Senior Pilot and Command pilot ratings

Gene Storey wrote:

Then I went to the "Black Hole" in Egypt, got off a 141, and a MAC
Colonel was standing at the BBQ with his shirt off, and wearing his
shower trunks and a golf hat with bird insignia, asking if we wanted one
or two pieces of chicken... When I replied I could kill for a beer with
that, he kicked open a foot-locker packed in ice and had probably 200
cans of Falstaff... We all fainted.

He got more work out of me in 30 days, then TAC got out of me
in 14 years.

Ah, the Principles of War in use:

1. Selection and Maintenance of the Aim,
2. Maintenance of Morale,...
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

Les Matheson wrote:
Nope, badges come in two sizes. One for the ClassA blouse (large)
and one for the blue shirt (small). My Navigator wings are just the
same size as a pilots wings.

"Mike Marron" wrote in message
...
"Phineas Pinkham" wrote:

Doesn't really matter. They all wear Aviation Badges anyway. Look
like Coxey's Army. Can't tell the Pilots without a Program!

USAF Command Pilot wings are much larger in size (rightfully so!)
than other aviation badges. I don't think it's no accident that I
haven't lost Dad's Command Pilot wings but I did (regrettably)
somehow manage to lose his medals back when I was a young
kid. The silver wings have tarnished a bit over the years but that's
OK since you can clearly see the imprint where he used his thumb
to pin the wings onto his dress blues.

-Mike Marron

I just got an email from a friend who just made LtCol. I remarked that now
he could wear the wheel hat with the "farts & darts" (clouds with lightning
bolts) on the visor. He replied that the Air Force no longer uses the wheel
hat. When did that start?

--

Darrell R. Schmidt

B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/

Ed Rasimus wrote:
Mike Marron wrote:

Ed Rasimus wrote:
Mike Marron wrote:

USAF Command Pilot wings are much larger in size (rightfully so!)
than other aviation badges.

Sorry, Mike, but, unless things have changed drastically, the wing
size remains the same with the exception that Senior Pilot has the
star affixed to the shield and Command Pilot adds the wreath around
the star. Otherwise, the wings are the same size.

I was simply comparing the size of USAF Command Pilot wings to the
size of wings of other wings worn by various military personnel
(paratrooper wings, for example).

I could be wrong, but when I visually compare Command Pilot wings
to any other wings -- Command Pilot wings soar above the rest WRT
size, no?

Size is often in the view of the beholder. If that matters....


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (ret)
***"When Thunder Rolled:
*** An F-105 Pilot Over N. Vietnam"
*** from Smithsonian Books
ISBN: 1588341038

Close, Ed. Actually it's the beerholder!

--

Darrell R. Schmidt

B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/

"Darrell" wrote

I just got an email from a friend who just made LtCol. I remarked that now
he could wear the wheel hat with the "farts & darts" (clouds with lightning
bolts) on the visor. He replied that the Air Force no longer uses the wheel
hat. When did that start?

People stopped wearing them in about 1975, and I think they stopped being
issued in 1993. Probably in concert with the McPeak uniform change.

"Darrell" wrote in message
news:bPM6b.13690$QT5.13568@fed1read02...
I just got an email from a friend who just made LtCol. I remarked that
now
he could wear the wheel hat with the "farts & darts" (clouds with
lightning
bolts) on the visor. He replied that the Air Force no longer uses the
wheel
hat. When did that start?

--

Darrell R. Schmidt

Not only is it not true but now majors can wear the decorated ones like
field grade officers in other services.

Tex Houston

Not only is it not true but now majors can wear the decorated ones like
field grade officers in other services.

Tex Houston


Hmm Tex, I'm not sure where you got that info from. The wheel hat was removed
as a mandatory uniform item for everyone around 1996. A few years later it was
reinstated as a uniform item for special duty officers (I'm just guessing those
that work overseas or for POTUS support) and certain enlisted AFSCs (some of
whom never really got rid of them like honor guards). Bottom line, I don't have
one, and am not required to have one.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

"ArtKramr" wrote

Anyone knows that pretty hats make for tighter bomb patterns.

Fat chicks dig wheel hats.

"Gene Storey" wrote in message
.. .
"ArtKramr" wrote

Anyone knows that pretty hats make for tighter bomb patterns.

Fat chicks dig wheel hats.





Fat chicks are like mopeds,

They're great to ride, until your friends find out !




On that "somebody had to say it" note , can somebody clue me in on what a
'wheel hat' is ?


Is that the beanie with the propeller on top ?



Cheers

Dave Kearton (but seriously)

"Dave Kearton" wrote

On that "somebody had to say it" note , can somebody clue me in on what a
'wheel hat' is ?


Is that the beanie with the propeller on top ?

Close. The wheel hat is a circular shaped affair, popularized by bus drivers,
and sanitation engineers. I think the airline pilots still like them as well, but
they almost always wear them with clip-on ties, which completes the "dork"
look to a tee... Curtis LeMay loved the hat:

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/afp/afp0198.htm

(ArtKramr) wrote:


Anyone knows that pretty hats make for tighter bomb patterns.

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS

Wasn't it Col. Cathcart that established that?


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (ret)
***"When Thunder Rolled:
*** An F-105 Pilot Over N. Vietnam"
*** from Smithsonian Books
ISBN: 1588341038