Does it bother you that I sometimes wear pins of vintage warbirds I’ve never flown just because I like them and I support/enjoy aviation history and organizations that preserve it (like the CAF)?

And, yep, great conversation starters. In fact, I get FAR more comments on warbird pins than on pins of the airliners I’ve actually flown. And had some really cool conversations because of them.

This thread needs to be moved to “Tool of the Day”

Respect your elders "boy." You wouldn't be in that seat watching your movie or staring at my leads ass if these gentlemen "with their pins" didn't protect this country with their service or spend all these years cutting their teeth in this industry, fighting for the contract your protected by. Have a little respect puke

Agreed

Lol. How do you know my age.

Do infantry officers wear an M-1A1 pin on their ties at Bain & Co ? No. No airplane pins on the ties please. I’m sure you’ll have time to regale me verbally about the F-16. No need to assure me of your experience before even speaking.

Thank you for your service sir.

can I wear a pledge pin and a tie pin, AFAF:

https://youtu.be/z9_EiSaNw3Q

I’ll see your previous airplane tie tack and raise you a call sign!

We had a guy who flew F-5s in the Iranian AF back in the day...thought his story was cool. Would not have known about it if he didn't wear the tie tack....it was nice conversation starter.

FWIW...I wear an ALPA tie tack. I HAVE worn an MD-11 tie tack... The story was I was a new hire at FedEx on a crew van, and made a comment to the captain wearing his. We chatted a bit and I mentioned I hoped to get to the MD eventually (in 02-03 things got pretty stagnant and movement was nil. I was on 727 panel 2.5 years...) Anyway--this captain reaches down, gives me his tie tack, and tells me the jet is worth the wait and hang on to this until you get there...you will love it. Now--a guy in his 50s just gave a guy in his late 30s a token--and yeah--we aren't 8 years visiting the cockpit the first time on a trip to visit grandma, but I thought the gesture was pretty darn cool. And...I DID keep the pin, and I DID wear it after MD-11 IOE for a while, and I still have it. When I finally step off the left seat of the 767, I haven't decided if I'm going to go to the left side of the fatter 777 or back to the MD-11, but part of the reason I still miss the 3 holer were the crews and the spirit and respect they showed each other as we explored the globe.

So--if I do go back--I'll be wearing the pin...until another FO stuck on another fleet asks me about it.

And...if that ruins your day...get over it. I like 'em. They tell a story. I like hearing stories...

Never mind

Back in the 80s there was a USAFE squadron of C-23s at Zweibrucken Germany. I think it was one of these offset deals where because some country bought some weapons system of ours we had to buy something of theirs. Anyway, these guys flew unpressurized C-23s all over Western Europe delivering pallets and pax.
The squadron motto was,'We take it in the Shorts' if that tells you anything about their morale.