Air Force 2016 Helmet

[Sooner 24]

Went to the OU/AF game in Colorado Springs in 2001. The setting is awesome and so was the flyover before the game. Free parking which is excellent for tailgating.

 

[Big Red Shrine]

I didn't serve at all, but I love the AF helmet. More importantly, my teens love it, and that's what alternate unis are for.

 

[Huskerthom]

I didn't serve at all, but I love the AF helmet. More importantly, my teens love it, and that's what alternate unis are for.

Teens do love Pokemon.

 

[solesrfr]

That AF helmet is a nice shout out to the Flying Tigers. Shame a military person compares them to Pokemon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Tigers

The 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC), Navy (USN), and Marine Corps (USMC), recruited under presidential authority and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The shark-faced nose art of the Flying Tigers remains among the most recognizable image of any individual combat aircraft or combat unit of World War II.

The group consisted of three fighter squadrons of around 30 aircraft each. It trained in Burma before the American entry into World War II with the mission of defending China against Japanese forces. The group of volunteers were officially members of the Chinese Air Force. The members of the group had contracts with salaries ranging from $250 a month for a mechanic to $750 for a squadron commander, roughly three times what they had been making in the U.S. forces. While it accepted some civilian volunteers for its headquarters and ground crew, the AVG recruited most of its staff from the U.S. military.

The group first saw combat on 20 December 1941, 12 days after Pearl Harbor (local time). It demonstrated innovative tactical victories when the news in the U.S. was filled with little more than stories of defeat at the hands of the Japanese forces, and achieved such notable success during the lowest period of the war for both the U.S. and the Allied Forces as to give hope to America that it might eventually defeat the Japanese. AVG pilots earned official credit, and received combat bonuses, for destroying 296 enemy aircraft, while losing only 14 pilots in combat.[1] The combat records of the AVG still exist and researchers have found them credible.[2] On 4 July 1942 the AVG was disbanded. It was replaced by the 23rd Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces, which was later absorbed into the U.S. Fourteenth Air Force with General Chennault as commander. The 23rd FG went on to achieve similar combat success, while retaining the nose art on the left-over P-40s.

C

 

[Huskerthom]

That AF helmet is a nice shout out to the Flying Tigers. Shame a military person compares them to Pokemon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Tigers

C

First of all it is not based on the flying tigers. It is based on the Wart hog of today which is much more cartoonish. I am sorry but the helmet looks more like a pokemon than a Fierce helmet.

 

[solesrfr]

First of all it is not based on the flying tigers. It is based on the Wart hog of today which is much more cartoonish. I am sorry but the helmet looks more like a pokemon than a Fierce helmet.

Your bold comment is wrong. Based on the Warthog of today which goes back to the Flying Tigers. For someone who claims to understand military pride, tradition, and symbolism you sure are missing this one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23d_Fighter_Group

The 23d Fighter Group (23 FG) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Wing and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

The 23d Fighter Group was established in World War II as the 23d Pursuit Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).[2] Redesignated the 23d Fighter Group before its activation, the group was formed in China on 4 July 1942,[2] as a component of the China Air Task Force and received a small cadre of volunteer personnel from the simultaneously disbanded 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) – the "Flying Tigers"[2] of the Chinese Air Force.

To carry on the traditions and commemorate the history of the AVG, aircraft of the USAF 23d Fighter Group carry the same "Shark Teeth" nose art of the AVG's Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, along with the "FT" (FlyingTiger) tail code. The 23d Fighter Group's aircraft are the only United States Air Force aircraft currently authorized to carry this distinctive and historical aircraft marking.

• Constituted as the 23d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 17 December 1941

Redesignated 23d Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
Activated on 4 July 1942
Inactivated on 5 January 1946

• Redesignated 23d Fighter Group, Single Engine in 1946

Activated on 10 October 1946

• Redesignated 23d Fighter Group, Jet on 3 May 1949

Inactivated on 24 September 1949

• Redesignated 23d Fighter-Interceptor Group on 19 December 1950

Activated on 12 January 1951
Inactivated on 6 February 1952

• Redesignated 23d Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955

Activated on 18 August 1955
Inactivated on 1 July 1959
Redesignated 23d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (remained inactive)

• Redesignated 23d Operations Group, and activated, on 1 June 1992

Inactivated on 1 April 1997

• Redesignated: 23d Fighter Group on 26 September 2006

Activated on 1 October 2006[23]

C

 

[solesrfr]

And then there is this.

http://www.scout.com/college/football/story/1696286-air-force-helmets-to-honor-flying-tigers

The helmets honor the brave 1941-42"American Volunteer Group" or the AVG of the Chinese Air Force in World War II, which flew the highly recognizable "Flying Tigers" fighter planes with the mission of defending China against Japanese forces. The AVG was widely successful during its time in China destroying nearly 300 enemy aircraft's. The crew first saw action on December 20, 1941, 12 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

C

 

[Huskerthom]

Well that may have been there purpose but it does not look a lot like the flying tigers to me. It looks like a pokemon. BTW I am very familiar with the original flying tigers. Since one of their greatest aces was not an Airforce Pilot at all but a Marine. If you are over forty you probably heard of him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappy_Boyington

Pappy Boyington
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pappy Boyington

Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (World War II photo)
Birth name Gregory Boyington
Nickname(s) Pappy, Gramps
Born December 4, 1912
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Died January 11, 1988 (aged 75)
Fresno, California
Place of burial Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance

United States of America

China
Service/branch

United States Marine Corps

Republic of China Air Force
Years of service 1934–1947
Rank Colonel
Commands held VMF-112
VMF-214
Battles/wars Second Sino-Japanese War
World War II (Solomon Islands)
Awards Medal of Honor
Navy Cross
Purple Heart Medal
Presidential Unit Citation (2)
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (December 4, 1912 – January 11, 1988) was an American combat pilot who was a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He received both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.

Boyington was initially a P-40 Warhawk fighter pilot with the legendary "Flying Tigers" (1st American Volunteer Group) in theRepublic of China Air Force in Burma at the end of 1941 and part of 1942, during the military conflict between China andJapan, and the beginning of World War II.

In September 1942, he rejoined the Marine Corps (he had been an aviator before the war). In early 1943, he deployed to theSouth Pacific and began flying combat missions as a Marine F4U Corsair fighter pilot. In September 1943, he took command of U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadron VMF-214 ("Black Sheep"). In January 1944, Boyington, outnumbered by Japanese"Zero" planes, was shot down into the Pacific Ocean after downing one of the enemy planes. He was captured by a Japanesesubmarine crew and was held as a prisoner of war for more than a year and a half. He was released shortly after thesurrender of Japan, and a few days before the official surrender documents were signed.

The television series Baa Baa Black Sheep was inspired by Boyington and his men in the "Black Sheep" squadron. It ran for two seasons in the late 1970s.

Required learning for all Marines.