Beautiful VF-111 Phantom photo

[Navy Chief]

Saw this on FB. Wanted to share. Looks like CAG bird. NC

72228

[Victory103]

And a very colorful one at that, one of my favs for the Phantom. Also, -111 ran with the matching helmets for years as well.

[Navy Chief]

And a very colorful one at that, one of my favs for the Phantom. Also, -111 ran with the matching helmets for years as well.

I distinctly remember the squadrons I was with at Cecil Field, (VA-15 and VA-83) had matching helmets for all pilots as well. Wouldn't that be the usual thing? NC

[joe bob]

Yes, matching helmets is the norm. The movie Top Gun seems to have given the impression that it is more like formula 1

[PhantomTweak]

Yes, matching helmets is the norm.
That's really up to the squadron leadership. All the Navy requires
is that the helmets be highly visible, including the use of reflective tape. All so that SAR can see them more easily. Essentially, barring any requirements by the squadron, the pilots are free to decorate their helmets as they wish, as long as the guidelines are met.
Yes, it looks sharp to have the helmets all match in a squadron, but the Navy doesn't require it. Hence, the helmets seen in Top Gun.
Some of them might have been a bit close to the visibility requirement, like Merlin's, but...

OPNAVINST 3710.7U CH 43
8.2.1 Aircrew Personal Protective Equipment Requirements
a. *Protective helmet — The helmet shall be 100 percent covered with
white reflective tape except as modified by approved aircrew system changes.
Up to 30 square inches of light-colored reflective tape may be applied so
long as the white tape remains visible from all directions. The use of
reflective tape may degrade NVD performance. Temporary, nonreflective cloth
covers may be worn over the reflective tape.

Does that help?
Pat☺

[joe bob]

But matching helmets are the norm

[Navy Chief]

But matching helmets are the norm

Yes. And the reason has to with squadron spirit/teamwork. About the only personalization I ever saw was the pilot's call signs in reflective tape.

But then again, today's "new" Navy has changed..... Don't get me started on that crap, shipmates! NC

[Odie]

Great pic, NC! The F-4 always looked like it could muscle its way in and out of trouble! I remember some of the best airshows I attended as a kid were when the Angels and Tbirds were using Phantoms. Randy Cunningham used to call them "smoke and thunder F-4 hogs".

[Victory103]

As PhantomTweak brought up 3710, although a newer version. Back in the day I don't think that existed in NAVAIR. From my early 90s on, we had to have the 100/30% tape, even helped my PR bud tape my own HGU helmet. Fast forward to present day, the squadron has a set tape stencil, with individual callsigns added as most have seen in the 'Tube vids. Other aircrew traditions seem to still be around like Friday Flight-suits (color).