Tail Number

[ww2instc]

Did Grumman F4F Wildcats had tailnumbers during the Pacific War (Guadalcanal Campaign / New Georgia Campaign)?

How did the pilots adressed each other while they were on a mission? Did they called each otgher by their name / nickname / rank / something else?

Thank you for your help!

 

[cvairwerks]

Tail numbers were the Bureau Numbers assigned at the acceptance of the aircraft at the manufacturer. Squadrons had a unit assigned number, and paint scheme. The scheme would allow a visual id of what squadron the a/c belonged to, and at the same time, what carrier, if it was sea based. The unit number was generally a 1 or 2 digit number, but today, it has evolved into a 3 digit number. My uncle was an aircraft commander in WW2 with VP-74. His assigned aircraft was P4. In they're case the P was to designate a combat aircraft over a transport version.

On the radio, they were identified by the assigned squadron/flight call sign and a specific number within the squadron. For example, one squadron might be assigned the call sign "Rattler" for a period of time, or even a single mission. Pilots within "Rattler" would identify as "Rattler xx" based on their squadron assigned number.
A good example is our company test pilots. On the radio, they are known as "Rocket xx" for certain types of flights.

 

[ww2instc]

Tail numbers were the Bureau Numbers assigned at the acceptance of the aircraft at the manufacturer. Squadrons had a unit assigned number, and paint scheme. The scheme would allow a visual id of what squadron the a/c belonged to, and at the same time, what carrier, if it was sea based. The unit number was generally a 1 or 2 digit number, but today, it has evolved into a 3 digit number. My uncle was an aircraft commander in WW2 with VP-74. His assigned aircraft was P4. In they're case the P was to designate a combat aircraft over a transport version.

On the radio, they were identified by the assigned squadron/flight call sign and a specific number within the squadron. For example, one squadron might be assigned the call sign "Rattler" for a period of time, or even a single mission. Pilots within "Rattler" would identify as "Rattler xx" based on their squadron assigned number.
A good example is our company test pilots. On the radio, they are known as "Rocket xx" for certain types of flights.

Thank you so much for all of this info.
I've got another question if that's allright with you.

Would it be correct that pilots who flew F4F Wildcats during ww2, were US Marines (which is under the department of the Navy)?
So the ranks and insignas from those fighterpilots are the same as Marines?

 

[cvairwerks]

Ranks are within the particular service. In the case of the USMC, they have a different rank structure than the USN. Rarely would you have pilots of differing services fly within the same squadron, but it did and still does happen. There are exchange programs where pilots are loaned to other services to gain experience with both different aircraft and different operational philosophies. The exchange programs even extend to different countries.