In article , Hi Derek!
writes

While the Air Farce is capable of many, many insane
and idiotic gestures, without help from my beloved Navy there is
absolutely no way they could have performed a "21 *ship* flyover"
during the funeral processon to the Rotunda on Wednesday.

Dunno about the USAF, but the RAF definitely refer to packages of
aircraft as 'xxx-ship formations' - I was watching a Combined Qualifed
Weapons Instructor practice bombing course at the Spadeadam EWTR in
Cumbria, England, yesterday - 'Endplay' (No.15 Sqn Tornado GR.4s)
described themselves as 'a four-ship' while 'Scampi1-4' (SAOEU Tornado
GR.4s) also did the same on their radio calls to the range controller.
It's commonplace in this country; even the 48th Fighter Wing F-15C/Es do
it... we get quite excited when we suddenly hear 'seven-' or 'eight-
ships' arriving for practice bombing.

I know what you mean, though....
--
Graeme Carrott
Membership Secretary/Treasurer, Air North
http://www.airnorth.demon.co.uk/