Squadron Aircraft paint schemes....a real world question...

[Odie]

After seeing some of the repaints here for the upcoming Milviz Smoke & Thunder F-4, I started wondering how these come about in
the real world. I remember reading that the Navy squadron names, etc., are created at the squadron level and then sent up the
chain for approval.

Is this the case for the aircraft markings? I know that now they are allowed two a/c in glossy markings and the rest are done in the
subdued schemes. Usually it's the CAG and Exec Officer birds that are the high gloss markings.

Just wondering how this worked for discussion purposes.

 

[joe bob]

I think it is the CAG and the CO of the squadron who have the fancy stuff.

 

[TARPSBird]

I think the squadron markings (stars, stripes, checkerboards, diamonds, squadron insignia, etc.) and their placement on the aircraft has always been a squadron-level decision. Sometimes a CO will solicit ideas from squadron personnel and (for example) a sailor with artistic skills will do a proposed repaint that everybody agrees on. Nowadays with the low-vis tactical paint jobs as standard I don't know how the "retro" colorful paint jobs are handled within a squadron. In VF-101 at Oceana the planes we had with red or black tails and the "Grim Reaper" skeleton logo were still overall flat tactical gray, with maybe a color band from the nose to the tail or on the wingtips. For most of the time I was in the "sturgeon" color scheme (gloss gray upper surfaces, gloss white under surfaces) was standard.
This document has basically the whole "gouge" on Navy squadron lineage and insignia:
http://fas.org/irp/doddir/navy/opnavinst/5030_4g.pdf