WHIF Challenge - Vatican City Air Force

[TheChronicOne]

I issue unto you a challenge!

The Vatican City.

All discussion of religion and spirituality aside, one has to admit that it's fascinating to think about these tiny nations, and this one in particular, such a tiny, yet powerful nation. 

Any how, I thought it would be cool to see what, if anything, we could come up with! Go crazy. WHAT IF...they had a more mainstream military and not just the Swiss Guard; what if they had a VCAF...    Stories, color schemes, possible air craft, roundels, you name it...which ever or whatever. Hell, a full model would be nice!  Maybe someone could even make a downloadable, printable set of decals for others to use. I might try it myself after doing a bit of reading first how to make them the proper sizes.

Well, that's it.. I thought I would share my thoughts and hopefully someone else could find the idea fun and interesting, too. 

[TheChronicOne]

The Old Regimental Flag of the Swiss Guard:



You can't tell me that wouldn't make a damn fine roundel.... how awesome would that look on a 109?

Banner of the Pontifical Swiss Guard:



But by no means do we HAVE to use these things or colors... just a source for ideas.

[Rheged]

I issue unto you a challenge!

The Vatican City.

What a good idea! 

This makes an interesting challenge.  Even if they just operated helicopters( and / or a few Harriers) it would be  an entertaining diversion.

Didn't Joe Stalin once remark  "....and how many battalions  does the Pope have?"  He was being dismissive of the power of the Roman Catholic church, but it expands your fascinating idea to perhaps a Swiss Guard armoured section, with Main Battle Tanks and APCs in an Italian version of "Berlin Urban"  camouflage.

[TheChronicOne]

Glorious! I really like the sound of that. No reason to be limited to just air force.

Helos and jump jets?  It's almost as if the Vatican City isn't large enough for a runway. LOL!! I hadn't thought of that. Wiki said it was 1/8 the size of Central Park.... ehhhhh.....    slight miscue.  LOL   

[ericr]

The Old Regimental Flag of the Swiss Guard:



You can't tell me that wouldn't make a damn fine roundel.... how awesome would that look on a 109?

excellent colors  !

[seadude]

I can just imagine it: Vatican bombers dropping loads of Bibles. 

[RAFF-35]

Surely they'd use crosses rather than roundels  or perhaps those fish symbols or Easter eggs or something?

[crudebuteffective]

this has my imagination working overtime

[Rheged]

this has my imagination working overtime

GOOD!!   That was the aim of the original post, as far as I can see.  Please  share the contents of your imagination with us.

So far, we have Harriers, helicopters and a Swiss Guard Armoured Group on offer.  Any further offers?......And can anyone manage to offer a good reason for a Vatican Navy?

[PR19_Kit]

And can anyone manage to offer a good reason for a Vatican Navy?

Well SOMEthing's  got to defend the Tiber...........

[poru48]

I'm thinking an all white C-5 with the Swiss Guard flag on the vertical tail would be appropriate for humanitarian missions.

[Snowtrooper]

It's almost as if the Vatican City isn't large enough for a runway.

Install steam catapult and arrestor gear in the courtyard so you could operate most naval types? Especially since there's plenty to choose from in the Boneyard for pocket change...

[TheChronicOne]

Well, there's the solution to the Vatican City's "too small for an actual airstip problem! " lol

[TheChronicOne]

Oh boy! I stumbled across some stuff on Beyond The Sprues (from forum user Clave):


McDonnell-Douglas AH-64D of the Vatican City Air Force.  This Apache has a high capacity holy water cannon, 2 x Bible Bombs, 36 x Cheat-Seeking missiles, and twin Papal Bull chutes.

Looks like a firehose in place of the nose gun!






Found this one at some Italian site ( http://www.valentinatanni.com/vatican-air-force/ ):

[sandiego89]

To get around the real estate problem, the back story could have the Vatican leasing or persuading friendly (Presumably nations with large Catholic populations) nations to host the Vatican forces.

I do like the idea of peacekeeping/humanitarian forces, and thus a naval, air and land forces would all have a role.....although a bible distributing cluster bomb or "conversion inducing" chain gun does sounds tempting....