Author Topic: A question 4 you all.... (Read 583 times)

OntosMk1 · « **on:** March 31, 2003, 12:47:35 PM »

Ok, I was wondering what the "V" in the Navy and Marine squadron numbers stand for?

I know the "F" is for Fighter, the "B" is for bomber, the "M" is for Marine, the "A" is for Attack, the "Q" is for electronic warfare and so on and so on.....

But in blue blazes does the "V" stand 4:confused:

pugg666 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2003, 12:50:18 PM »

IIRC the V stands for fixed wing.

could be very wrong though

Furious · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2003, 01:19:04 PM »

Quote

On 17 July 1920, the Secretary of the Navy prescribed a standard nomenclature for types and classes of naval vessels, including aircraft, in which lighter-than-air craft were identified by the type “Z” and heavier-than-air craft by the letter “V”. Class letters assigned within the Z type were R, N and K for rigid dirigibles, non-rigid dirigibles and kite balloons respectively, while F, O, S, P, T and G were established for fighter, observation, scouting, patrol, torpedo and bombing, and Fleet planes as classes within the V type. The use of the “V” designation with fix-wing heavier-than-air squadron designations has been a question of debate since the 1920s. However, no conclusive evidence has been found to identify why the letter “V” was chosen. It is generally believed the “V” was in reference to the French word volplane

from: http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP16.PDF

F.

pugg666 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2003, 10:32:03 AM »

see I told ya I could be very wrond

Hawklore · « **Reply #4 on:** April 01, 2003, 11:14:43 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by pugg666
IIRC the V stands for fixed wing.

could be very wrong though

V stands for fixed wing..

pugg666 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 01, 2003, 11:28:08 AM »

wait a minute, next time i'll read the whole thing

john9001 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2003, 11:45:54 AM »

well, it's fixed wing navy* , right?

* marines are under dept of navy

DiabloTX · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2003, 01:21:18 PM »

As a current member of the United States Navy I can tell you why they chose a "V" as the selected letter for "fixed wing" or "heavier than air" aircraft. Because it MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. How do I know this? My last afloat command was USS Concord AFS-5, which stands for Auxiliary Combat Stores ship. NEVER ask why the Navy does things the way it does...it just does.

~~SK2 Wagner, USN-R~~

gofaster · « **Reply #8 on:** April 04, 2003, 08:37:14 AM »

They chose "V" because fixed wing aircraft are "heav-VEEE-ier than air" craft.

toftat · « **Reply #9 on:** April 04, 2003, 10:14:38 AM »

surely it's because the V looks like a down arrow which is where it would go if you held it up and let go

Holden McGroin · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2003, 11:51:01 PM »

Kelly Johnson had about a dozen written rules for running the Skunk Works. The P38, F-104, U-2, and SR 71 says he knew what he was doing.

His last unwritten law was "never do anything for the Golly-geened Navy"

Ben Rich, Johnson's sucessor, violated that rule when he realised F-117 technology could build a submarine that could be invisible to sonar. The Navy told him they would never build a submarine like he suggested, because it "looked funny".

They decided to build that twin hulled stealth ship instead, the pattern for the one in the James Bond movie.