HT-28 Hellions Friday Patches and Name Tags
Helicopter Training Squadron 28 (HT-28) – "The Hellions"
Established on 25 May 2007 at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida, Helicopter Training Squadron 28 was created to meet the growing demand for rotary-wing aviators across the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The squadron was formed by transferring one-third of the instructor pilots from each of its sister squadrons, HT-8 "Eightballers" and HT-18 "Vigilant Eagles," creating three equally capable advanced helicopter training commands under Training Air Wing Five (TRAWING 5). The Hellions' name is an allusion to the word "helicopter" and pays tribute to the only other unit to carry the Hellions designation—Marine Fighter Squadron 218 (VMF-218), a World War II–era squadron that saw combat in the Pacific Theater.
HT-28's primary mission is to transition student naval aviators through advanced rotary-wing flight training, producing combat-ready helicopter pilots who earn the coveted Wings of Gold upon graduation. Operating alongside HT-8 and HT-18, the squadron originally flew the TH-57 Sea Ranger before transitioning to the modern TH-73A Thrasher helicopter trainer. The squadron's insignia features a tri-colored field of deep blue, olive green, and red—representing Navy operations over the world's oceans, Marine Corps power projection ashore, and the heritage of valor and sacrifice shared by both services. A black Chinese dragon coiled around a lighted torch symbolizes wisdom, ferocity in battle, and the passing of knowledge from one generation of aviators to the next. The squadron's tactical call sign is "Lucky," and its motto is "Professionalism, Integrity, and Judgment." HT-28 trains aviators from the U.S. military as well as international students from allied nations, and also conducts a shortened helicopter syllabus for prospective MV-22 Osprey pilots.
Perfect For: HT-28 alumni and current instructor pilots, TRAWING 5 personnel, NAS Whiting Field community members, student naval aviators who earned their wings with the Hellions, and rotary-wing aviation training enthusiasts.
This patch celebrates the newest addition to the Navy's advanced helicopter training pipeline—a squadron that carries forward a legacy of excellence forged at the crossroads of Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviation.
