What is this word ? Help asked for a repaint.

[RichardLouis]

Hello everybody,
I did some repaints for Dino's TA-4J Skyhawk and I would like to do more.
Among these I would like to realize the texture of this Skyhawk belonging to the aggressors squadron VFA/VA 127. (Red 15 - NJ 715 - BuNo 154657).
In the eighties, the VFA127 squadron gave a name to (some) of its planes. The nickname was always painted on the left side of the nose in capital letters in an Old English style font.

But I am French-speaking and I cannot guess what is this English word and what letters are exactly used.
Can someone help me or give me a hint ?
Thank you.
Richard


Here links to original photos :
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk/120/?
https://www.deviantart.com/f16crewchief/art/VFA-127-TA-4J-No-2-346070363


And here are some other examples :
NJ 12 Chameleon

NJ 13 Boow-Boow

NJ 14 The Saint

 

[Sundog]

I think it may read DEERSLAYER , but the letters are so distorted, it’s difficult to tell for sure.

 

[awstub]

Looks like it uses a font similar to this one Olde Stencil .......or this one Engravers Old English

 

[modelr]

Hello everybody,
I did some repaints for Dino's TA-4J Skyhawk and I would like to do more.
Among these I would like to realize the texture of this Skyhawk belonging to the aggressors squadron VFA/VA 127. (Red 15 - NJ 715 - BuNo 154657).
In the eighties, the VFA127 squadron gave a name to (some) of its planes. The nickname was always painted on the left side of the nose in capital letters in an Old English style font.

But I am French-speaking and I cannot guess what is this English word and what letters are exactly used.
Can someone help me or give me a hint ?
Thank you.
Richard


Here links to original photos :
https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk/120/?
https://www.deviantart.com/f16crewchief/art/VFA-127-TA-4J-No-2-346070363


And here are some other examples :
NJ 12 Chameleon

NJ 13 Boow-Boow

NJ 14 The Saint

I think NJ 13 is BOOM-BOOM.

I agree with Sundog that NJ 15 may be DEERSLAYER.

 

[Navy Chief]

Just as a aside, the VFA designation, to my knowledge, did not become about until the F/A-18C Hornets were introduced to the USN inventory. Prior to that, it was either VF or VA squadrons. NC

 

[RichardLouis]

Thank you so much Sundog. OK I buy !

 

[RichardLouis]

Looks like it uses a font similar to this one Olde Stencil .......or this one Engravers Old English

Thank you Awstub. The first one does not stick. The shape of letter "E" is too rounded. The second seems more OK.
Richard

 

[RichardLouis]

I think NJ 13 is BOOM-BOOM.

I agree with Sundog that NJ 15 may be DEERSLAYER.

Thank you Modelr, yes, you are right, NJ 13 is Boom-Boom.
Richard

 

[RichardLouis]

Just as a aside, the VFA designation, to my knowledge, did not become about until the F/A-18C Hornets were introduced to the USN inventory. Prior to that, it was either VF or VA squadrons. NC

Thank you NC. I found a lot of photos especially of the "127", showing their TA-4J sometimes with the reference VA, sometimes with the reference VFA.
Richard
Sept 86

June 88

 

[Navy Chief]

Richard, thank you for those photos! I had never seen them before. Interesting. Am sure there was a reason behind the dual designation. I was with VFA-106 (Hornet RAG squadron) at NAS Cecil Field, FL, when those TA-4J pictures were taken. All of the A-7 squadrons at Cecil were just beginning the transition to Hornets, going from VA to VFA. NC

Thank you NC. I found a lot of photos especially of the "127", showing their TA-4J sometimes with the reference VA, sometimes with the reference VFA.
Richard
Sept 86

June 88

 

[jeansy]

I think NJ 13 is BOOM-BOOM.

I agree with Sundog that NJ 15 may be DEERSLAYER.

Disregard wrong reply

 

[jeansy]

Ive been looking for decal sets for red 15 hoping to find something, 14 appear to be the favourite with modelllers

And as you know richard most of the images are old or at an angle you cant get a good aspect to read it even the skyhawk association groups only have minimal info on the bu on with dates and units but no reference to the name

Deerslayer sounds a bit odd for a naval aircraft compared to its sister ships, but who knows there have been stranger names used before

 

[RichardLouis]

Ive been looking for decal sets for red 15 hoping to find something, 14 appear to be the favourite with modelllers

And as you know richard most of the images are old or at an angle you cant get a good aspect to read it even the skyhawk association groups only have minimal info on the bu on with dates and units but no reference to the name

Deerslayer sounds a bit odd for a naval aircraft compared to its sister ships, but who knows there have been stranger names used before

Sorry to answer so late. Thank you Matt. I agree with you. These are old images and there is almost no information about the nicknames attributed to the VA127 aircraft. For my part, I only found information for the red 12 "Chameleon".
It would be interesting to have testimony from the personnel who worked at the time in the squadron.

Maybe there is a reference to James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Deerslayer or The First War-Path".

That said, I find that "Deerslayer" suits him well and perhaps corresponds better to the "Aggressor" spirit than the name assigned to 14 red "The Saint" !

Richard