VF-211’s 1997 Christmas-Theme Markings: the Stencils

I've written about the Christmas markings that we applied to an F-14A Tomcat in Navy fighter squadron VF-211, The Fighting Checkmates, in December 1997. The squadron was deployed aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) to support Operation Southern Watch in Iraq, and the holiday tail was a minor squadron tradition.

The VF-211 squadron logo in 1997.

In December 1997, we used a design suggested by one of our pilots, LCDR “Mach” Singletary, who was also the squadron maintenance officer. The painting project was handled by 24-year-old Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman (AMSAN) Michael Kreisher, because his supervisor had noticed his talent and figured he was the best for this job. Michael had been with VF-211 a couple of years.

When I recently asked Michael about the project, he said, “It was challenging to say the least.” He also said he still had the transparencies he made to create the design –- and sent the photos shown here to give us an idea of how this craftsman executed this memorable project.

After Mach created the design, Michael had to measure the tail to determine how big to enlarge it so it would fit and look good, then use an overhead projector in the ready room to scale it up. The transparencies were 8½ x 11 inch sheets and the finished design was about 3½ feet tall.

I was the commanding officer and I had them paint it on Bureau Number 161856, which was NG101, the CO’s jet – “my” F-14. To create some efficiency it was applied during a cycle of touching up the paint (the regular corrosion effort that keeps Navy aircraft in good condition in the harsh environment of carrier operations).

Kreisher's plan for the special tailDetailed transparency - right side tailMichael used craft paper to create the stencil for each color. He then had to carefully cut them and place them in the exact position, apply the paint, and wait for it to dry before doing the next color. Despite the major effort, he says, “I had a blast making the design and painting Santa Brutus.”

Santa Brutus was on NG101’s tail for about a month, and made several flights over Iraq for Operation Southern Watch. NG101’s tail was then repainted with the squadron’s standard design, but in color according to the regulations that allowed one full-color aircraft per squadron.

Santa Brutus lives on as a 1/72 scale kit from Hasegawa that was released in 2013 (which also includes regular Brutus) and a 1/200 scale die cast model by Herpa released in 2017.

"Santa Brutus" in low holding after an Operation Southern Watch mission.

"Santa Brutus" returns from an Operation Southern Watch mission.

For more on this subject, see the article on The Aviation Geek Club website: link.

One step in putting the VF-211 squadron logo on an F-14 tail.