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VF-84 F-14 External Tank Markings


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I recently started digging into VF-84 markings variations for the Tomcat Era, and came across this photo.  I have seen it before, but had not noticed the stripes on the external tanks.  They do not appear to have chevrons within the stripes, but I can't confirm that due to the resolution.  The stripes appear more vertical than what was seen in the later VF-103 days:

 

VF-84 F-14A Tomcats

 

I haven't found any other photos yet of these tank markings in the 1980ish time frame for VF-84, or any other tank markings across the Tomcat Era for VF-84.  Was this a very limited-time thing?

 

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

 

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It might just be me but I can see two faint markings on the black part of the stripe that appear to be chevrons.

 

They didn't have those stripes in 84 to 87 when I was on the Nimitz so I guess they were a very short lived thing, they don't show up in any of the cruise books.

 

I would put the time frame for the photo to be between 79 and 82.

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Captions to the photo:

Quote

Taken on July 1, 1979

And ...

Quote

VF-84 Jolly Rogers F-14A Tomcats AJ-201 and AJ-210 fly by the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) 1978-1980. Official U.S. Navy photo.

HTH

 

-Gregg

Edited by GreyGhost
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Victory AJ-203 and AJ-210: image from facebook page: Incredible Military Photos 

55498100_1973994192708952_49263058848265

 

 

I don't want to add to your doubts, but note that the style of the stripes on the Victory 207 is different.

Victory AJ-205 and AJ-207: image from facebook page: Detail & Scale 17308832_1489831924395427_78398437522860

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Those photos are GREAT!  Many thanks!  In the first photo, it appears that the tank stripe on 203 is more vertical (like those in the original photo I referenced) than 210's tank stripe.

 

Any guess as to what time frame the second photo would be from? 

 

Thanks again!

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14 hours ago, 757flyer said:

Those photos are GREAT!  Many thanks!  In the first photo, it appears that the tank stripe on 203 is more vertical (like those in the original photo I referenced) than 210's tank stripe.

 

Any guess as to what time frame the second photo would be from? 

 

Thanks again!

For the second photo I would say 84/85 time frame, IIRC VF-84 had a few birds still with the hi-vis markings during the work-ups for the 85 cruise but once we were on cruise all their birds were low-vis.

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I think time frame 82/85.

 

According "Bert Kinzey and Colors and markings of US Navy F-14 Tomcats - part 1 - Atlantic squadrons (kindle format: pages 222/223)", VF-84 received the first of several Tomcats in the tactical scheme in 1982. In 1985, the Jolly Rogers had more Tomcats painted in the tactical scheme than colorful markings. 

 

More pics from: https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cvn68-85/index_012.htm

 

 

Edited by mouseeaters
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/18/2022 at 8:00 PM, mouseeaters said:

Victory AJ-203 and AJ-210: image from facebook page: Incredible Military Photos 

55498100_1973994192708952_49263058848265

Perhaps it's just my eyes, but while I can clearly see the white demarcation on the fixed part of the wings, the pylons, the drop tanks, and the engine nacelles, I find it very difficult to see the white underside of the nose; it appears to be grey overall. Is it just poor eyesight on my part ,or is this some marking anomaly?

Cheers,

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