Navy Tail code BP at Palm Springs Air Museum

ALOHADAVE · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:45 pm

I recently visited the Palm Springs Air Museum and noticed the Grumman F7F Tigercat had a tail code of "BP" I could not find that tail code on any official list of Navy codes. Which squardon does it stand for? Or is there another reason for using the BP tail code?
DaveT

Speedy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:48 pm

BP is for the late "Bob Pond", I would guess. That's his 'family' museum.

51fixer · **Posted:** Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:16 pm

trojandl wrote:

I recently visited the Palm Springs Air Museum and noticed the Grumman F7F Tigercat had a tail code of "BP" I could not find that tail code on any official list of Navy codes. Which squardon does it stand for? Or is there another reason for using the BP tail code?
DaveT

BP adorned many of his Naval aircraft.
He did fly in the Navy during WWII but was always stateside from what I was told.

skymstr02 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:45 am

You'll also find the same thing at LSFM, "RW".

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:13 am

NAS Bob Pond.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 5:58 am

Good thing nobody else besides Pond and Waltrip have put their initials on their warbirds! :roll:

Jerry

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:36 am

Jerry O'Neill wrote:

Good thing nobody else besides Pond and Waltrip have put their initials on their warbirds! :roll:

Jerry

Like the SNJ from NAS JB-Gitmo.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:30 am

Ouch! That's close to home! :roll:

I was thinking of a few others over the year! (HP, RF, JS, JB etc.)
Jerry

Warbirdnerd · **Joined:** Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:34 pm **Posts:** 2923

Mr Pond painted several of his airplanes with the BP tail code. The Bearcat, Avenger, Tigercat, JD-1 (A-26 Invader), and RJ*P on one of his Mustangs. The P-40 (and the P-38 for a while) was named after his wife (Josephene), the P-63 for his Daughter (Polly), and the DC-3 (since moved on and repainted) and the B-17 for his Granddaughter (Anglea).
Mr Pond was state side during the war and flew the JD-1 (Douglas A-26) but logged time in many other types including the Catalina.

whistlingdeath77 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:54 pm

i thought the tail codes meant state side squadrons and what state they were from.

51fixer · **Posted:** Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:06 pm

whistlingdeathcorsairs wrote:

i thought the tail codes meant state side squadrons and what state they were from.

Thats if the A/C is in the military service.
If it is civilian in the states anything goes.
If it is in the UK and the A/C is ex RAF then you have to get approval from the RAF to paint it in a RAF paint scheme. You submit a drawing of how you want to paint it, they say yes or no. I believe you even have to have some approval with the CAA as well. Might have to do with not needing to paint the registration on to ruin your RAF approved paint scheme.

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Navy Tail code BP at Palm Springs Air Museum

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