Top Gun Helmets

[JayBee]

We all know, or is it one of those urban myths, that U.S. Navy pilots paint their helmets to represent their squadron. For example VF-111 "Sundowners" had a sunburst on the helmet. It is true I saw it in TOP GUN, so it must be true
OK the question is what did the pilots at the NATC at Pax. River have their helmets painted like?

Please someone out there know the answer.

Jim

[Archangel]

From what I recall of my Brothers days as a Navy S-3 Viking pilot, each pilot gets to choose how his or her helmet is painted but the thing is they all have to have about 30-40% of it in White so that if they go down at night SAR can find them. Now that was back in the 1970's and things may have changed alot especaily now that the Navy is fighting all over the world.

[Cliffy B]

I've seen photos of Tomcat pilots with painted helmets.  Most notably would be VF-84, all yellow with skulls and crossbones, and VF-31, all white with Felix on either side carrying his bomb.  VF-84 was during the 1970's and VF-31 was their final Tomcat cruise in 2005 (?).  The best I can tell from looking through photos of NATC aircraft they are all white.  If anything is on them, its really small.

[The Wooksta!]

We all know, or is it one of those urban myths, that U.S. Navy pilots paint their helmets to represent their squadron. For example VF-111 "Sundowners" had a sunburst on the helmet. It is true I saw it in TOP GUN, so it must be true
OK the question is what did the pilots at the NATC at Pax. River have their helmets painted like?

Please someone out there know the answer.

Jim

Purple.

[raafif]

Purple
         nah ! dayglo orange with dayglo pink designs 

[arkon]

well in VQ-1 (we flew ep-3e) the helmets of everyone were coverd in reflective tape, white all over with a bat in black or red on either side and their call sign in small letters in back.