BuNo are assigned to airfarme as they came from the factory in order of production ex: 161557, 161558, and so on. This number stays with a/c for life and should be on all aircraft records. The numbers you see on the nose or side are assigned by the squadron to ID a/c for example a squadron with 12 a/c may number them 1 through 12, or maybe 13 to 24. I've even seen a/c with 00 on the nose refered to as "old double nuts." If for example a squadron were to lose a/c #7 when they get a replacement a/c it would become the new number 7. The assignment of nose numbers is up to the squadron, and as far as I can tell the only reason was to make it easier to find an a/c on the flight line or carrier deck. There is an old sea story about a squadron C.O. that would only fly "Lucky #7" so anytime he went flying the crew chief would have to make sure there was a freshly painted 7 on the nose of the a/c. Maybe somebody can tell us if that is true. Did anyone ever have to repaint a number on short notice?

number system

the above is all true as far as i know. the typical squadron had 24 aircraft in the 1964 era. (h-34's) the aircraft for my old squadron had YM-and then 1 thru 24. we did pick up a couple of additional aircraft in latter '65. the ole man flew YM-1 and was crewed by the saltest sgt. in the MC. Sgt. I. D. Maze. the ole man always wanted to look the engine over after a flight so I.D. would beat feet over and open the clam shells for the C.O. a little show boating you might ask. no. I.D. always had a rag and he would wipe all the oil drips off the engine before the C.O. could climb down for his look. of-cource the YM-1 was also the call sign for that aircraft just as YM-6 was the call sign for that aircraft.

Yankee Mike

George,
When I was in HMM-365 (YM) we were YM-51 through YM-75, that was in 1966-67 in New River.The Skipper (K.W. (Andy) Andrus) usually flew YM-51 and it had the "Cobra" hand painted on the starboard side of the A/C, matching his tatoo on his forearm. HMM-261 across the new hangar from us was 151-175. In about 1968 rules changed so that every squadron began with # 1 so as to NOT confuse the Navy aboard ship. At least that's what I was told and ALL the squadrons changed over that year, in RVN and stateside, too, I believe.

Nose numbers

In 1966-67 all our Hueys at New River in VMO-1 were 3 numbers beginning with 1( ER-127). While in VMO-3 in 1968 we only had two numbers (VT-21.

Squadron Aircraft Numbers

I was in VMO-1 also, and the Hueys started with 1 (ER 123) and the OV-10s (ER 204) started with 2 of a three number aircraft number. At HML-367, we used only a 1 or 2 digit aircraft number starting with the number 1. I think that the numbers were set by NAVAIR SYSCOM because when we wanted to change VT-21 to VT-00 (Double Nuts), we had to get approval from the Navy.

Nose & side numbers,USMC Rotorcraft

When I started flying the H-53, there were two numbers, usually 1-22 or some variation of that. The Squadron's "letters" were on the tail (2 letters).
For flight plans, we would use the last five numbers of the bureau # preceded by "Marine." Or, we could use the squadron's call sign (ie DOGMA) and then the two numbers on the side or nose.

I do have some pictures of H:) -53's from New River with three numbers on the nose and side, but do not remember from what years, era.

Hmla

At Pendleton, 1980 or so, when HML's and HMA's mated to form HMLA's we went to 3 digit.