And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
I was a crew chief at Reykjavik International Airport, Iceland (Keflavik Naval Air Station), '72-'73, doing Alert Barn duty. USAF had a squadron of 12, F-102's there to intercept Russian Bears, Tu 95, on their cigar run to Cuba. It was the last active duty station for the Delta Dagger. I think Dubya was doing Texas Air Guard at that time, as Aesop points out, in 102's. Navy had a big base with P-3 Orion sub killers.
Ubon Thailand had the F4-D until 1974 when the base closed. F4-E like the pic were in Korea housed much like the pic in 1975 & 76. Summer in Korea, shirtless very likely.
Worked on F4 C/D models in Korea and New Mexico with the 49th and 8th Tac Fighter Wings. We were the largest distributor of MIG parts in the world. Hell of an airplane but it has to follow tankers around because it burn so much fuel so quickly. Col. Robin Olds of the 8th showed the world what a squadron of F4s could do. We would do anything for Col. Olds.
My favorite Thunderbird show was when they were in Phantoms, what a beast of a plane!! That E e model has a jammer in the Sparrow bay, an empty inboard, pylon the LARGE centerline fuel tank and some live 500lb on the MER on the outboard pylon. Looks like he is going hunting.
Look at the ordnance on the other side. Can't see the tail fins on the 500 pounders, but I'm betting retarded fall bombs, and that can starboard side is napalm: a "snake and nape" sortie. Charlie's in for a very bad day. And napalm sticks to kids.
Proof that with enough thrust, you can make a barn door fly.
Back between my junior and senior years of college, I went to what was essentially a three-week internship at what was then the Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB. There was prolly some official name for it, but everybody called it "Third Lieutenant". I was able to score a ride in the back seat of a Phantom on one of the Red Flag ranges. Didn't see a damned thing, and barely knew what was happening. But it was more fun than anything every other just-barely-21-year-old was having that summer....pants on or pants off.
endured a lot of sonic booms as kid from these rascals. just across the river from st. louis.
ReplyDeleteIs that a Texas Air National Guard F4 with the front seater Dubya?
ReplyDeleteDubbya flew F-102s.
DeleteI was a crew chief at Reykjavik International Airport, Iceland (Keflavik Naval Air Station), '72-'73, doing Alert Barn duty. USAF had a squadron of 12, F-102's there to intercept Russian Bears, Tu 95, on their cigar run to Cuba. It was the last active duty station for the Delta Dagger. I think Dubya was doing Texas Air Guard at that time, as Aesop points out, in 102's.
DeleteNavy had a big base with P-3 Orion sub killers.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/dec/19/versatile-f-4-phantoms-making-final-flight-for-us-/
ReplyDeletePhoto info from the address provided:
DeleteApril 23, 1966, file photo, a U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom jet is guided out of its revetment in Da Nang formerly South Vietnam
E model. Lotsa bombs. Crew chief is shirtless. Thailand maybe?
ReplyDeleteShirtless = Thailand? Let's see, I wonder if there was a place in Southeast Asia where the sled was deployed...I think it was in all the papers.
DeleteOh well, maybe it'll come to me.
Ubon Thailand had the F4-D until 1974 when the base closed. F4-E like the pic were in Korea housed much like the pic in 1975 & 76. Summer in Korea, shirtless very likely.
ReplyDeleteI thought it looked a lot like "C Diamond" on Osan AB, Korea!
DeleteWorked on F4 C/D models in Korea and New Mexico with the 49th and 8th Tac Fighter Wings. We were the largest distributor of MIG parts in the world. Hell of an airplane but it has to follow tankers around because it burn so much fuel so quickly. Col. Robin Olds of the 8th showed the world what a squadron of F4s could do. We would do anything for Col. Olds.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Thunderbird show was when they were in Phantoms, what a beast of a plane!! That E e model has a jammer in the Sparrow bay, an empty inboard, pylon the LARGE centerline fuel tank and some live 500lb on the MER on the outboard pylon. Looks like he is going hunting.
ReplyDeleteLook at the ordnance on the other side.
DeleteCan't see the tail fins on the 500 pounders, but I'm betting retarded fall bombs, and that can starboard side is napalm: a "snake and nape" sortie.
Charlie's in for a very bad day.
And napalm sticks to kids.
A little ditty from my misspent youth:
DeleteYou'll wonder where the yell-oh went,
When the napalm hits the Orient.
Phantom = Badass
ReplyDeleteWe Marines in Vietnam had a lot of good CAS from this badass bird.
ReplyDeleteProof that with enough thrust, you can make a barn door fly.
ReplyDeleteBack between my junior and senior years of college, I went to what was essentially a three-week internship at what was then the Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB. There was prolly some official name for it, but everybody called it "Third Lieutenant". I was able to score a ride in the back seat of a Phantom on one of the Red Flag ranges. Didn't see a damned thing, and barely knew what was happening. But it was more fun than anything every other just-barely-21-year-old was having that summer....pants on or pants off.
azlibertarian