was more apparent as they made an effort to use the jet who's serial ended with the Wing/Squadrons number. However in the last 20 years or so this has not been the case.

For example, take the strike Eagles at Lakenheath

The marked up boss bird was originally serial 90-0248 so that fits with your theory, however that jet was returned to the US after flying from Lakenheath for several years marked up like this, and I think it moved to one of the Weapons Test Squadrons at Nellis.

After the eparture of '048 I believe that serial 01-2000 (apologies if that's the wrong serial but I'm fairly confident it was one of the FY01 aircraft that was painted up next!) then got marked up as the 48th's "Boss Bird". I'm not sure which jet is currently marked as such as I gave up number crunching.

Isn't the current F-35 that's marked up as "48 FW" serial 19-5484? So again does not tie-in with that theory.

[Canberra TT.18]

This can only tie-in if you have an aircraft which serial corresponds with the unit number. Otherwise you have to improvise.

[POL]

The 100ARW still have 58-0100 which keeps coming back like a yo-yo after rework! They don't, however have 60-0351 any more, which I'd have expected them to.

As for the "why do some units have tailcodes and some don't" well that's down to the overall command. Off the top of my head, with some exceptions to the rule of course...

ACC = tailcodes
AMC = no tail codes
ANG = tailcodes on fast-jets, not on transports
AFMC = tailcodes
AFRC = no tailcodes
AFSOC = tailcodes on some but not others with no logical reason that I've been able to work out! (Some MC-130 units have tailcodes, some don't, for example)

[R1nger]

If you think back to the 1970's and 1980's almost all USAF aircraft had tailcodes, before that and pre-camo they had Buzz numbers. The toned down thing came in during the later stages of the Vietnam War and became rife in the 1990's. Then nose art began to creepin followed by 'Squadron Birds' later on. My opinion is that it was a bit of rebellion against the 'toned-down' camo era and a bit of a boost to pride and morale.

[roughcutter]

Admittedly not exactly the same topic discussed here however, but in a similar vein to the subject is a very useful (Schiffer) publication that came out in the 1990's; https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/ ... edir_esc=y Might be worth a perusal

[luxto]

This can only tie-in if you have an aircraft which serial corresponds with the unit number. Otherwise you have to improvise.

Some examples of improvisations -

Upper Heyford's 42nd ECS EF-111A's 66-0050 and 67-0034 both wore "42nd ECS" until they got 67-0042.
Cannon's 27th TFW, 522nd TFS F-111D 68-0147 marked up as "522nd TFS", Boscombe Down deployment 8/9'86. Deploying to Fairford in June'95, the 523rd FS, with ex Lakenheath F-111F's, had 70-2404 marked up as "523rdFS".

U-2's 68-10337 and 80-1080 have both been marked "9th OG"

Probably lots more but those spring to mind.

[Malcolm]

Someone once explained (I thought it was on here, but could've been on MSF) that there is a procedure for USAF squadrons to request certain aircraft are assigned to them on the basis of it having a squadron/wing relevant tail number - assuming that aircraft is the correct type/block/update spec. Hence it's no real surprise that Lakenheath are likely to get F-35's with tail numbers 493 and 495, and Mildenhall get 58-0100.

Further than that there is(was?) a procedure for squadrons to actually request out of normal sequence serial numbers for newbuild aircraft. Hence Ramstein (86 AW) got new C-130J's with serials -86xx. Several ANG units also got Wing appropriate C-130 serial allocations. Of course it all goes to pot once aircraft are subsequently transferred to other units.