Aces High Squad Timeline

[Animl-AW]

Animl lots of folks here from AW.  I came from Warbirds myself.  Big thanks to HTC for giving us a place to land and feel welcome...

Yep, damn near the entire game population migrated to AH when new owners EA.com pulled the plug. Quite a few of us have flown in the same world (AW or AH) for about 35 years. And we prolly will until we can't anymore. It's not just a game to many of us. We might get a little feisty when a dog poops in our backyard.

[Trev95]

Jeez, my squad has been around longer then I have been alive...  Long live the FREEBIRD$!

<S>FBTrev95

[CAV]

Death From Above squadron was officially born on June 6th, 1998. Originally formed in AirWarrior (R.I.P.),

I started in AW around 1992 or 93 with VMF-525, moved them to AH but it died off after the move. Joined DFA later.

CAV

[oboe]

Death From Above squadron was officially born on June 6th, 1998. Originally formed in AirWarrior (R.I.P.),

I started in AW around 1992 or 93 with VMF-525, moved them to AH but it died off after the move. Joined DFA later.

CAV

OK, I've your squad start year corrected on the timeline, and used the colorful squad emblem you posted.  Thank you, CAV!  <S>

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

https://327th.com/main.htm

I'm not exactly sure when the 327th was formed, I flew with them in AW FR, then here. I understand Gooss is the CO now, KOOL, Stick, and others may or may not be around. It's a fairly storied squad, used to be super active. Had a few real veterans on the roster.

[Devil 505]

Kommando Nowotny

Established in 2010

[Mayhem]

Quite a long time ago, I did some research on the oldest squads in Aces High, and produced the timeline chart below.  I think it was probably back in 2015, and my requirement to be included at that time was your squad must be currently active active in AH and have been establish at least ten years prior (hence the 2005 cut off).   

(Image removed from quote.)

I logged in this morning briefly, and was happy to see players from some of these squads still at it!   I saw players from the Arabian Knights (AKs), Flying Tigers AVG, 99th ASTAG, POTW, Sick Puppies, Gunfighters, DFA, Blue Thunder and the **Regulators**.

So I thought its time to add another ten years worth of squads to the timeline.   Let's go to 2015.   So, if you're in a currently active AH squad that was established before 2015 (or before 2005 and not listed here) let me hear from you.   Post your squad logo here (at least 100x100 px, pls), and your squad start date and I'll add your squad to the chart.  Would be nice if you posted a little bit of your squads background history, too - notable players or founding members, etc - just for posterity.

Also I need to here specifically from the **REGULATORS** and Blue Thunder.  I think you guys probably quality but I can't find a squad logo or webpage for you.

Thanks all!

Thanks Oboe, I stole this and posted it to the Il2 forums where there are a lot of squadrons claiming to be the oldest.

[LCADolby]

Fat Drunk Bastards were 2000, not sure if they are flying anymore though

[oboe]

Fat Drunk Bastards were 2000, not sure if they are flying anymore though

(Image removed from quote.)

Thanks - I checked the AH squad listing page and they aren't listed.    FDB.

Just adding this for the record, Shuffler provided start date of the 80th Headhunters - June 2006

[Mister Fork]

Well, the Gunfighters still fly time to time. But no where near as we used to in the past.

[oboe]

Thanks for the updates, fellas.  Mayhem, I'm curious to know how this doc is received in the IL-2 forum.    Everybody, point of pride here - if your squad was established prior to 2015 and have been flying more or less continuously since, and if you've got at least half a dozen solid members and a logo - lets get it listed on the timeline.  Post your start date and squad emblem in this thread.   I suppose I should also grey-out squads that are no longer flying....I'm not sure about the BKs or The Few...



EDIT:  I just analyzed the Active Squad List from the home page link, and find we currently have 130+ active squads, 47 of which have 6 or more members.  Kudos to you guys for helping keep the game alive!

The top 25 ranked squads (by # of members) are:

Rank   Squad Name   Members
1   Death -> Dr Evil's Death Squadron (31)   31
2   162ndFG"Purple*Hearts" (30)   30
3   Jokers Jokers (27)   27
4   TA's Murder of Crows Inc. (25)   25
5   **Elite** (25)   25
6   Sic Puppies MWK (24)   24
7   325th Checkertails VFG (20)   20
8   Arabian Knights (20)   20
9   Dickweed Heavy Bomber Group (19)   19
10   DFA "the way to the next whisky bar" (18)   18
11   Wings of Terror (18)   18
12   * Blue Thunder * DR7 is missd (17)   17
13   VF15-Satans-Playmates (17)   17
14   TAs AeroFighters Inc. (16)   16
15   **Regulators**(Selectively Recruiting) (14)   14
16   Birds Of Prey (14)   14
17   LCA RAIDERS (14)   14
18   CLAIM JUMPERS (11) + CLAIM JUMPERS (3)   14
19   Dirty Devils (13)   13
20   CLAIM JUMPERS (13)   13
21   Sick puppies MWK (13)   13
22   Kommando Nowotny (12)   12
23   Vaasan Vaakalentajat (12)   12
24   The *Specialists* (12)   12
25   ~Avengers~ (12)   12

  to every one of you!

While I think of it, there are 2 awesome squad logos I've lost track of.  One is the Elite Aces logo - IIRC, featuring a cartoon wolf head with his teeth bared and tongue hanging out, ready to eat with a knife and fork in his hands.

The other, I don't know the squad anymore, but it was a grizzled-looking pig, with razor stubble and dressed in flying gear.  I think he was leaning out of a cockpit or something like that.  IIRC, the story is this art was specifically commissioned from a commercial artist, and was just the best I've seen.  Can't believe I lost track of it, but it was several computers and a couple of moves ago...

If anybody has a copy of these, I'd appreciate a link.  Thanks!

[LCADolby]

My JG5 outfit was formed in late 2011. I'm still flying

[oboe]

My JG5 outfit was formed in late 2011. I'm still flying

How many members at its largest?

[LCADolby]

20ish. I think we maxed out at 21-22.

Soon after we peaked, the elitists in my squad torn us in two.

[oboe]

I'll add it in the next version of the timeline chart.   I'll also go through the current squad listing and try 'graying out' the emblems for squadrons which are no longer in the active squad listing...

EDIT:

Here's the latest, with defunct squads greyed out.  I feared the damage would actually be worse.  Some 870 people belong to active squads, according to the home page's squad list totals.