The "V" in VMFA, VMA etc...

[Dhc2tacksby]

I know what the other letters stand for, but what does the V represent?

My guess is Navy Squadron. Anybody have the skinny?

Cheers

 

[AllAmerican75]

It's an old designation dating back to the days of blimps. The Navy operated both blimps and fixed wing aircraft, so the "V" was used to designate fixed wing squadrons. I can't remember off of the top of my head what was used to designate blimp squadrons though, nor can I remember why they used a "V".

 

[BigRed389]

V meant heavier than air...at that point they didn't have helos so yeah, it was fixed wing back then.

 

[HeyJoe]

It's an old designation dating back to the days of blimps. The Navy operated both blimps and fixed wing aircraft, so the "V" was used to designate fixed wing squadrons. I can't remember off of the top of my head what was used to designate blimp squadrons though, nor can I remember why they used a "V".

Z = Lighter than air (blimps)
V = Fixed wing, heavier than air
H = Rotary wing (helos)
(applies to USN and USMC with M added for Marine units)

The second/third letters apply to mission or type

F = Fighter
A = Attack
P = Patrol
S = (Anti)Submarine
M = Medium (Marine Helo specific designation)
L = Light
Q = the world of Brett and Flash

Lots more but gotta dash

 

[Pugs]

L

Q = the world of Brett and Flash

"Q" Actually used to be just special mission back when we were in really spooky world. It became EW related in the late sixties.

 

[nittany03]

Actually I believe lighter than air was "Z," which is why USS Akron and Macon were ZRS ships. Just like Arleigh Burkes are DDGs and Nimitz carriers are CVNs.

 

[HeyJoe]

Actually I believe lighter than air was "Z," which is why USS Akron and Macon were ZRS ships. Just like Arleigh Burkes are DDGs and Nimitz carriers are CVNs.

I stand corrected...here's one of their patches

And as to origin of "V", some sources say it comes from the French verb "Voler" (to fly). Dating back to 1935, "CV" has been a two-letter, unitary hull classification symbol used to denote "aircraft carrier."

 

[AllAmerican75]

With patches being talked about, how did they come about being called zaps?

 

[NavyLonghorn]

What about U?

 

[Flash]

What about U?

Utility or unmanned (I think both have been used), and I believe C is composite.

 

[Wankertank]

Here you go....Navy Designations

 

[Flash]

"Q" Actually used to be just special mission back when we were in really spooky world. It became EW related in the late sixties.

VQ-1 and VQ-2 were established in 1955 and were EW squadrons from the beginning. While the official designation may have been 'special mission' it has always been EW/ES for the World Watchers and Batmen.

 

[Flash]

Here you go....Navy Designations

Excellent find!

 

[A4sForever]

I know what the other letters stand for, but what does the V represent? ...

Told to me by a former NAP --- who was "there" for some of "it" in the big war and actually bagged some Zero's. It also jibes with my NAVAIR research on Naval Aviation in the twenties/thirties ... . I was not there ....

Of course-- there were no helos --- so no "H" squadrons. The "Z" refers to "Zeppelin" .. coming from the German Zep's of WW1 which was the popular term of the day for lighter-that-air, which is a dubious term, at best.

"V" comes from the basic, early formations used universally by most military aviation communities ... i.e., the "V" formation. The Navy ... not having a better idea ... named and prefaced their "heavier-than-air" squadrons "V". This was before the days of finger-4, sections, divisions, "loose-deuce", Thatch-weaves, and all the rest of the tactical formations.... a smaller version ... the "Vic" was favored by the Brits who popularized the term.

How did early, intrepid Aviators come up with the "V" formation??? Why, how do you think??? Why were they called ... "Birdmen" ??? See any similarities :


We still do "it" in the airlines ... only we prefer the section ... or at least the section approach. And no ... it's not a Photoshop job.

 

[Brett327]

That's one hell of a disimilar section! Is that really a section approach? I don't imagine that it's something you ever get to do or practice. What's the story behind that pic?

Brett