That is, of the “Maverick” and “Goose” variety?
Callsigns are given, not personalized! I believe other air forces do follow the practice, I’ve seen photos but for some reason can’t find any at the moment.
RAF pilots frequently have nicknames but not call signs as such, as far as I can tell. They’re just identified in radio transmissions by their mission-specific designations.
In USAF guys had (have?) nicknames. Which are used only on the ground and are called “callsigns” just as a slang term.
In the air in peacetime we (the tactical forces) always used radio callsigns assigned by HQ. HQ maintained a big master list with more-or-less static assignments for each squadron in USAF. A squadron might have 3 to 6 words they could use with more-or-less sequential numbers appended for individual aircraft and missions throughout the day. e.g. the first formation of the day would be “Bogus 11” through “Bogus 14”. The next set of four aircraft would be “Bogus 21” through “Bogus 24”, etc. After “Bogus 94” we’d use “DogBreath 11” and repeat our way up to “DogBreath 94”. And start over again tomorrow, maybe using some of our other assigned words.
Some units in some special missions had one or two HQ-assigned words and then gave the individual pilots fixed assigned numbers. e.g. So everybody from the 123TGS would use the word “DumbGuy” while Lt. SoAndSo in that unit would always be “DumbGuy 37.”
Wartime was planned to mix things up more so the bad guys couldn’t figure out who was who by listening in day after day. I don’t know how much that fell by the wayside in Iraq, etc., as just adding confusion not worth the effort vs. a low-end enemy.
The transport side of USAF uses a more airline-like approach with flight numbers.
tldr: TopGun was not a documentary. USAF at least didn’t and doesn’t do it like the movie did. AFAIK the US Navy is broadly similar to USAF, again unlike the movie.
It still exists, and it’s not limited to flyboys either.
Folks do have nicknames. . . I have one that gets used around my shop. No, it’s not “Tripler.”
But on missions or calls, there are still definitive, documented names that are used and maintained by HHQ. For example, when my folks out of Kandahar went on a route clearance patrol (RCP), they were “MudGrub” with each EOD Truck in that convoy in a sequential number (lead vic was “MudGrub 1”, and the support vic would be “MudGrub 2”). A dispersed team out of another FOB got “ManBearPig 2” approved . . . somehow . . . before my time. It worked, though. MEDEVAC missions tended to go by “Dustoff.” Everyone knows that one and stays the hell out of the way. So, there’s a bit of precedence when you hear a callsign come over the radio–those in the know understand who it is, without actually having to say who it is. In a lot of infantry units, if you hear the number “Six” or “Actual,” that’s the Commander and you pay attention real damn quick.
Stateside, it would be similar. I’d have teams out on a call, “EOD 4” and “EOD 7” would be two distinct teams. But when “Mikey” and “Chuckles” came back to the shop, we’d just call them Mikey and Chuckles–no need to go by callsign. Callsigns are only for the radio. Although, the Air Force wasn’t really big on the “Six” or “Actual” designators. . . they like it sequentially like LSLGuy indicated.
Tripler
“EOD 1”
Pilots still have those nicknames a-la “Maverick”, but I’m guessing that like Tripler says, they’re more in the realm of nicknames rather than actual callsigns used in operations.
(I have a childhood friend whose military pilot nickname is “Mud Duck”, apparently.)
Well, a retired German helicopter pilot of my acquaintance was called Gordon [and jokingly referred to as Vanille, he is one of those sort of transparent blue eyed blond types]. At one point in time I knew the nicknames of a few other pilots in his unit, but have pretty much forgotten them. Though one demonstrated what happens when you drop a 5 ton training block onto a piste =) They make quite good cratering charges =)
At least in USAF, most nicknames AKA “callsigns” are bestowed on young pilots to commemorate some newbie screw-up, especially those that damage something. Or to highlight some irritating personality quirk.
“Crater” would be a fine name for the guy who dropped the block.
I recall one newbie who kept clamoring to get a name. So late one boozy Friday evening at the club a much older pilot (i.e. all of 40, but he’d been in the war and was respected as a warrior sage) squinted at him through the cigar & beer haze and pronounced: “I dub thee BoBo the Shithead”. So Bobo it was, forever and everywhere. Be careful what you ask for.