Navy Colors Part V - Centennial Celebration

The 100th Annivesary of Naval Aviation is being celebrated this year. In honor of the occasion, the Navy has authorized a number of current aircraft to be painted in historic paint schemes, representing different eras in Naval Aviation.

To fans of military aviation, this is an incredible event. The Navy celebrated its 75th Anniversary back in 1986 with several paint schemes, but nothing approaching this. The nation's Bi-Centennial back in 1976 also saw quite a few commemorative paint schemes with patirotic themes. However, this may be the best of all time ...

All of these schemes represent actual Navy paint patterns from over the years.

S-3B 160581, VX-30, based at NAS Pt. Mugu. The scheme honors SBD Dauntless dive bombers during the Battle Of Midway.


P-3C 161591, representing Patrol Wing 11. This scheme represents Navy Patrolplanes in the Pacific during the later half of WWII.


P-3C 160770, representing Patrol Wing 2. The white over black paint brings back the scheme worn by Navy patrolplanes in the late 50s and early to mid 60s. When P-3s first entered the fleet, they carried this type of markings.


F-18F 165677 of VFA-122, based at NAS Lemoore. Color scheme represents the new Navy blue digital camo uniform.


F-18E 165666 of VFA-106, NAS Oceana. The paint scheme represents that carried by Navy attack aircraft in the Vietnam era.


An F-18C of VX-31, based at NAS China Lake.


F-18E 165210, based at NAS China Lake, representing test aircraft schemes of the late 50s and 60s.


F-18C 163745, of VFA-106, NAS Oceana. This scheme honors squadron VBF-17, based on the USS Shangri-La in 1945.


F-18C 163733 of VFA-122, based at NAS Lemoore, CA. The three tone blue/grey scheme is representative of schemes carried by carrier based aircraft in 1943-1944.


F-18A+ 162866 of VFA-204. The River Rattlers are a Reserve Squadron based at NAS New Orleans. This scheme represents NAVAIR Reserve units based in New Orleans, circa 1951.


EA-18G of VAQ-129, based at NAS Whidbey Island.

Photo Credits - Most of these are official US Navy photographs. Others were uncreditited where they were originally posted.