# What do these aircraft carrier signal flags say? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 6, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-aircraft-carrier-signal-flags-say/455462 "2008-07-06T16:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-aircraft-carrier-signal-flags-say/455462/1 "2008-07-06T16:06:41Z")
…On [this screenshot from a 3D model of the USS _Nimitz_](http://home.comcast.net/~Ranchoth/Nimitzflags.png)? I’m reading it at “K-R-I-S-S,” but I’m not sure if that’s a naval code (or codes), something from the [International Code of Signals](http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:bEko385xUa0J:handbook.muh.ie/admin/Medico/International%2520Code%2520Of%2520Signals%2520(ICOS)%2520Book.pdf+%22international+code+of+signals%22+radiation&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a)\* that I’m not sussing out right, or the name of the modeler’s sweetheart. Can anyone help? \*I see there’s a specific signal code for “I need a doctor; I have radiation casualties.” My inner child thinks that’s completely awesome. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-aircraft-carrier-signal-flags-say/455462/2 "2008-07-07T00:32:12Z")
It’s no code I’ve heard of, but sometimes I don’t know everything. Possibly [this](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kriss) or a name. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-aircraft-carrier-signal-flags-say/455462/3 "2008-07-07T01:00:45Z")
[QUOTE=Ranchoth] I’m reading it at “K-R-I-S-S,” but I’m not sure if that’s a naval code (or codes), something from the [International Code of Signals](http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:bEko385xUa0J:handbook.muh.ie/admin/Medico/International%2520Code%2520Of%2520Signals%2520(ICOS)%2520Book.pdf+%22international+code+of+signals%22+radiation&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a)\* that I’m not sussing out right, or the name of the modeler’s sweetheart. [/QUOTE] It doesn’t make any sense as an International Code of Signals message, because five-flag signals are used to indicate time and position (and are probably made up of all numbers). Also, the Int’l Code of Signals uses a standardized flag bag with only one of each letter – repeaters are used for doubling letters. My guess is that it is intended to spell out KRISS, but no idea who or what “KRISS” is. Can you give us any more leads regarding who made the model, what its intended use was, or who paid for the modeling work? ETA: could it have been [this guy](http://www.scifi3d.com/author_details.asp?key=99)? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-aircraft-carrier-signal-flags-say/455462/4 "2008-07-07T07:17:21Z")
[QUOTE=Jurph] My guess is that it is intended to spell out KRISS, but no idea who or what “KRISS” is. Can you give us any more leads regarding who made the model, what its intended use was, or who paid for the modeling work? [/QUOTE] It’s a default scenery object in the X-Plane flight simulator, as of about two years ago, and I just did a little checking…and it turns out that the author is named Christiano, screen name “Krissweb.” :smack: Dangit. Shoulda seen that coming—I kinda hoped it’d be more esoteric. But thanks for the help and the technical info, **Jurph**! That’s actually going to come in handy, too.