Tailcodes

[Guest Dirt Beater]

Is/was there any rhyme or reason behind the tailcodes on jets...I mean, why the hell is Kadena "ZZ"?? Also, why don't heavies have the traditional two-letter tailcode? The only time I've ever seen it was an SJ on a KC-10, and ZZ on a KC-135...always been curious.

[Guest EZ206PILOT]

The CC on Cannon fighters stands for Clovis/ Cannon.

[Guest Chuck Sargent]

ZZ... maybe they slept alot.

[Guest Walter_Sobchak]

SJ on a KC-10 would be from years ago when there were reserve (?) KC-10s at Seymour Johnson. There are some good ones out there. Back in the mid-90s and before, McConnell had T-38 companion trainers for their tanker pilots. The tailcode was "OZ" (McConnell is in Kansas if you don't get it). A buddy of mine asked a pilot at Nellis what the "WA" on their aircraft stood for. The dude quickly answered "Whoop ***!"

[M2]

FT on the Pope A-10s is for 'Flying Tigers'. I think this is a full list of codes:

AC F-16C 177th Fighter Wing, Atlantic City IAP, N.J. (ANG)

AF Cessna 150, T-41, UV-18, TG-3/4/7/9/11 U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.

AK F-15C/D/E, C-12J/F, C-130H, E-3B 3rd Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska (PACAF)

AK F-16C/D, A/OA-10 354th FW, Eielson AFB, Alaska (PACAF)

AL F-16C/D 187th FW, Dannelly Field, Ala. (ANG)

AV F-16C/D 31st FW, Aviano Air Base, Italy (USAFE)

AZ F-16A/B 162nd FW, Tucson IAP, Ariz. (ANG)

BB U-2S, T-38A 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Calif. (ACC)

BC A/OA-10A 110th FW, W.K. Kellogg Airport, Mich. (ANG)

BD A/OA-10A, B-52H 917th WG, Barksdale AFB, La. (AFRC)

BH KC-135 117th Air Refueling Wing, Birmingham Airport, Ala. (ANG)

CA HH-60G, MC-130/P 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett NAS, Calif. (ANG)

CB T-37B, T-38A, AT-38B, T-1A 14th Fighter Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss. (AETC)

CC F-16C/D/CJ 27th FW, Cannon AFB, N.M. (ACC)

CI C-130E 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Island ANGS, Calif. (ANG)

CO F-16C/D 140th FW Buckley ANGB, Colo. (ANG)

CR C-13E/H 302nd AW, Peterson AFB, Colo. (AFRC)

CT A/OA-10A 103rd FW, Bradley IAP, Conn. (ANG)

D KC-135R 100th ARW, RAF Mildenhall, England (USAFE)

DC F-16C/D, C-22 113th WG, Andrews AFB, Md. (ANG)

DE C-130H 166th AW, New Castle County Airport, Del. (ANG)

DM A-10, EC-130E/H, OA-10 355th WG, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (ACC)

DR HH-60G 939th RQW, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (AFRC)

DY B-1B 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas (ACC)

ED Various 412th TW, Edwards AFB, Calif. (AFMC)

EG F-15C/D 33rd FW, Eglin AFB, Fla. (ACC)

EL B-1B 28th BW, Ellsworth AFB, S.D. (ACC)

EN T-37B, T-38A, AT-38B 80th FTW, Sheppard AFB, Texas (AETC)

ET Various 46th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. (AFMC)

FE UH-1N 90th Space Wing, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. (AFSPC)

FF F-15C/D 1st FW, Langley AFB, Va. (ACC)

FL F-15A/B 125th FW, Jacksonville IAP, Fla. (ANG)

FL HC-130, HH-60G 939th RQW, Patrick AFB, Fla. (AFRC)

FM F-16A/B 482nd FW, Homestead AFB, Fla. (AFRC)

FS F-16A/B 188th FW, Fort Smith Regional Airport, Ark. (ANG)

FT A/OA-10A 23rd FW, Pope AFB, N.C. (ACC)

FW F-16C/D 122nd FW, Fort Wayne IAP, Ind. (ANG)

GA B-1B 116th BW, Robins AFB, Ga. (ANG)

GA C-130H 165th AW, Savannah IAP, Ga. (ANG)

HA F-16C/D 185th FW, Sioux Gateway Airport, Iowa (ANG)

HAFB F-16 Ogden ALC, Hill AFB, Utah (AFMC)

HI F-16C/D 419th FW, Hill AFB, Utah (AFRC)

HL F-16C/D 388th FW, Hill AFB, Utah (ACC)

HO F-117A,T-38A, F-4F 49th FW, Holloman AFB, N.M. (ACC)

HT AT-38B 46th Test Group, Holloman AFB, N.M. (AFMC)

HV UH-1N 30th SW, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. (AFSPC)

IA F-16C/D 132nd FW, Des Moines IAP, Iowa (ANG)

IL C-130E 182nd AW, Greater Peoria IAP, Ill. (ANG)

IS HH-60 85th WG, NAS Keflavik, Iceland (ACC)

JZ F-15A/B 159th FW, NAS New Orleans JRB, La. (ANG)

KC O/OA-10A 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB, Mo. (AFRC)

KS C-21A 45th Airlift Flight, Keesler AFB, Miss. (AETC)

KT WC-130H, C-130E 403rd WG, Keesler AFB, Miss. (AFRC)

LA B-52H 2nd BW, Barksdale AFB, La. (ACC)

LF F-16A/B/C/D 56th FW, Luke AFB, Ariz. (AETC)

LI HC-130, HH-60G 106th RQW, Francis S. Gabreski AP, N.Y. (ANG)

LK C-130E/H 314th AW, Little Rock AFB, Ark. (AETC)

LN F-15C/D/E 48th FW, RAF Lakenheath, England (USAFE)

LR F-16C/D 944th FW, Luke AFB, Ariz. (AFRC)

MA A/OA-10A 104th FW, Barnes MAP, Mass. (ANG)

MD A/OA-10A, C-130J 175th WG, Martin State Airport, Md. (ANG)

MI F-16C/D, C-130E 127th FW, Selfridge ANGB, Mich. (ANG)

MM UH-1N 341st SW, Malmstrom AFB, Mont. (AFSPC)

MN C-130E 133rd AW, Minn.-St. Paul IAP/ARS, Minn. (ANG)

MO F-15C/D/E, F-16CJ, KC-135R, B-1B 366th WG, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho (ACC)

MT B-52H 5th BW, Minot AFB, N.D. (ACC)

MT UH-1N 91st MW, Minot AFB, N.D. (AFSPC)

MY C-130E, HH-60G, HC-130P, T-6, T-38 347th RQW, Moody AFB, Ga. (ACC)

NJ KC-135E 108th ARW, McGuire AFB, N.J. (ANG)

NM F-16C/D 150th FW, Kirtland AFB, N.M. (ANG)

NO A/OA-10A 926th FW, NAS New Orleans JRB, La. (AFRC)

NY F-16C/D 174th FW, Hancock Field, N.Y. (ANG)

OF RC-135S/U/V/W, TC-135W, WC-135W, E-4B, OC-135B 55th WG, Offutt AFB, Neb. (ACC)

OH F-16C/D 178th FW, Springfield-Beckley MAP, Ohio (ANG)

OH F-16C/D 180th FW, Toledo Express Airport, Ohio (ANG)

OK F-16C/D 138th FW, Tulsa IAP, Okla. (ANG)

OK E-3B/C 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, Okla. (ACC)

OR F-15C/D 173rd FW, Portland IAP, Ore. (ANG)

OS F-16C/D, A/OA-10A, C-12J, HH-60G, MH-53J 51st FW, Osan AB, Korea (PACAF)

OT F-15A/B/C/E, F-16A/C U.S. Air Force Air Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.

(ACC)

OT F-15A/B/C/D/E, F-16A/B/C/D 53rd WG, Eglin AFB, Fla. (ACC)

PA A/OA-10A 111th FW, Willow Grove ARS, Pa. (ANG)

PA EC-130E 193rd SOW, Harrisburg IAP, Pa. (ANG)

PD HC-130P, HH-60G 939th RW, Portland IAP, Ore. (AFRC)

PR C-130E 156th AW, Muñiz ANGB, Puerto Rico (ANG)

RA T-1A, T-6A, T-37B, T-38A, AT-38B, T-43A 12th FTW, Randolph AFB, Texas (AETC)

RG C-130E/H Warner Robins ALC, Robins AFB, Ga. (AFMC)

RI C-130E 143rd AW, Quonset State AP, R.I. (ANG)

RS C-9, C-20, C-21, C-130E 86th AW, Ramstein AB, Germany (USAFE)

SA F-16C/D 149th FW, Lackland AFB, Texas (ANG)

SC F-16C/D 169th FW, McEntire ANGS, S.C. (ANG)

SD F-16C/D 114th FW, Joe Foss Field, S.D. (ANG)

SI F-16C/D 183rd FW, Capital MAP, Ill. (ANG)

SJ F-15E 4th FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. (ACC)

SL F-15A/B 131st FW, Lambert-St. Louis IAP, Mo. (ANG)

SP F-16CJ/D, A/OA-10 52nd FW, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (USAFE)

SW F-16CJ 20th FW, Shaw AFB, S.C. (ACC)

TF F-16C/D 301st FW, Carswell ARS, Texas (AFRC)

TH F-16C/D 181st FW, Terre Haute IAP-Hulman Field, Ind. (ANG)

TY F-15C/D 325th FW, Tyndall AFB, Fla. (AETC)

VA F-16C/D 192nd FW, Byrd Field, Va. (ANG)

VN T-1A, T-37B, T-38A 71st FTW, Vance AFB, Okla. (AETC)

VT F-16C/D 158th FW, Burlington IAP, Vt. (ANG)

WA F-15C/D/E, F-16A/B/C/D, A-10A, HH-60, Predator 57th WG, Nellis AFB, Nev. (ACC)

WI F-16C/D 115th FW, Truax Field, Wis. (ANG)

WI KC-135R 128th ARW, General Mitchell IAP/ARS, Wis. (ANG)

WM B-2A, T-38A 509th BW, Whiteman AFB, Mo. (ACC)

WP F-16C/D 8th FW, Kunsan AB, Korea (PACAF)

WR E-8C 93rd ACW, Robins AFB, Ga. (ACC)

WV C-130E 167th AW, Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport/Shepherd Field, W.V. (ANG)

WW F-16J 35th FW, Misawa AB, Japan (PACAF)

XL T-1A, T-37B, T-38A 47th FTW, Laughlin AFB, Texas (AETC)

XP C-130H 139th AW, Rosecrans Memorial Airport, Mo. (ANG)

YJ C-130E/H, C-9A, C-21A, UH-1N 374th AW, Yokota AB, Japan (PACAF)

ZZ F-15C/D, KC-135R, E-3B, HH-60G 18th WG, Kadena AB, Japan (PACAF)

Cheers! M2

[M2]

Oh, and Chuck is right about the Langley birds, FF does stand for First Fighter Wing...

Cheers! M2

[Toro]

Originally posted by ChuckFlys17s:

XL is from the 1970s or something when the base commander changed it as part of the whole 'XL'ence theme that is all over Laughlin.

Actually, the XL on the tail codes came from when the base hit it's fortieth anniversary (XL is the Roman numeral for 40). The tailcodes were changed at that time to XL. It wasn't until a few years later that a different wing commander changed the theme to "eXceL". I was there when it happened, and the extent to which they went with that theme made you want to throw up -- you had to have an 'eXceL" card on you at all times similar to a coin...absolutely retarded.

[Beaver]

Here's what I heard about the ZZ tailcode at Kadena, and this is just a sketchy memory of a wives tale, so take it with a grain of salt.

Back in WWII, the island in the Pacific that the 18th wing was on was attacked by the Japanese. Rather than stay and fight, the fighters in the wing at the time took off and flew away, not defending the base. So afterwards, some general said from then on, they would have a ZZ tailcode indicating that they are the last wing in the Air Force, and their unit mascot would be a chicken. So now, the 18th wing patch is of a chicken with his arms raised. And one of the 2 Eagle squadrons, the 67th "Fighting Cocks," also has a chicken for a mascot.

Side note: the WW at Misawa stands for "Wild Weasel." It used to be on the F-4G's from George AFB in California. When George closed, they decided that the 35 TFW had more history than the 432 TFW at Misawa, so they switched wing designations and tail codes.

[M2]

Kunsan = WP = Wolf Pack

Cheers! M2

[Hacker]

Originally posted by MajorMadMax:

FF does stand for First Fighter Wing...

I thought it was for "First and Finest"

[Guest wms]

A buddy of mine asked a pilot at Nellis what the "WA" on their aircraft stood for. The dude quickly answered "Whoop ***!"

Whiners Anonymous

[Guest HueyPilot]

Regarding the ZZ tail code and the story associated with it:

I read somewhere that it was in Korea, as the NKA advanced on the city and base, the pilots flew off and fled the attack, leaving the other personnel on the base to the mercy (or lack thereof) of the NKA.

When we won the base back a while later, it was found that the remaining personnel had been wholesale slaughtered by the North Koreans, and the commander of the air forces declared that the wing would be permanently based OCONUS, never to return to American soil and would be "last in the Air Force", hence the ZZ tail code.

[Guest waggonman]

Think the OZ at Mcconnell was abbr for OZARKS ?,

and the KC10 outfit at SJ was the 68 ARW I believe,

cheers, M.

[Guest Walter_Sobchak]

Kansas... Oz, as in Wizard of.

If there's a more official story I've never heard it.

[Guest pensacola_joe]

AP stands for "Air Force in Pensacola", the new tail flash for 21 T-1As being modified with emulated (versus simulated or actual) AGP-70 and APN-242 radars.

[Wolf424]

Is/was there any rhyme or reason behind the tailcodes on jets...I mean, why the hell is Kadena "ZZ"?? Also, why don't heavies have the traditional two-letter tailcode? The only time I've ever seen it was an SJ on a KC-10, and ZZ on a KC-135...always been curious.

Some other heavies have them. Add the 36th to that list...

[C17Driver]

Hickam C-17s have them. HH

[Crog]

Regarding the ZZ tail code and the story associated with it:

I read somewhere that it was in Korea, as the NKA advanced on the city and base, the pilots flew off and fled the attack, leaving the other personnel on the base to the mercy (or lack thereof) of the NKA.

When we won the base back a while later, it was found that the remaining personnel had been wholesale slaughtered by the North Koreans, and the commander of the air forces declared that the wing would be permanently based OCONUS, never to return to American soil and would be "last in the Air Force", hence the ZZ tail code.

I was told a version of this story in 1992 during my first assignment in the Pacific. I have occasionally tried to verify it, until a few years back I accidentally saw it mentioned in another Air Force journal/article. It debunked it completely, and gave the real reason for the "ZZ", which I can't recall at this moment. Needless to say, it was pretty boring in comparison to the rumor.

One story I can relay as more than 10% true was the nickname of the 67FS at Kadena during that timeframe, "The Biting Cocks". There was an allegation of a gay pilot/crew chief being caught in the act in the mid 80's. This, of course, became the source of much entertainment to other fighter units in PACAF, specifically the F-4 guys at Clark. A very talented and darkly sinister WSO in the Peugeots dropped into the local PI sticker shop with a special request: thousands of stickers of a modified 67FS patch, but this time labeled with the new nickname --- and, if you look at the patch, imagine the rooster, mouth wide open, holding a large fleshy protuberance. These spread like wildfire in PACAF, until the new CinC of PACAF, the original "he who shall not be named" (rhymes with "Prick-Geek") put out a policy letter: He would immediately fire the WG/CC of any base at which he saw that sticker. With much scraping they were gone in a few weeks. In 1994, the last example was seen under glass in the base ops at NAS Agana, Guam. I've been told it is no longer there.

Thanks to "Dirty Todo" for verifying all the sordid details of this story. That, and letting the fellas trash your house during an extended stay/drinkfest!

[MKopack]

Tailcode trivia:

When I was about 14, my Dad and I visited a base as photographers, and caught this "unusually" marked F-4D. Where were we?(No Google won't help you, it'll only show that "XT" was the code carried by Phantoms of the 558th TFS at Cam Ranh Bay from '65-70, and I'm not that old... and they probably didn't have a lot of 14 year olds in to shoot photos.)

Answer below -

We were in Burlington with the Vermont ANG, who was just transitioning from the EB-57 to the Phantom. When we asked about the 'unusual' XT, rather than VT, marks, the old crew chief shook his head and muttered something about "not being able to find good help these days". He told us that when they sent the jet to paint, they told them to "paint it just like this" (pointing to the T.O.) and that's how it rolled out - with the XT that was shown in the AFTO 1-1-4...

Mike

[Dead Last]

Some other heavies have them. Add the 36th to that list...

YJ usually meant Yokota's Junk when you flew them in the desert or had their old E models transferred to your squadron.

Cheers

[lloyd christmas]

The T-38s weren't the only McConnell aircraft with OZ on the tail.

[bfargin]

One story I can relay as more than 10% true was the nickname of the 67FS at Kadena during that timeframe, "The Biting Cocks". There was an allegation of a gay pilot/crew chief being caught in the act in the mid 80's. This, of course, became the source of much entertainment to other fighter units in PACAF, specifically the F-4 guys at Clark. A very talented and darkly sinister WSO in the Peugeots dropped into the local PI sticker shop with a special request: thousands of stickers of a modified 67FS patch, but this time labeled with the new nickname --- and, if you look at the patch, imagine the rooster, mouth wide open, holding a large fleshy protuberance. These spread like wildfire in PACAF, until the new CinC of PACAF, the original "he who shall not be named" (rhymes with "Prick-Geek") put out a policy letter: He would immediately fire the WG/CC of any base at which he saw that sticker. With much scraping they were gone in a few weeks. In 1994, the last example was seen under glass in the base ops at NAS Agana, Guam. I've been told it is no longer there.

Dude, that is classic and I can confirm bits and pieces of this story first hand as I was at Kadena while the F-15 driver was being discharged. I was a just commissioned 2LT waiting for UPT to start and went to visit the SQs DO (family friend). He didn't tell me everything, but did relay bits and pieces of what was going on but never told me names and such. The F-15s caught a lot of grief over that for a few years.

The story of course made it all around TAC. While I was in UPT at Willie on a couple of short out and backs over to Luke I was told that the F-16 drivers could and would close down the engine nozel when they taxied in front of any F-15. One of my IPs was a former F-16 pilot, so he might have been blowing smoke but he said it was just a reminder to them that everyone knew "all F-15 drivers were light in the loafers". All in good fun I'm sure (no competition between airframes).

[Stitch]

Regarding the ZZ tail code and the story associated with it:

I read somewhere that it was in Korea, as the NKA advanced on the city and base, the pilots flew off and fled the attack, leaving the other personnel on the base to the mercy (or lack thereof) of the NKA.

When we won the base back a while later, it was found that the remaining personnel had been wholesale slaughtered by the North Koreans, and the commander of the air forces declared that the wing would be permanently based OCONUS, never to return to American soil and would be "last in the Air Force", hence the ZZ tail code.

That's how I heard the story back in 1983. The base supposedly was Kunsan with the base personnel being strung up/hung with safety wire from the rafters of the maintenance hangar. Additionally, the tale told that while the bodies were later cut down the safety wire was still attached to the rafters years later. At that time, again 1983, the hangar was in the ROKAF section of the flightline and off limits to USAF folks, so no way to verify one way or another. I don't remember seeing that same hangar on my return to the Kun in 1992.

[MKopack]

That's how I heard the story back in 1983. The base supposedly was Kunsan with the base personnel being strung up/hung with safety wire from the rafters of the maintenance hangar. Additionally, the tale told that while the bodies were later cut down the safety wire was still attached to the rafters years later. At that time, again 1983, the hangar was in the ROKAF section of the flightline and off limits to USAF folks, so no way to verify one way or another. I don't remember seeing that same hangar on my return to the Kun in 1992.

From f-16.net:

From the Kadina website: "A popular rumor claims the wing patch has a chicken and is yellow because of an alleged act of cowardice during the Korean War. The fact that the patch has been worn since 1932 certainly disproves this rumor and should dispel any doubts about the record of the 18th Wing. The wing patch has undergone some changes since it first appeared in 1931. However, the "fight until you prevail" attitude is as strong today as it was over 60 years ago."

I can speak to the truth of the matter since I'm also the 18th Wing historian.

The events described in the several versions of the story that I've been able to document are just that, stories.

The emblem for the wing has existed since 1927, the wing has NEVER been stationed on the continental United States since its activation at Wheeler Field. The wing moved several times during Korea, but participated in combat operations throughout the conflict flying F-51's, F-80's, and finally F-86's. Additionally, the 67th FS has the distinction of having been commanded by the FIRST Air Force recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor (posthumously), Major Louis J. Sebille. The 67th also has the only Ace from a fighter-bomer squadron Major James P. Hagerstrom with 8-1/2 "kills." Maj Hagerstrom is one of only seven WWII aces that went on to become jet aces as well. Hardly the stuff of cowards or derelicts.

Anyway, if you poke around enough on the internet you'll also find similar stories about the 4th Marine Regiiment in WWII, as well as the Army and Navy. So it's not a unique story and with enough research could probably be dated to an even earlier time.

Searches of Korean War casualty lists also show no evidence of the personnel losses at Kunsan, Osan - or any other allied airbase during the war.

[Breckey]

Is there a reason why none of the AFSOC birds have tailcodes on them? I understand the reason for their secret squirrel aircraft to be devoid of markings but is there any reason why their gunships or CV-22's are absent of anything besides their serial number?