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AW Zaps....post a pic of your sighting...
- Thread starter Schnugg
- Start date
I may be wrong, but I'd say it is rather universal.
I'm not exactly sure of the tradition of the zap. I seem to recall that it came about in the early days of the carrier Navy. When multiple carriers were working together, it wasn't unheard of for a pilot to land on the wrong ship. His plane got zapped while he was waiting to be launched to get to the correct boat. Sort of a memento, if you will.
I first learned about it when the Italian H-1's came to our squadron. I was doing my time out in the line shack when we were notified that we would have to recover H-1's and move 'em to our hangar. After the brief, the LPO asks if anyone has any squadron or Kaman stickers. I had a few Kaman stickers so I raised my hand. He then took me aside and explained the intended use of the sticker and we planned our strike.
Later, when I was on deployment, we would zap aircraft that landed on our small boy with a stencil and spray paint (white for dark aircraft (CH-46) and red for white and low-vis (H-3 & H60). One of the det personnel would go out with the chock and chain boys and zap 'em just before they'd take off. We hit the CH-46 from the oiler twice before word came back that if we hit them again, they'd stop bringing us our mail.
You zapped your mail bird? I would say that was a below average for headwork!
I have seen it once, but transitting P3s have been known to occassionally get their prop tips painted pink by opposing squadrons... Zapping can also be enjoyable when you go over to another sister squadron, get some of THEIR stickers, and zap the hell out of something to get them in trouble. Oh, the fun you can get in with that.... Mind you, there are certain aircraft (cough, TACAMO) that you DON'T want to zap. If I recall the story correctly, there was a shitstorm over that one, a marine corporal got a whole lot of grief for letting it happen, and the JO's in question were found and had to stand before the CG... eh, maybe it was worth it? I don't know...
I was personally planning on putting the stickers up on many of the boards and walls around the world (air terminals and DFACs anyone?) that are littered with squadron and unit stickers. I am kind of interested in what type of response we will get, someone registers and their first thread is something like "WHO PUT THE GOD DAMN STICKER ON MY PLANE!!"
Anwyays...
So you're saying I need a can of pink spray paint and some "other squadron" sickers as well. Check and check.
You know it.
Next step, you and the other JOPA members sneak over to the other squadron's "I LOVE ME WALL", and change out their command's photo lineup with some of yours.... surprising how long that can take for them to notice, but stand by for the retaliation! Preferable to do it right before your squadron leaves to go on deployment
Ahhhhh ... so then, during the height of the debauchery at the final/final A-6 INTRUDER O'Club party @ NUW .... WE WERE RIGHT!!!
Right, a relative term, but in this case as in: when some inebriated wags climbed up onto a table in the bar and attempted to paint the P-3 MAD boom pink .... ??? They (we?) were calmed by upper management and settled for covering the offending member with a large garbage bag ....
You zapped your mail bird? I would say that was a below average for headwork!
They weren't our mail bird on the first strike. Second strike, no excuse
. At least it wasn't me that did it.
In today's climate and culture, you would probably be kicked out of theater... who knows...
No kidding? What you all go through today just boggles my mind. We’d do shit like what you all are talking about in the 60’s and everyone would just laugh. Maybe you’d have to buy a “round” at the club. But it was all in fun everyone knew it and took it in stride. I can’t believe this crap today.
Steve
I want to Zap the main door at our local City Hall. Sell me one?
Back in my day, without the internet, ordering det stickers would be troublesome. But the equipment to cut a fancy stencil and spray paint were items readily available in any det 'boardship loadout.
Actually, with the application of the proper chemical, spray paint is easier to remove than a sticker.
Wow. No more sense of humor in the Navy? No more respect for tradition? Off to the other thread to cast my vote for "My Grandfather's Navy".
To quote A4s: I weep for the future of Naval Aviation.
Hey, no need to weep with me here as the future.