The fastest helicopter in the world-the Piasecki HRP-1-is shown in figure 12. This is an example of the H or rotary-winged heavier-than-air craft. Use of this craft include cargo carrying, troop transport, search and rescue, anti-submarine, air observation, ship-to-shore communications, personnel transfer, and general utility. A helicopter is unique in that it can hover above a designated point, suspended by its rotor (or rotors in the case of the HRP-1). This permits ground contact in otherwise inaccessible localities. An example of the K or pilotless type of aircraft is illustrated by the KDD in figure 13. In flight, it is radiocontrolled from the ground or from a "mother" aircraft. Powered by a jet engine, it is used as a high-speed antiaircraft and air-to-air gunnery target. SQUADRON DESIGNATIONS The following system of designating naval aircraft squadrons is now in effect. Navy Type Designation VF VFN VA VP VC VO VU VR Composition FIGHTING SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with fighter aircraft. NIGHT FIGHTING SQUADRONS. Fighting squadrons equipped with night fighters. ATTACK SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with attack aircraft. PATROL SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with patrol aircraft. COMPOSITE SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with more than one type of combat aircraft, such as CVE squadrons assigned VF and VA. OBSERVATION SQUADRONS. Battleship and cruiser observation squadrons equipped with observation aircraft. UTILITY SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with utility aircraft. TRANSPORT SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with transport aircraft. Navy Type Designation VPP VH VPW VPM VX VCN VT Marine Type Designation VMFN VMA VMO VMR VMP Composition PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with RESCUE SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with aircraft METEOROLOGICAL SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with DEVELOPMENT SQUADRONS. Aircraft squadrons such as NIGHT COMPOSITE SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with TRAINING SQUADRONS. Squadrons whose primary mis- Composition FIGHTER SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with fighter NIGHT FIGHTER SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with ATTACK SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with attack OBSERVATION SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with TRANSPORT SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with trans- PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRONS. Squadrons equipped with SQUADRON NUMBERING A system for numbering Fleet Air Groups and Squadrons of the four major types of aircraft carriers, including Naval Reserve, became effective 15 November 1946: ! The four types of carriers may be easily remembered by using the abbreviation B-A-L-E, representing BATTLE, ATTACK, LIGHT, and ESCORT carriers, respectively. Since each Air Group is composed of squadrons, the suffix letters B, A, L, or E is placed after the squadron number to differentiate between squadrons of the same number but of different class or group. For example: CVBG-1 is composed of squadrons VF-1B, VF-2B, VA-1B, and VA-2B. CVG-1 is composed of squadrons VF-1A and VF-2A. There are five major types of naval patrol squadrons (VP), designated by the type of aircraft flown and numbered as follows: Observation (VO) Squadrons are assigned the same number as the division to which the parent vessels are attached, with a suffix letter BAKER or CHARLIE to differentiate between battleship and cruiser observation squadrons. Reserve observation squadrons are numbered 51, 52, 53, etc. VCN, VPP, VPW, VR, VU, VT, VX, VRF, VRU, ZM, VPM, and all squadrons not included in the three categories presented above, are numbered 1, 2, 3, etc., in each respective class. OBSERVATION SQUADRONS Aviation units attached to battleships and cruisers are organized into Observation (VO) Squadrons, which are considered commissioned units of the operating force. Each such squadron is under a regularly detailed commanding officer who is ordered to additional duty on the staff of the commander of the division to which his squadron is attached. VO squadrons of the respective fleets are organized into VO Wings, the command of which is a primary duty function of a naval aviator attached to the staff of the cognizant battleship-cruiser type commander. Observation aircraft from a battleship or cruiser division form a VO squadron, and the various VO squadrons of one of the fleets form a VO Wing. There is one VO Wing in the Atlantic Fleet and one in the Pacific Fleet. The VO Wing Commanders coordinate the training programs of VO squadrons, including any necessary rotation of units in such squadrons, and serve as a direct liaison agency between battleship-cruiser and aviation type commands. QUIZ 1. Why are Aviation Supply personnel concerned with classes and models of naval aircraft? 2. Match the name, manufacturer, and recognition characteristics with the navy designations in the following columns: |