The Neverending Callsign thread (Best/Worst/Funniest and where they came from)

Well, up to this point in training (at least in the Prop pipeline) you have to have done something spectacularly stupid to get named something, but even then, you don't see any call signs. All that will change of course when you get to your first Squadron, as you develop a reputation, anything is free game, the way you look, talk, fly, you name it, and the wardroom gets together and decides to name you, hopefully you haven't done anything too stupid while all this is going on. But chances are, being the new guy, you will end up doing something quite hilarious (at your expense) in the eyes of the rest of the wardroom.

Speaking of callsigns, as for me, I need to stop hitting birds, had another bird strike on final the other day, we had just taken off straight into the pattern, and I was on my 3rd touch and go. 200' high on short final to RWY 27 here at NAS JAX, and this stupid bird can't make up its mind, tries to climb over us, no go, then tries to dive beneath us! Well, went straight by our nose, and BAM! right into our nose landing gear, we landed, I hit reverse, and about a million feathers went flying out in front of the plane. Bird was wrapped all up and around the gear, mashed up the two nosewheel landing lights pretty good too. My Onwing mentioned that I needed to stop doing this, either he or I was going to end up with a name because of this! doh!

Also, on an engine failure after refusal yesterday, I left a skid mark down the runway at Cecil (didn't get full forward yoke in to keep the plane down). IP told me if I did it again I was going to be called "skidmark" from then on!

You can imagine how other things can happen, and suddenly you have a call sign, the only thing in your control is how you respond to it. We'll see, not something I am all too concerned about, probably since it hasn't been a very big thing to date in training, probably more so for Matt in jet training, with living that fast paced lifestyle of his!

Well, I for one definately think it is time that we start calling John something on the line of "Eagle Eye" or something since he has no problems coming into contact with these birds. And you have to figure too, this is a pretty tough thing to do. Think about how small that bird is, and how maneuverable it is. Yes, that is no easy task to hit a bird. And John is becoming quite the expert. Let's see how many birds you can hit, Eagle Eye.

Although speaking of bird strikes. The damndest thing happened the other day. I'm on my way to work driving on I-5 south heading for the naval station at about 5:30 am. I'm just about under the Coronado bridge when all of a sudden I see this bird coming from across the highway. As it started getting closer to my truck it started to turn away. But it was just too late, as on it last ditch maneuver, my windshield came in direct contact with the body of the bird. Thankfully, it didn't come thru or even crack the window. But it sure made one hell of a sound.

On another note, the book Bogeys and Bandits: The Making of a Fighter Pilot written by Robert L. Gandt, is a great book. Whether you want to fly jets or not, it gives you good insight as to what goes on there at the Hornet RAG.

Take care,

LTJG Steve Wilkins
Gunnery Officer
USS VALLEY FORGE (CG 50)

Tripp,

You forgot to mention somebody in the credits for the people who helped make Top Gun. He was Major Ray "Secks" Seckinger. LTCOL Seckinger (Marine Corps) was mine and John's Executive Officer (XO) while we were at the NROTC Unit there at the University of Florida. In the movie, you can see him flying the "Mig 28" if you know what you're looking for.

--Steve

Works for me. We may have to email his onwing as well, just so word starts getting around.

--Steve

If anybodys interested, you really don't think "Frumby" was my choice of call signs. I entered the squadron and in the ready room my name was on the grease board which said
"FNG on deck: Capt Bob Hein." Underneath my name was the beginnings of a long list of call signs. After three days at the next AOM(all Officers meeting) my name was voted on and Frumby was chosen as my Delta Tau Chi name. For those of you who don't get it:
"Frumby" Hein
Of course, I got into a alcohol related incident not to long after and almost got renamed but that's another story!!
Semper Fi!

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

Just don't pick your own callsign, your life will be hell. We had a guy that was in love with Batman and wanted to be and called himself Batman. His callsign was in reference to a bat, his name was "Guano!"
Semper Fi! Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

All naval aviation communities give callsigns. Just like H said, it's usually based on something stupid one did or a play on a last name. For ex, if your name's "Johnson," I'd give 3-1 odds you're going to be named "Little."

How your callsign is used depends a lot on your community, your individual squadron, and how catchy your callsign is. Sometimes you won't know someone's first name for months, since all anyone calls him by is his c/s. Some squadrons use personal c/s extensively on the radio, others go by-the-book exclusively and use only the official callsigns given by higher HQ. It all depends.

Phrogs phorever

Well mines Frumby and I certainly didn't pick it but I'm not in the mood to discuss mine. I will give you a story of my favorite callsign story. We had a guy who was just a little different in synaptic firing. He was completely obsessed with Batman and that's what he wanted to be called. He had a Batman symbol on his flight bag, helmet and a huge sticker on the back window of his Corvette. Unfortunately, his Vette was blue and he wanted it black like the Batman car. He took a pad sander and a whole lot of cans of black "Rustoleum" paint and created his Black Batmobile. We thought that he was stupid that we found ourselves asking him frequently "What's with all this Bat sh*T?" Eventually, his call sign was born. His call sign will forever be "GUANO!!" That is a true story. For those who do not know what guano is ....look it up!
Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

Frumby, that is SOOO SCARY, we have an O4 at my command who has a BLUE Corvette with "BATMAN" license plates, a pair of Gold Wings glued to the back, and a bat cape on his chair at work.