The emblem of Skull Squadron
Skull Squadron was a celebrated United States Navy squadron and later the most prestigious Veritech squadron in the Robotech Defense Force and Robotech Expeditionary Force.
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Skull Squadron engaging hostile forces in 1999.
Skull Squadron (VF-84) was a much celebrated squadron in the United States Navy and took part in the Global War. Roy Fokker joined the squadron in early 1999 and would become a double ace quicker than any other pilot before him. In late-1999, the squadron was assigned to the USS Kenosha (CVN-90) operating in the South Pacific Ocean near Macross Island. Skull Squadron was scrambled to intercept unknown fighters that had destroyed a sub-hunter helicopter from the Kenosha. Fokker destroyed all but one of the enemy fighters, but lost his wingman in the engagement. Before Fokker could down the last enemy fighter a bright light appeared in the sky and heading for Macross Island. Fokker was able to gain enough altitude to avoid the destructive forces that accompanied the light but none of his fellow Skulls survived the incident. (Comic: "Robotech: From the Stars")
Personnel[]
Robotech Defense Force[]
Skull Squadron was reformed or recreated as a Veritech squadron and part of the Robotech Defense Force under the auspice of the United Earth Government. Fokker was given command of the squadron and it was equipped with VF-1 Valkyries.
Personnel[]
The roster of Skull Squadron is a who's who of heroes of the First Robotech War.
- Skull Leader: Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker
- Skull Leader: Lieutenant/Commander/Captain Rick Hunter
- Skull Two: Max Sterling
- Skull Three: Ben Dixon
Robotech Expeditionary Force[]
Max Sterling was in charge of the Squadron during the Pioneer Expedition to Tirol in 2022. (Robotech II: The Sentinels) By 2044, Commander Maia Sterling was the commanding officer of Skull Squadron, which was equipped with the advanced VF-6 Shadow Fighter. Skull squadron took part in the Battle of Reflex Point where it took heavy losses. After the battle Wolf Squadron was folded into Skull Squadron to replace the losses the squadron suffered in the final battle of the Third Robotech War.
Skull Squadron accompanied the Icarus to Space Station Liberty. When they arrived they found the REF forces under attack by an unknown fleet. Skull Squadron was tasked with doing a recon on the battle to gather information on how the enemy was so easily overwhelming the REF forces. Skull Squadron discovered that the Shadow devices had been sabotaged and retreated back to Liberty, but not before losing Lieutenant Alex Romero who sacrificed himself to destroy several enemy fighters. Once on the station the squadron abandoned their Shadow fighters for the newer VF-6 Super Shadow Fighter, which lacked shadow technology.
Skull Squadron provided fighter cover for the colony ship Ark Angel as it escaped from Liberty losing at least two fighters before the colony ship folded back to Earth. (Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles)
Personnel[]
- Skull Leader: Max Sterling, Maia Sterling
- Miriya Sterling
- Rick Hunter
- Lieutenant Alex Romero
- Lieutenant Marcus Rush
Behind the scenes[]
- In Super Dimension Fortress Macross, the Skull Squadron livery (the Skull and Crossbones on a field of black) is based on that of the US Navy VF-84 squadron, known as the Jolly Rogers. In the first issue of the comic Robotech: From the Stars, a letter from Roy Fokker to Rick Hunter identifies Skull Squadron as VF84, no doubt a nod to the real-life squadron. However, in the real world VF-84 was disbanded in 1995, four years before the SDF-1 was due to crash (though the VFA-103 has since taken up the Jolly Rogers name and colors).