US Navy 100th Anniversary schemes - internal problems?

[RickH]

But Speedy,...there ARE people out there who think Brad is pretty !

[mazdaP5]

I really never expected them to last beyond this yeart anyhow, and was expecting them to go back to their original schemes at their next paint cycle. The argument is kinda pointless, I'm sure the CoNA schemes were a great recruiting tool for the Navy and a point of interest and pride for the public.

[Garth]

I wouldn't mind seeing the result of the CoNA birds being put back into their "normal" maintenance/corrosion control schedules without the schemes being changed. Afterall, the aircraft that they're painted to represent were operational aircraft with schemes subject to weathering and wear/tear that only looked as "fresh" as the CoNA aircraft do right after they were painted ... and then never again.

[Steve Nelson]

Capt. Rich Dann gave a great presentation about the CoNA scheme project at the recent IPMS National Convention (inspired me to buy an F-18 kit and some decals for the tri-color camo Hornet..and I usually build strictly WWII stuff!) He said he had to work with unit commanders and maintenance crews to get the job done, and some were more enthusiastic than others. Even so, they ended up getting about half again as many aircraft painted as they had originally planned (they were hoping for 18, and got 27!)

One little bit of trivia I thought was interesting: ond of the CoNA P-3s was painted in the markings of the PBY that found the Japanese fleet at Midway. The Orion was actually stationed in Japan at the time, and was painted by the Japanese! Even so, they were enthiastic about the project and took great pride in the job.

SN

[BCA]

Hey, I'm new here. I spent 8 years in the Navy as an airframes and hydraulics technician on the mighty F14 with VF211 (sadly now flying the "puny" F18 ) and I agree with the Gent who could see both sides. The "retro" schemes look very cool but are a pain to keep that way. On the Tomcat, as well as all the other aircraft that had the gray TPS paint, after two weeks at sea they looked like crap. The corrosion guys had their hands full maintaining the paint and preserving all of the scratches and scapes. Heavy tool boxes were hard on paint. I think the scheduled interval for washes was every two weeks. It washed the salt spray off of the aircraft but not much else. The oil, hydraulic fluid stains, and boot sole scuffs tended to be difficult to remove.

I remember VF211 had a Tomcat that was painted slightly different than the rest of our birds. All squadron markings were painted in dark "engine gray" on the newest buno number bird we had. This is somewhat in keeping with Navy squadrons from the mid 70s to the mid 80s before the overall gray TPS schemes began to show up. All of the squadrons had a "CAG bird" in which all of the markings were in full color. Some were VERY colorful. My personal fav was VF111 Sundowners CAG bird with the sun burst on the tail.

Anyway I think the current retro schemes are cool....while they last.

Barry

[StangStung]

Since it was referenced above that there were 27 of these aircraft painted, does anyone have a list with pics and what the scheme is meant to represent historically? I've tried to collect some pics of all the ones I could, but I doubt I've seen 27. Anyone?

[StudeDave]

Since it was referenced above that there were 27 of these aircraft painted, does anyone have a list with pics and what the scheme is meant to represent historically? I've tried to collect some pics of all the ones I could, but I doubt I've seen 27. Anyone?

NO kidding- I'd like to see that list as well!!! I only have pictures of what I saw at NAS Whidbey Island last month, plus a few random ones from airliners.net and elsewhere.

[Randy Haskin]

How do you warbird enthusiasts feel about this heritage issue been spoken like this within the US Navy .?....poor lack of modern day understanding of where they have come from? or is it legimate reasons to see the schemes go?

Maybe it's that folks in the military today are serving at a very high operations tempo in the midst of a 10-year war.

There ARE a lot more important things to be considered.

[Randy Haskin]

Yeah, we go to war in THAT. THIS is a real warbird. It's a workhorse. It's function over form to take it to the bad guy.

That shiny P-51 over there? VERY COOL airplane...but that's not what they looked like when THEY were real warbirds either. They were a little on the dirty and worn side too.

+1000

[TonyA]

Since it was referenced above that there were 27 of these aircraft painted, does anyone have a list with pics and what the scheme is meant to represent historically? I've tried to collect some pics of all the ones I could, but I doubt I've seen 27. Anyone?

The first 18 or so to be painted (which are mostly the trainers) are pictured here along with details of the scheme backgrounds and a list of the ones which hadn't been finished at that time: http://www.hrana.org/documents/HeritagePaintProject.pdf

[StangStung]

Thanks for that Tony! Now I can work on the checklist. With the pics included there, along with the list of aircraft left to be painted, there's your 27.

Much appreciated!

[StudeDave]

Thanks for that Tony! Now I can work on the checklist. With the pics included there, along with the list of aircraft left to be painted, there's your 27. Much appreciated!

Yes- Thanks very very much Tony!!! I appreciated that as well.

I have a few pictures of one of the P3s, two or three of the Hornets, and the Prowler that
I took when I went to NAS Whidbey's 'show' that wasn't. I also found a few on the 'net.
Let me know what you might like to see, and I'll see about getting copies to you 'StangStung'.

[TonyA]

Just found a later version of the document: http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/centennial/Documents/Heritage%20Paint%20Project.pdf