{"id":29380914,"date":"2026-10-24T16:41:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T14:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/?p=29380914"},"modified":"2026-10-24T16:41:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T14:41:26","slug":"vandy-1-black-bunny-vx-4-f-14-tomcat-playboy-livery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/es\/vandy-1-black-bunny-vx-4-f-14-tomcat-playboy-livery\/","title":{"rendered":"Vandy 1: The Story of VX-4&rsquo;s Black Bunny Tomcat"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color 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VX-4&rsquo;s were the exception. The Air Test and Evaluation Squadron at Point Mugu, California, flew its commander&rsquo;s jet in gloss black with a white Playboy bunny on the fin, under the squadron call sign Vandy 1, short for Vanderbilt. Its F-4 Phantoms and later its <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-14-tomcat\/\">F-14 Tomcat<\/a>s became some of the most photographed aircraft in naval aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f5f5f5;border-left:4px solid #1a1a1a;padding:18px 22px;margin:24px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px\"><li><strong>Squadron:<\/strong> VX-4 &ldquo;The Evaluators&rdquo;, NAS Point Mugu, California<\/li><li><strong>Call sign:<\/strong> Vandy 1 (Vanderbilt)<\/li><li><strong>First black bunny:<\/strong> 1969, an F-4 Phantom used for night testing<\/li><li><strong>Playboy:<\/strong> Warned of legal action in 1971, then supplied an official stencil<\/li><li><strong>Phantoms:<\/strong> One F-4J and three F-4S wore the scheme<\/li><li><strong>Tomcats:<\/strong> Two F-14As from 1985, permanent gloss black by about 1990<\/li><li><strong>End of VX-4:<\/strong> September 1994, merged with VX-5 to form VX-9<\/li><li><strong>Last Tomcat built:<\/strong> F-14D 164604, black Vandy 1 for its final flights, retired to NAS Oceana in June 2004<\/li><li><strong>Revival:<\/strong> F\/A-18F 166673, gloss black, 2023<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Evaluators<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VX-4 tested new fighters, missiles, radars and tactics before they reached the fleet. According to The Aviationist&rsquo;s history of the scheme, the first rabbit appeared in 1969 on a black F-4 Phantom used for night testing. The bunny and the black stayed, and the commander&rsquo;s jet became the squadron&rsquo;s calling card.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A Letter From Playboy<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1971, after photos of the F-4J spread, Playboy Enterprises wrote to the squadron warning of possible legal action over the use of its logo. The dispute ended amicably. Playboy agreed that the Navy could carry the bunny as long as it was the official design, and sent the squadron official stencils to paint it correctly. One F-4J and three F-4S Phantoms wore the scheme; the F-4 flew with VX-4 until January 1990. One of them, F-4S 155539, is now at the Castle Air Museum in California, where it is to be restored in Black Bunny colours.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Tomcat Years<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1985 two F-14A Tomcats assigned to VX-4 received the black scheme in water-based paint, and by about 1990 the squadron&rsquo;s Tomcats wore it permanently. With its size, swing wings and gloss finish, the black F-14 became the jet everyone wanted to photograph at Point Mugu and at air shows.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">VX-9 and the Last Tomcat<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In September 1994 VX-4 was merged with VX-5 from China Lake to form VX-9, the &ldquo;Vampires&rdquo;. The bunny did not survive the merger at first, but the tradition of a black flagship did. F-14D BuNo 164604, the last Tomcat to roll off Grumman&rsquo;s line at Calverton, New York, delivered on 10 July 1992, was painted gloss black and flew as Vandy 1 with VX-9, and the bunny was restored for its final flights. On 26 June 2004 it flew from Point Mugu to NAS Oceana, Virginia, where it is preserved as a memorial to everyone who built, flew and maintained the Tomcat. It no longer wears the black livery.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Vandy 1 Returns<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The all-black tradition lay dormant after VX-9&rsquo;s Tomcat operations ended, although a VX-9 F\/A-18E carried black fins with the bunny on their inner faces. In 2023, for the 30th anniversary of the VX-4 and VX-5 merger, VX-9 painted F\/A-18F Super Hornet 166673 overall gloss black as Vandy 1, with a white Vampires logo in place of the rabbit.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the Popular Version Gets Right<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The story as usually told is accurate: the 1969 F-4 origin, the 1971 Playboy letter and stencil, the two F-14As in 1985, the permanent scheme by 1990, the 1994 merger and the last Tomcat built flying as the Black Bunny before going on display. Two refinements. The bunny was not simply retired in 1994: the last Tomcat was delivered to VX-9 in black without it, and the bunny was put back for its final flights in 2004. And the Vandy 1 name lives on today on a black Super Hornet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sources: Darrick Leiker, &ldquo;The Black Bunny Aircraft of the U.S. Navy&rsquo;s VX-4&rdquo;, The Aviationist (9 February 2025); The War Zone, &ldquo;Retro Gloss Black F\/A-18 Super Hornet Vandy 1 Emerges&rdquo; (2023); F-14 Association, F-14D 164604 display record; Vintage Aviation News, F-4S Black Bunny restoration update.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What was the Black Bunny F-14?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Black Bunny was the gloss black F-14 Tomcat of US Navy test squadron VX-4 at Point Mugu, flown as the commander&rsquo;s jet under the call sign Vandy 1, with a white Playboy bunny on the fin. Two F-14As got the scheme in 1985, and it became permanent around 1990.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why did VX-4 put a Playboy bunny on its jets?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The bunny first appeared in 1969 on a black VX-4 F-4 Phantom used for night testing and became the squadron&rsquo;s trademark. In 1971 Playboy warned of legal action, then agreed to the use and supplied official stencils.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What does Vandy 1 mean?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Vandy 1 is short for Vanderbilt 1, the call sign of the commanding officer&rsquo;s aircraft in VX-4 and later VX-9. The jet traditionally wore an all-black scheme.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What happened to the last F-14 ever built?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">F-14D BuNo 164604, the last Tomcat built, delivered in July 1992, flew as VX-9&rsquo;s black Vandy 1 with the bunny for its final flights. On 26 June 2004 it flew to NAS Oceana, Virginia, where it is preserved as a memorial.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Is there still a black Vandy 1 jet?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. In 2023 VX-9 painted F\/A-18F Super Hornet 166673 overall gloss black as Vandy 1 for the 30th anniversary of the squadron&rsquo;s formation, using a white Vampires logo instead of the Playboy bunny.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When was VX-4 disestablished?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">VX-4 was disestablished in September 1994, when it merged with VX-5 from China Lake to form Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-9, the Vampires.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What was the Black Bunny F-14?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Black Bunny was the gloss black F-14 Tomcat of US Navy test squadron VX-4 at Point Mugu, flown as the commander\u2019s jet under the call sign Vandy 1, with a white Playboy bunny on the fin. Two F-14As got the scheme in 1985, and it became permanent around 1990.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why did VX-4 put a Playboy bunny on its jets?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The bunny first appeared in 1969 on a black VX-4 F-4 Phantom used for night testing and became the squadron\u2019s trademark. In 1971 Playboy warned of legal action, then agreed to the use and supplied official stencils.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What does Vandy 1 mean?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Vandy 1 is short for Vanderbilt 1, the call sign of the commanding officer\u2019s aircraft in VX-4 and later VX-9. The jet traditionally wore an all-black scheme.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What happened to the last F-14 ever built?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"F-14D BuNo 164604, the last Tomcat built, delivered in July 1992, flew as VX-9\u2019s black Vandy 1 with the bunny for its final flights. 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In 2023 VX-9 painted F\/A-18F Super Hornet 166673 overall gloss black as Vandy 1 for the 30th anniversary of the squadron\u2019s formation, using a white Vampires logo instead of the Playboy bunny.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When was VX-4 disestablished?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"VX-4 was disestablished in September 1994, when it merged with VX-5 from China Lake to form Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-9, the Vampires.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/tom-morgenfeld-f-117-nosewheel-landing-1982-area-51\/\">Tom Morgenfeld: The F-117 Pilot Who Landed Without a Nosewheel<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For decades the most recognisable jet on a US Navy flight line was a gloss black test aircraft with a white Playboy bunny on its tail. Here is the real story of VX-4&rsquo;s Vandy 1, from the F-4 Phantom to the last Tomcat ever built.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":29380658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[666],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29380914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-legends"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Vandy 1: VX-4\u2019s Black Bunny F-14 and F-4 | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gloss black with a Playboy bunny on the fin: how VX-4\u2019s Vandy 1 livery began on an F-4 in 1969, moved to the F-14, survived a letter from Playboy and returned in 2023.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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