

In the thrilling world of U.S. military aviation, the truth has finally been revealed — the pilots, WSOs, and NFOs aren’t the ones truly controlling the aircraft.
Hidden beneath the cockpit, built inside the belly of every aircraft is a secret control station the Patch Animals© call "the box." Patch Animals© — three-foot-tall, anthropomorphic creatures, actually fly and manage the aircraft’s systems from the box.
Each aircraft manufacturer assigned a Patch Animal© to represent its design, immortalized on the flight-suit patches of the aircrews who fly them and the maintainers who service them. These Patch Animals© have their own miniature cockpits controls mirroring those above, where they interpret the aviators’ button pushes and lever pulls, translating them into real-time avionics commands.
They don’t live in a cartoon universe — they live in ours. Real jets, real bases, real history… the only animated thing is them.
Only two groups can see them — maintainers and kids... and a few zany exceptions!
To the maintainers, the Patch Animals© aren’t just part of the aircraft — they’re family. They care for them, protect them, and keep them ready to fly another day. It’s a bond built on trust, laughter, and the long nights that only those who live the flight line truly understand.
Come back with us to the early 1990s, the heyday of the F-14 Tomcat and the height of popularity of NAS Miramar’s Fightertown U.S.A., as we relive their world inside the hangars, cockpits, and their treehouse homes — where the Patch Animals’ lives mirror those of real military aviators, filled with camaraderie, rivalry, danger, and absurd humor.
From emergency ejections to wartime dogfights, and from intense carrier ops to chaotic nights at the club, these fearless creatures live like their human counterparts: adrenaline junkies, confident to a fault, competitive, and always quick with a quip.
They’re masters of aviation slang, legends of bravado and icons of style - with an attitude.
The maintainers already love them.
Now the world will too.

Who's entertaining at Wednesday night Woxof at NAS Miramar? Tom and the Woxof, of course. The 80s hair band featuring Prowler, Hornet (Louie Lemoore), Hawkeye (Scout) and lead singer and guitar player Tomcat (Mack).
Patch Animals© is an original animated entertainment series created by Lauren L. Kelly-Hill featuring aircraft patch characters inspired by real U.S. military aviation history.


Each Patch Animal© was given life and assigned to a specific aircraft via a BuNo. on the manufacturer's assembly line. Historically, their likeness is on the patch that the flight crew wears on their flight suit. Hence the name Patch Animals©.

Patch Animals have only one dress uniform - their red, white and blue uniform coat with stars and stripes. Even between services, they maintain their uniform, not conforming the any particular service. They have no rank. While flying and squadron functions, they wear their squadron uniforms/colors. Example: Jolly Roger (J.R.) from VF-84 w
Patch Animals have only one dress uniform - their red, white and blue uniform coat with stars and stripes. Even between services, they maintain their uniform, not conforming the any particular service. They have no rank. While flying and squadron functions, they wear their squadron uniforms/colors. Example: Jolly Roger (J.R.) from VF-84 wears his pirate uniform at his desk during flight and during squadron functions.

Reflections after a long day at work. Two maintainers and Mack are kicking back, watching the sunset at NAS Miramar.

Tomcat Patch Animals© getting ready for a brief on the upcoming exercise off the aircraft carrier.
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© 2015–2026 Lauren L. Kelly-Hill. All rights reserved.
Patch Animals™ is a trademark of Lauren L. Kelly-Hill.
U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 99457475 (Pending).
Patch Animals© characters, stories, artwork, and creative content are copyrighted works of Lauren L. Kelly-Hill.
Patch Animals© creative works © 2015
U.S. Copyright Registration No. TXu 1-953-221.
Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited.
Patch Animals© is an independent creative work and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces or any aircraft manufacturer.
All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
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