NO START
by C. D. Tad' Foran
I'd been flying '86Ds in the 181st FIS, Texas ANG since about 1957. In 1960 I took a job in Terre Haute, Indiana and transferred to the Indiana Guard flying 'Hogs", F-84Fs. I flew the 'Hog' for a couple of years, then returned to Dallas and rejoined the 181st, which was then flying F-86Ls.
I got recurrent in the '86 and decided to build up some flight time by going to Terre Haute with mother guy, Jack Sallee, to get a spaghetti dinner. The Ops Officer at Terre Haute owned a great Italian restaurant and it seemed like a good excuse to get in a weekend hop.Jack took the Lead and I got on his wing. We left Dallas in perfect VFR weather. I loosened up after we got to altitude and we were just kinda 'hanging out' without paying any attention to where we were at or going. After about 20 minutes, Jack broke in "I'm not sure where we are'" I looked around and it looked like either Arkansas, East Texas, or Southerri Missouri to me. (Jack's compass had locked up and he hadn't noticed.)
I called up "Star Gazer" and a friendly voice answered - 'What can I do for y ou?" Jack advised that he was a little uncertain of his position and would appreciate a fix. This was complied with in short order, and we decided to land at Blytheville, Arkansas, a SAC base, get some gas, then proceed to the spaghetti dinner.
Upon landing at Blytheville, we were greeted with the typical SAC comments - "What the hell are you raggeddy-ass militia pokes doing on our field?" We advised that all we wanted was some fuel and we'd be gone as soon as they topped us off. (We never told them we were lost!)
Transient alert gassed us up and ready to go in record time. Jack and I jumped into the aircraft and started cracking them up. After a few minutes, Jack came on the radio and told me he couldn't get his started engaged and that I would have to shut down and see what we could do next. After much cussin' and discussion, we decided we'd go over in the line shack and see what they could do. The starter and generator on an '86L were the same unit and there was none on the base as Blytheville was all B-52s.
After about an how discussing alternatives, I mentioned that I'd heard some guys in the Korean War had started an F-84 by 'windmilling' the engine with anther guys exhaust and using the air start circuit. We mulled this over and took another look at the dismal Blytheville scene. What the hell, let's give it a go!
I taxied out in front of Jack's '86 and asked the transient alert guy to watch and see if I was burning the nose off Jack's airplane. I ran it up to 100% and waited for some good news. After awhile it became obvious that this wasn't going to work. About this time, four Marine A-4s showed up and were watching all this mickey mouse goings on and laughing like crazy. I shut it down as one of the Marines walked up and suggested they push my airplane a little closer to Jack's. Seemed like a good idea to me so we proceeded.
About this time a little blue sedan drove up. It was the Aerodrome Officer who wanted to know "What the hell is going on?" I described the plan to him and he looked absolutely shinned. (Remember we're on a B-5 2 base') He shouted, "I know there has to be some kind of regulation against this sort of thing!" I suggested he mind his own business and go down the ramp and count missiles on his B-52s or something. Looking at the situaction, he decided this was a good idea and left.
I started up again and very shortly, all the troops started waving and clapping. I crated my neck and looked around Sure enough, there was heat coming out of Jack's Lailpipe. Now I'm low on fuel again, so we got a quick center-point fueling on my airplane, and without further ado, activated a previously filed flight plan and hauled out of Blytheville. After we were airborne, we decided to hell with the spaghetti dinner and re turned to Dallas and went to the club for a couple of beers. Obviously, we did NOT elaborate our problems and solutions in the '781' but just noted that the starter didn't work. Years later at the Rhein-Main "0" Club, we confessed our 'sins' to the wing maintenance officer. He just shook his head.
BERLIN CRISISby Pete Beeble
In the summer of 1961, the communist leaders of the Soviet Union began making noises about a separate peace between East Germany and the USSR. At the same time, they began building the infamous Berlin Wall between West Berlin and its communist neighbors in the east. Thoughts of the 1948 Berlin Blockade began to arise in Washington. President John Kennedy responded to the threat by strengthening the squadrons assigned to USAFE and NATO.
This was done through mobilization of the Air National Guard units throughout the United States. A total of thirty-one Air National Guard squadrons were called to active duty in the Fall of 1961 - three were equipped with the F-100C Super Sabre, twelve with F-84F Thunderstreaks, four with RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance aircraft, six C-97A transport squadrons. Three more squadrons had F-104A interceptors, and three squadrons of F-86H Sabres. The F-86H units were the 101st and 131st TFS, Massachusetts ANG, and the 138th TFS, New York ANG.On 30 October 1961 the tactical fighter squadrons were assembled at Loring AFB, ME to await the "Go!" signal for the Hi-Flight that would take them to various bases on the European continent for the next twelve months. I was a member of the 138th TFS, "The Boys from Syracuse". The operation was codenamed STAIR STEP, and we departed Syracuse to join up with the other F-86H squadrons from Boston and Westfield, Massachusetts, at Loring.
The Hi-Flight took us over the route flown by many other Air Force crews that had deployed to Europe since World War Two - Newfoundlarid, Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, France. Our final destination was Phalsbourg AB, France, where we were assigned to the 17th Air Force, USAFE. Although our F-86Hs had a nuclear capability, the mission of the three F-86H squadrons would b strictly tactical fighter bomber. A number of on aircraft were on constant alert 24 hours a day. But other than building the Berlin Wall and generally making life miserable for a large number of German citizens in both West and East Germany, the threat posed by the Soviets seemed to be minimal.
With that in mind, the activated Guard units began doing what comes naturally, rat racing in the skies over Europe when the weather permitted. But in spite of the typically bad European weather, we had a ball. Once on top of the overcast, everybody was fair gain and there was a lot of 'bouncing' going on. The F-86H with in 8920# thrust engine (the J73), was mor than able to hold its own against the British Hunters and German Canadair Sabre Mk. 6s.
There were many high spots during the STAIR STEP deployment, including several gunnery deployments to Wheelus AB, Libya, and a NATO base exchange with a West German Sabre squadron based at Leck, Germany. Leck flew the Canadair Mk. 6 with the Rolls Royce engine and it was a good match for the J73 powered F-86H. The Germans were great hosts, showing us the more interesting sights in Hamburg. In turn, they visited us at Phalsbourg and we took them to Paris.
In October 1962, the Guard was deactivated and returned to state control after a return Hi-Flight. The Air Force allowed any pilots who wanted to remain on active duty to do so. Those who didn't stay in, Hi-Flighted back to their Stateside home bases, taking our beloved F-86Hs with them.
Along with many others (And much to the chagrin of our families back in the States), I opted to resume my Air Force career..We stayed in Europe and helped organ ize the newly activated 366th TFW which was head quartered at Chaumont AB, France. Our aircraft were a bunch of well worn ex-Guard F-84F Thunderstreaks that had been deployed under STAIR STEP against the Berlin Wall crisis the year before. Many of the Guard pilots who returned home found themselves in a newer and better aircraft than those left behind for us to meet the Soviet threat.
I'd previously flown the F-84F and G 'plank-wing' Thunderjet, but the transition into the '84F after years of flying the F-86H was a frightening experience. Instead of leaping forward at brake release, the '84F just sat there for a few seconds before inching, and I mean inching down the runway. Now I knew why they called the Republic F-84 series "Hogs".
We were assigned targets in East Germany but many of us wondered how effective our iron bombs would be with all the SIOP going off around us. Fortunately, we never found out. The 366th Wing remained in France for another year before DeGaulle kicked us out of the country. I went back to the States via another Hi-Flight on my way to HollomanAFB, NM.
After a few more years, I returned to my Republic roots and flew a tour in '105s out of Takhli. But for me, the erection of the Berlin Wall was a godsend enabling me to complete a twenty-two year Air Force career. However, I am glad the thing was finally been knocked down.
a D-TALEby Jack Spider' Webb
I flew with the Oldahorna Guard unit at Tusla in '58-'59. One summer we deployed to Gulfport, Mississippi, for summer camp and rocketry on the range over the Gulf of Mexico. We launched from Tulsa on a hot summer morning in flights of four for the 2+ hour flight to Gulfport. Our cps plan called for take-off "sans burner to save fuel as that was a very long leg for the F-86D." That was a questionable procedure in itself.
Being a 2nd It., I flew #4. As we approached the Gulfport area Lead asked for a fuel check. the low man on fuel would assume the lead so as not to have to jockey the throttle much in formation. #3 assumed the Lead and reported the field in sight and was told to report on inital about 5 miles out.We lined up in echelon formation for a left break and Lead reported "On initial'. The tower replied, "Not in sight. Continue.- Over the end of the runway, Lead reported "in the break". Again, the Gulfport Tower said, "No in, sight! You are over Keesler AFB, which is 12 miles east of Gulfport!"
By that time all four aircraft had pitched out and had their gear down ready to land. Pull the gear and flaps back up. Lead proceeded with a missed approach and headed west to Gulfport. The rest of us followed like a flock of stray geese. When Lead finally Saw the Gulfport airfield, he called the tower in a high pitched tenor voice and was cleared to land on runway 22, which had adequate length to land. But he lined up on runway 18 which was too short. The tower advised him of such and to took for 22. Cleared to land, his responses now became soprano in nature.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are milling around north of the airport and all of us are now in a world of hurt fuelwise. Finally, Lead is on the ground and 2 and 3 followed. I was sucking fumes by then, finally touching down and starting to taxi off the runway. As I pushed the throttle forward to get on the taxiway, I felt no response from the engine. FLAMEOUT! I called the tower and requested a tug in pull me to the ramp. John Rudolf, our Ops Officer, came out with the tug and jumped up on the wing- "What's the matter Spider?" I stuttered "Flameout!" He reached into his fllightsuit and brought out the most beautiful bottle of bourbon I'd ever seen. I took a big gulp. "Only the laundry man and I knew how scared I was."
The Way It Was
MIGHTY MOUSE, DOGS, AND DELMARS
by Ron Weinert
In the late 1950s, the 124th Fighter Group, 190th Fighter Interceptor Squadron ("First Class Or Not At All), Idaho Air National Guard, based in Boise Idaho, also known as FANGOs (Friggin' Air National Guard Officers), received F-86Ls. Checkouts were done in-house, and the unit was Proclaimed combat-ready and assumed full-time air defense alert posture, with two aircraft ready to scramble 24 hours a day. Part and full time pilots who were able to devote time to the eight-hour shifts filled the alert commitment.
For those of you 'real' fighter pilots who never few rocket armed interceptors, here's a bit of 'Ground School' on airborne intercepts circa the 1960s. Rocket attacks were generally flown on a 90-degree "Lead Collision-Course" beam attack. The interceptor was positioned by GCI, and when the airborne radar gave him a contact, he woould 'lock on'. The computer adjusted for speed and drift, and guided the aircraft on a collision course with the target MINUS the distance the rockets would travel. The pilot flew the airplane according to the computer directions displayed on his scope. There was a 'rate of overtake' circle showing the closure rate.If the interceptor was ahead of the 90º beam, the closure rates increased and decreased as the fighter fell behind the 90 º beam. Ideally, the fighter remained on the 900 beam, and the closure rates ran around 600 knots, with the 'target' at around 300 knots TAS and the 'attacker' somewhat faster. The 'miss distance', or the distance by which the fighter and target missed each other, was about 250 feet on a 900 beam with a 600 knot overtake speed.
The interceptor pilot 'shoved his head into the scope', and flew a computer generated steering dot, striving to keep it exactly in the center. The scope had artificial horizon bars, so the pilot could see his pitch and bank attitude and maintain control during the attack At 20 seconds before "launch", the overtake circle 'snapped' to half size. The pilot then had a closer reference to 'bury the dot'. If all went well, the computer would insure that the interceptor was not going to hit the target but the rockets presumably would.
At 10 seconds, after getting the final OK from the target, the interceptor pilot squeezed the trigger. The computer computed the exact firing time, automatically extended the rocket tray, fired, and then retracted the tray. The pilot would observe the circle shrinking to a dot, whereupon a large 'X' showed in the scope, and, in an actual firing pass, would feel and hear the rockets launch. Most training runs were made against the target aircraft itself. On live firing runs the target was the tow device, usually a Delmar.
It could get pretty interesting, especially if the fighter got ahead of the 90º beam. This could happen due to poor positioning by GCI, if the jock over-steered the dot, or if the target turned into the attacker or decreased speed radically. Attacks from 100-110º were pretty safe. Above that, the 'miss distance' became marginal, since the Projected rocket travel would be shorter as the attacker moved closer in a head-on position.
On dry runs, the key to safety was at "20 seconds". The target pilot looked for the fighter to start drifting. Up until that point, the attacker held a steady position. But at the "20 seconds" call he'd better be moving back along the target's canopy or there was danger of collision. The target could let him continue, with a 'Stand by" call, but if there was no movement at the "10 seconds" call, the target called for immediate break off of the attack. Perceiving movement, the target called Clear-, and the jock carried through the attack to (simulated) launch. If the jock didn't receive a verbal 'Clear" at "10 seconds", he immediately broke off by turning sharply in the direction of the target, thereby increasing 'miss distance.
It was demanding but safe, as long as procedures were followed; and as long as the fighter jock kept himself close to the beam. It could be pretty hairy at night especially on those 110º attacks, what with the tricks lights can play.
The F-86D also had the capability to fire manually in salvoes of 6, 12, or 24. Since there was no gun sight or other means of directing rocket travel (more strategic thinking by AF brass), this was merely for Jettisoning rockets. I once tried to fire rockets at a ground target from an F-102 for an evaluation of Deuce capabilities for 'Nam, and, even though the target was a hangar door, I never got one within half a mile of the thing.
Manual was pretty simple: on selected how many you wanted to fire, selected Manual, and pulled the trigger. The pod dropped, the rockets launched, and the pod retracted - no sweat, no strain. It either worked or it didn't; USUALLY it was foolproof.
For live rocket qualification, the closest air to air rocket range was at Wendover, Utah. The ''L'' had limited range, and fly ing from Boise to Wenclover and back left scant fuel for rocket passes. It was decided that the best course was to stage out of Wendover for rocket qualifications. The base was officially closed, but still suitable for operations, although fuel had to be trucked in from Hill. The tower was operational, and personnel from Hill could be TDY'd in for short stints. However, one summer Wendover couldn't be used, and the squadron used Hill.
On this Occasion, there were 6-8 F-86s and a T-Bird tow ship on the pad out in the 'pea patch' at Hill. The maintenance and armorers had flown down in the C-54, and the pilots brought the aircraft down from Boise. The T-bird towed what we called the 'Delmar', a fiberglass bomb shaped device about 4 feet long, with radar reflectors inside for a good return. On station, the tow aircraft would reel the Delmar out at least 1000 feet. After the mission, if it hadn't been shot off by one of the rockers, they could reel it back in.
So, there we were, at Hill AFB, ready for a live firing session. To improve the illusion of reality, we would do the exercise from 'alert' posture and scramble the first flight of two with the remaining flights in a 'cockpit alert'. Once the airborne flight was off the target, the remaining three flights were scrambled.
The first flight was Majors Ed Lungren and Jim Frazier. They were scrambled from their lounge chairs alongside the flight line, and were airborne in less than seven minutes. I was in the second Fight, and mounted up leisurely, strapped in, and had the APU plugged in, ready for the cramble'. I turned on the UHF, and switched over to tactical frequency. The Wendover Range was under 100 miles from Hill, and we could occasionally pick up the R/T traffic while they were still on the range
. After several minutes of sporadic transmissions, I heard something about "bailout". Then a staff car came screaming down the flight line, with the Group CO, Col. Ken Nordling, announcing that the mission had been scrubbed, and to proceed to the debriefing area.
This is what happened. On the first pass, either Ed or Jim had managed to hit the Delmar. The mission was over since that was the only T-Bird we had rigged for Delmar deployment. The pre-briefing was to jettison any rockers not fired rather than bring them back.
Ed and Jim broke off and headed to the designated jettison area, dropping down to around 5000 AGE to pickle off their remaining rockers. Ed selected Manual, SIX, and squeezed the trigger. Everything worked fine except that the some of the rockets 'launched' while the tray was still retracted, advancing several inches into the forward electronics bay.
The Master Caution Panel lit up like Las Vegas, the stick froze, and Ed noted that his Sabre was on a direct collision course with Earth. He did what every brave and fearless fighter jock would have done in the same situation - he punched out!
But, there's more: When the chute opened, the chest strap and buckle came up very smartly rapping him under the chin, and he found himself hanging from the chute, held in only by his crossed arms over the chest strap. His fanny was out of the sling, and he swayed gently with the oscillations of the chute. It seems in the simlated>/u> scramble. he leaped into the cockpit and hooked up every strap except the leg straps. He'd been a paratrooper and smoke jumper and that probably saved him, as he instinctively went into a jumper's "pike" with his arms crossed over his chest. Otherwise, the 'chute opening shock would have shot him out of the harness like an arrow from William Tell's bow.
His only injuries were a pretty badly wrenched shoulder, and some sore ribs, mostly from the ribbing he took for shooting himself down - "Four more, and you'll be an ace". Ed later flew the F-102 with the Idaho Guard, and continued his airline career, retiring from Northwest Airlines in the 1990s, then a DC-10 simulator and line check pilot with Federal Express. He now works as a FedEx consultant, and lives in Collierville, Tennessee.
The Dog Sabre (and the 'L') wasn't really a fighter, but it got a lot of us into the Sabre Society, and I do appreciate that. Other than that, about all I can say about flying interceptors was that we got to say "Judy" a lot, which is what the Spitfire guys said during the Battle of Britain. That's about as close as we got.
MICHIGAN GUARD PILOT
by Dean Juhlin
There were two squadrons in the Michigan Air National Guard, both based at Detroit-Wayne Major Airport, the 107th and 171st Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. The only other aircraft operating at Detroit-Wayne were transports, airliners, and general aviation small planes. One of the transport types was ZANTOP, and a few of our guys had regular jobs flying C-54s, with them or should Isay DC-4s.
The 107th Squadron can be traced all the way back to World War One when it maintained the aircraft of the AFF in France. In May 1926, the 107th Observation Squadron was activated at Rouge Park Airfield in Detroit. During World War Two, the 107th was assigned to the 67th Observation Group in 9th AF, flying Spitfires and F-6 Mustangs, The 107th was extended federal recognition in September 1946, initially flying Douglas A-26 Invaders, then Republic F-84B Thunderje'ts.The 171st Squadron can be traced back to the 374th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group flying P-47s and P-51s in the 8th AF. The 171st was granted federal recognition in April 1948, initially flying F5Is before also converting to F-84Bs in 1950. Both the 107th and 171st were activated on 1 February 1951 and deployed to Luke AFB, Arizona, as part of the 127th Pilot Training Group.
Several of us had flown the F-86A and I, at Selfridge, and some had the 100 mission requirement in Korea. We departed for Korea when the 107th and 171st were activated and sent to Luke. In Korea, I was successful mice, getting a NlJG on 20 January and 5 March 1952 while flying with the loth Squiewiron. We were based at Selfridge AFB, near Deunit from September 1950 until Jule 1951, after which we departed for Korea Both squadrons were released
TROPHY RACE
by Bob Railey
Back in the '50s. the Air Guard conducted an annual air race from point to point with the winner being the one with the shortest elapsed time. Initially, the race was flown with all the aircraft types in the Guard, from F-80S to F-86s - w ith a handicap computed for those types that needed it. After all, a Sabre was much faster than any of the other types. Later they selected one airplane type, the F-86 Sabre.
I participated in the race in 1956 in an F-86F, flying from Hamilton AFB, Calif. to New Orleans International Anpart. I was Commander of the 121st FIS, D.C. Air Guard at the time. There really weren't any rules or restrictions for the race. Each pilot could plan his own refueling stops, and the maintenance people could "soup up" the airplane as they saw fit. I solicited the advice of the best maintenance man I knew - Warrant Officer Leo Cleary. Leo selected the airplane with the hottest engine and proceeded to add mice' (small metal plates) inside the tailpipe to increase exhaust gas temperature, thus increasing thrust.By 1956, I'd been flying the '86 for three years and was fairly well versed on the climb and cruise performance by race day. I elected to depart Hamilton with a stop at Kirtland where I'd drop the wing tanks; proceed to FL Worth for fuel, then on to New Orleans.
At Hamilton, we were all towed out to the runway for the Start. All were supposed to have identical ballast and whatever configuration the pilot selected. I was no. 2 in the lineup, with Maj. Dave McCallister from the Delaware squadron as no. 1. Dave had a turtle soup business in civilian life and used turtle soup as ballast!!! in his six ammo cans. Prior to our departure, I saw Dave passing out samples of the soup to visitors and realized that each sample' was reducing the weight of his airplane! Not being one to be taken advantage of, I advised him to collect all his 'samples' and return them to the ammo cams. The judges agreed wholeheartedly.
Dave took off first and ten minutes later I blasted off into the blue. I made a fast climb to 42,000' and headed for Albuquerque. I bent the throttle past the firewall and the EGT (Exhaust Gas Temp) was indicating about 702º - 120º above maximum. About 100 miles from my first stop, I let down at full throttle, crossed over Kirkland at 300' at over 600 knots heading southwest. I figured I'd kill off my airspeed with a high G pull up and a left turn heading west for landing. However, when I pulled up and turned, I blacked out from the high Gs and held the stick back until I thought I was in position for base leg and gear down- When I released the back pressure and could see the airspeed indicator, I was still doing over 250 knots. I threw the gear ]ever down to help slow up, hoping the gear doors stayed on.
I landed to the west where two fuel trucks waited for me with enough room for me to make a 180º turn, and pull between the two tankers. Two mattresses were on the ground for me to drop my external tanks on. I took off to the cast and headed for Carswell. Total time on the ground w as two minutes and forty live seconds!
All was going well at altitude with the throttle still bent when, over Reese AFB, TX, I heard aloud thud and a very high pitched whine, followed by some severe vibrations, I knew some of the buckets had deputed the engine and throttled back to make an emergency landing at Reese. The airplane was vibrating so badly that the radios didn't work. My race was over even though I knew I was in the lead.
After landing, I coasted off the runway and shut down, waiting for someone to come out and pick me up. After no one came, I turned the radio back on and called the tower. They were unaware that on this bright Sunday afternoon, an airplane had even landed on their runway! A short time later the fire trucks and Duty Officer came out and took me to Base Ops.
I didn't want to miss the post-race party so I called Lt. Wayne Icenhower at Kirtland to come to Reese in his trusty T-33 and pick me up. When he arrived, I had a flight plan already made out. We gassed up, took off and headed for New Orleans. Lt. Larry Horton met me with a change of clothes and we got to the hotel just as the party started. We lost but the partying went on well into the night.
Book Review
MiG AlleySabres vs MiGs Over Korea
By Warren Thompson & David McLaren.
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Ave.
North Branch, MN 55056
With all the excellent books published in recent years about the F-86 and the Korean air war, one might wonder if everything has already been told. Larry Davis (MiG Alley, Walk-Around F-86 Sabre, Fourth Fighter Wing In Korea), and Robert F. Dorr (F-86 Sabre History of the Sabre and FJ Fury), and in collaboration with Warren Thompson - The Korean Air War have done marvelous work documenting the history of the F-86 and the men that flew it. Now Warren Thompson has teamed with David McLaren to add mother superb account of air to air combat in Korea.
The authors have assembled many of the same cast of characters for their account of the air war as did the other authors. After all, there are only so many pilots who were there and are still here to tell about it. But somehow, they've come up with many stories not before told in print, as well as photos not widely seen previously. All in all, the stories flow smoothly and chronologically, following a candid appraisal of both the MiG and F-86 in the Foreword by Major General Frederick C. "Boots" Blesse, a double ace.Readers will perhaps find special interest in a colorful and detailed account of Project GUNVAL - a Top Secret (at the time) program to put 20mm firepower in the F-86. John Henderson, a retired North American Tech Rep, researched and wrote this chapter, which is extremely well done. Mr. Henderson may be the greatest living technical authority on the F-86, and he was intimately involved in GUNVAL.
Four remarkable appendices list: (1) Every Sabre (by tall number) that Few in Korea and what eventually happened to them; (2) Tail number of every Sabre lost, with the pilot's name and cause; (3) Every 'confirmed' victory by an F-86 in Korea, with date, pilot, and other data; and (4) A list of all F-86 aces, the date they made ace, and their final score.
For those who were there and their progeny, as well as for other students of military history, this book must be a part of your library. Aside from the interesting stories and beautiful collection of photos, the appendices alone make Thompson-McLaren's MiG Alley worth a trip to your favorite bookstore - before they're gone.
Review by Lon Walter