I've been painting a few CBP aircraft for my own U.S. Customs and Border Protection outfit.
A couple of the AI P-3's have new paint jobs (thanks for the paintkit Graham), and I've done
the flyable PC-12 and Beech King Air. Working on the flyable Citation and AI Dash-8 next.
Thought I'd take some time out and fly into Cecil to visit the "big boys".
Service to my Country 9/61 - 2/03 US Navy - HS-3, VX-1, HS-7 (USS Intrepid, USS Wasp, USS Yorktown) Va National Guard - 229th Cbt Avn Co US Coast Guard - E City CGAS, CGC Morro Bay, RTC Yorktown NOAA - Co-op Observer 1983 - present
I painted it with the same registration number as the AI PC-12 I did a few weeks ago. Now I have to avoid flying into airports visited by the AI one unless I know it's gone. Sure would hate to mess with ATC minds!
Service to my Country 9/61 - 2/03 US Navy - HS-3, VX-1, HS-7 (USS Intrepid, USS Wasp, USS Yorktown) Va National Guard - 229th Cbt Avn Co US Coast Guard - E City CGAS, CGC Morro Bay, RTC Yorktown NOAA - Co-op Observer 1983 - present
Back in the 60s, the USN ELINT squadron in the western Pacific - VQ-1 - did not have registrations painted on their aircraft. Just a small US Navy title - no other markings.
In order to confuse anyone trying to track the aircraft, they would use the call sign and registration of a US Navy aircraft from another squadron when arriving at various bases and civilian airports.
Late in 1967, a VQ-1 EC-121 landed at VTBD using the call sign and identification of a VW-1 weather EC-121. The VW-1 aircraft was sitting on the ramp in front of the military control tower - so the VQ-1 crew got to meet an interesting group of Thai Marines when they pulled onto the ramp.
The practice ended soon after that and the VQ-1 planes were able to display their PR designations.
