The two USMC T-34C aviators are still providing vital squadron ground support functions while grounded
The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has confirmed that two of its aviators have been grounded while an investigation on their flight on a T-34C last month is being carried out.
On Oct. 23, 2018 the duo was found to have flown a pattern that resembles a penis.
According to Washington Examiner, any disciplinary or administrative action will not be taken until the completion of the probe into the looping phallic flight path by a T-34C Turbomentor that was posted to Twitter by a tracking site.
The aircraft is part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, and the flight in question occurred near Palm Springs.
Maj. Josef Patterson, a spokesman with with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, says that “The T-34C crew that are being investigated for flying a pattern resembling an obscene image are currently not flying pending the results of an ongoing investigation. Although not flying for the time-being, the two Marine Corps aviators are still providing vital squadron ground support functions.”
As we have already reported, some saw multiple offending shapes in the T-34C flight path. However the shapes would not have been visible to those on the ground and could likely only have been revealed by flight-tracking programs.
A similar incident last year in Washington state gained national attention when U.S. Navy officials confirmed one of its EA-18G electronic attack aircraft was involved in skywriting a figure of a penis. In that case, the offending shape was visible with the naked eye. However the U.S Navy Growler crew that made penis “skydrawing” last year has been given administrative punishment.
Photo credit: @AircraftSpots
