Cool Military Callsigns

[COFlyBoy]

I like military aviator callsigns, but I like the stories behind them even more.

So, here's a couple that I've heard.

First, my uncle flew F-4s and F-15 for almost 20 years. He dutifully protected the eastern US from marauding Bears and such. And you can imagine the fear that must have been struck in those Commie hearts when they were up against "Muffin". Yep that was his callsign. His last name vaguely resembles muffin, so that's what he was stuck with.

Second, The other day, I was heading out to the airport to do a little Sim work toward my IR with my instructor who works at the same place I do. And he told me about one of our co-workers who used to fly A-10s and had the callsign "Fiddler". I thought well that's a pretty cool callsign. Well, it turns out the guy was fiddling with stuff in the cockpit and accidentally dropped some ordinance early. Ooops!

 

[brcase]

A freind of mine a former F-4 driver callsign "booms" who now flys sailplanes tells me that most of the call signs come from some event the pilot would probably perfer not to recall. Often either moments of inattention or poor judgement in the cockpit or at the bar.

Oddly I don't recall him ever telling my how he got the call sign "booms", but as an F-4 driver I can certianly imagine some events that might have resulted in it.

Brian

 

[COFlyBoy]

Yeah, you can never get the story out of the pilot. You've got to talk to his buddies.

 

[Tim Cobb]

My nick name has allways been "Hang Ten" . This was for two reasons: 1. I grew up on a surfboard in California. 2. Yup, (You gussed it!).

 

[DC34ME]

What, ten inches of hair hanging off your face?

My callsign in flight school was tumbleweed. One day some friends were at my house. The AC kicked on and a dust bunny rolled out from under the couch and across the hardwood floor. Kinda lame but it stuck with me.

One story I like is from an Australian F-18 driver, callsign Sniper. He hit a kangaroo from 8,000ft. with a 500lb bomb.

 

[Skip Miller]

In the late 1960s I was stationed at the Naval Base Newport RI. WWII vintage destroyers used to moor in Coddington Cove. Local legend has it that one of the "cans" inadvertantly fired a Hedgehog salvo into the parking lot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog_(weapon)

You all have seen this weapon in action in the movies.

I always wondered what happened to the ace who managed to do that!

-Skip

 

[Tim Cobb]

What, ten inches of hair hanging off your face?

My callsign in flight school was tumbleweed. One day some friends were at my house. The AC kicked on and a dust bunny rolled out from under the couch and across the hardwood floor. Kinda lame but it stuck with me.

One story I like is from an Australian F-18 driver, callsign Sniper. He hit a kangaroo from 8,000ft. with a 500lb bomb.

My goatee can be seen from the space station. I'm quite proud of it. It turns alot of heads...men and women. Don't hate me cause I'm hung. lol