The above image is zoomed and rotated in from GoogleMaps and is a building on the American Air Force Base Kadena in Japan. Original zoomed in satellite view here. A friend of mine linked to the image and so I thought I would see if I could figure it out.
After a bit of Googling, I discovered that the US Navy's Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One has a detachment at Kadena. Amongst other things they fly P3 Orions (seen on the tarmac at the North end of the base). The main logo for the VQ-1 'World Watchers' is a bat logo, and the the VQ-1 Detachment Kadena shoulder patch is this:
The other theory could be that it belongs to the US Air Force 44th Fighter Squadron (44 FS), the Vampire Bats, that is part of the 18th Wing also at Kadena Air Base. They have had many shoulder patches, a couple of which are direct copies of Batman logos.
Given the difference in sizes of organizations, VQ-1 being all around the world, and the 44th being just at Kadena, I would think the Bat logo scales to the former not the latter, but who knows.
I tweeted the KadenaAFB and asked them the origin of the rooftop logo but given its midnight there they might not answer - if ever. Especially if it has a more secret Bat purpose. :)
Mike
1 comment:
Hello. Im the grandson of a 44FBS AF pilot. I have a picture of my grandfather in Kadena in 1958. He has a patch on his hat. It is a vampire bat with a vampire or devil face. Im sure the symbol is connected to his squadron. Email me @ keenancrocker@gmail.com for picture
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