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.
Spent 2 years at NAS Key West, with my office in the Ops building, 150 yards away from a runway. There was nothing more exciting than seeing a Phantom warm up, just the running lights visible, until the pilot hit the afterburners to take off.
Lived in South Orange Co. CA. In the 60’s-70’s the training command at El Toro Marine Base had F4 Phantoms almost constantly in the air. They streaked out to Silverado Canyon or San Clemente Island for practice. Sometimes they would be so low coming off the runway that they would rock the cars on I5.
Pilot optional in this one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82nd_Aerial_Targets_Squadron The 82 ATRS also has a Detachment at Holloman AFB which is responsible for FSAT operations at the White Sands Missile Range near Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
Some QF-4 aircraft were used in static demo and “heritage” flights at air shows, including this particular one. It was retired from operations to the Boneyard, then brought back into service as a QF-4E. It was last seen around 2005. Can’t find out if it was shot down, used as a ground target, or just scrapped.
another brutal and beautiful aircraft.
ReplyDeleteSpent 2 years at NAS Key West, with my office in the Ops building, 150 yards away from a runway. There was nothing more exciting than seeing a Phantom warm up, just the running lights visible, until the pilot hit the afterburners to take off.
ReplyDeleteYou're making me cry. Over 1200 hours of memories in the old brick.
ReplyDeleteLived in South Orange Co. CA. In the 60’s-70’s the training command at El Toro Marine Base had F4 Phantoms almost constantly in the air. They streaked out to Silverado Canyon or San Clemente Island for practice. Sometimes they would be so low coming off the runway that they would rock the cars on I5.
ReplyDeleteThe sound of FREEDOM! Now, however, the SMIPS in CA, complain of the noise.
DeleteNothing like watch a pre-dawn launch of a strike.
ReplyDeleteDriving up Hwy 395 in socal going to desert races, I'd see these taking off in pairs from George Airbase. I couldn't keep up.
ReplyDeletePilot optional in this one.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82nd_Aerial_Targets_Squadron
The 82 ATRS also has a Detachment at Holloman AFB which is responsible for FSAT operations at the White Sands Missile Range near Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
Some QF-4 aircraft were used in static demo and “heritage” flights at air shows, including this particular one. It was retired from operations to the Boneyard, then brought back into service as a QF-4E. It was last seen around 2005. Can’t find out if it was shot down, used as a ground target, or just scrapped.
ReplyDelete