How US Navy Jet Tail Codes Identify Their Carrier: 5 Facts That May Surprise You
In the world of military aviation, tail codes tell a deep story about the aircraft they are painted on with just a few symbols. The US Air Force, for example, has a large two-letter code that identifies the base an airplane is assigned to, while a smaller two or three-letter marking shows the command it belongs to. Finally, its five-digit code identifies the individual airframe and the year it was made.