Four Days with the 492nd

by Charles Keil, Royal Air Force

 

What could be better? A glorious week in July 1954 and the opportunity to spend four days in France. Not sightseeing but as guests of the USAF's 492nd Squadron based at Chaumont about 150 miles south-east of Paris.

I was a pilot with the Royal Air Force's No 26 Squadron, based at Oldenburg in northern Germany, part of the 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force. We were equipped with the Sabre Mk 4, an F86E built by Canadair. So 26 Squadron had common ground with the USAF's 492nd; we were both part of the 2ATAF in Europe, were both confronting the Soviet forces during the Cold War, and both flew Sabres - though theirs was the hot F86F version.

In fact, it wasn't simply what the RAF called a jolly' (a pleasure trip). The intention was to demonstrate that the RAF and USAF Sabre squadrons were interactive and capable of reinforcing each other by operating from each other's bases. So after we had enjoyed our four days at USAF Chaumont, pilots and Sabres from the 492nd were welcomed on a reciprocal visit to operate from RAF Oldenburg.

We flew from Oldenburg to Chaumont, a flight of 1 hour 20 minutes, on 26 July, in two four-plane formations, about half an hour apart. Our first four, callsign Inkstain Red, was led by our Squadron Leader Ken Smith. I was his No 2.

To say that our arrival at Chaumont wasn't quite as planned is something of an understatement. Virtually the whole flight was above cloud and for the descent into the Chaumont circuit or pattern, we split into two pairs. Ken Smith led me down through the clag, leaving our second pair, led by Flight Lieutenant Jimmy Ridout, to make a separate descent. All went smoothly on our descent. Once below cloud, the base was quickly identified, we ran in and broke for the landing pattern.

With gear and flaps down and airbrakes extended, everything was going well. Over the runway with speed falling off, I made a smooth touchdown and only then became aware that my leader, some 100 yards ahead of me, had - without any indication to me - opened up and was going round again. Chaumont being an unfamiliar airfield and my fuel state not being abundant, I opted not to follow him but to remain on terra firma. Intriguingly, Ken Smith never revealed why he went round again, or asked me why I didn't.

At the end of the runway (and it turned out to be one helluva long runway - nearly twice the length of Oldenburg), waited a jeep with a sign saying `Follow Me' to the hard stand in front of one of the hangars, where I shut down.

Further embarrassment followed. There before the hangar was a reception committee led by the Base Commander. But understandably they didn't want to begin this official RAF visit by welcoming a junior pilot. Their first objective was to greet our leader, who was still up there in the wild, not-so-blue yonder. So I removed my helmet, climbed out and greeted the ground crew, removed my Mae West, flying overalls and g-suit; then waited for the boss to arrive.

A few minutes later Ken was safely down. More fun followed. Our second pair got separated and couldn't find the field. So there was another delay while we waited for them to arrive. Eventually in they came and we were all introduced to the genial Base Commander and team before posing for a photo with them - three of the RAF pilots still in their flying gear and me in my blue battledress. Then it was on to meeting the pilots of the 492nd and to four large metal bins full of ice and bottles of champagne. The party was underway, and the 492nd certainly knew how to run a party.

The other four 26 Sq Sabres, led by Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey `Wilky' Wilkinson, soon arrived to swell the celebrations. Wilky was an interesting character who had come to 26 Squadron as a Flight Commander after a tour of duty in Korea flying F84s. A brilliant pilot with a keen analytical mind, he went on to become a test pilot before eventually being appointed Chief Inspector of Air Accidents for the British Board of Trade.

To be honest, I don't remember much about the rest of that day.I can say that USAF hospitality was fantastic and a good time was had by all. The next day, we took an envious close-up look at the 492nd's F86Fs with their extended, slat-less wings, 5,910 lb thrust engines and two huge 200-gallon drop tanks. While enjoying a generally higher all round performance than our Mk. 4s, the F86Fs had, of course, a higher stalling speed and were less forgiving at low speed in a turn. While we flew a final landing circuit in our slatted Mk. 4s that was almost a continuous turn, the 492nd flew a more sensible pattern, coming in straight from a mile or so out to touchdown.

Fig 2 shows a photograph taken at the time of our visit to Chaumont of a USAF F86F. It is captioned in my scrapbook that it was the Colonel's personal Sabre and certainly appears to have a special paint scheme.

While being welcomed into the 492nd crew room, we observed the sign over the door saying "Through these portals pass the finest fighter pilots in the world". It was tempting to express our appreciation of the USAF's action in having the sign made and mounted there especially to mark our visit, but discretion is always the better part of valour when you are a guest!

While the RAF and the USAF were flying essentially the same aircraft, the Sabre, many other aspects of our operations were different. 26 Squadron's role was high level interception while, if memory serves me correctly, the 492nd was a fighter-bomber squadron. And USAF flying maps and R/T procedures were different. We were quite envious of the quantity and quality of much of the 492nd support equipment and spares. And the Officers Club proved to be a much more informal place than the RAFs Officers Mess!

The 492nd generously made the RAF pilots honorary members of their squadron and we were all presented with a 492nd badge or patch As befitted a fighter-bomber squadron, it shows an eagle peering down a bombsight while holding a bomb in its claw. Some weeks later, we were to welcome pilots from the 492nd to Oldenburg on a return visit. To mark the occasion, our squadron artist got to work on a special version of the 492nd patch, this time showing the eagle holding a champagne glass in its claw while peering disdainfully into an empty champagne bottle. Much more appropriate!

We in turn presented visiting 492nd pilots with 26 Squadron badges or patches. For the record, our squadron was originally formed in October 1915 from members of the South African Aviation Corps and so took as its emblem the head of the South African gazelle or springbok and the motto - in the Afrikaans language - "N Wagter in die Lug", meaning literally "the watcher in the sky".

We flew a number of sorties from Chaumont without any problems, enjoying the spacious runway and even practised GCA talkdown facilities. But we didn't get to tangle with 492nd Sabres. On one of these sorties I was in a four-ship formation led by Wilky. A man who revelled in the spice of life and grasping opportunities, he took us at low level and high speed over Paris, sightseeing from a different perspective. But there were repercussions. Some months later, back at Oldenburg, a signal from Group HQreported that formal complaints had been lodged about RAF Sabres flying through the Paris Air Traffic Control Zone. The signal went on to say that the RAF had dismissed the complaints because RAF Sabres didn't have the range to overfly Paris from bases in Germany. Whether the powers-that-be had forgotten that RAF Sabres were based at Chaumont for those four days in July 1954 or whether it was a way of getting us off the hook, we'll never know.

After fond farewells, on our return flight from Chaumont to Oldenburg, I flew as No 4. It had been agreed that on that trip we would cruise at altitude in a variety of different formations while Wilky - a first rate photographer - would take a series of pictures. From his Sabre, he would direct us into position before moving into ultra close range to shoot pictures using a 35 mm camera. On some occasions, his Sabre was heavily banked to get a good angle while he held the stick between his knees and the camera in his hands.

When we moved to echelon port formation, making me the one closest to him at the end of the line, while concentrating on keeping station with No 3, I can recall seeing out of the corner of my eye the sky filled with Wilky's Sabre on its side while he shot pictures through the top of the canopy; a mid-air collision seemed a possibility. Yet when that picture was developed and printed, the formation appears to be at quite a respectable distance from the cameraman. The camera does lie!

The picture that Wilky took of the four 26 Sq Sabres in echelon port formation on that trip back from Chaumont was used that year on the 26 Squadron Christmas card and also won first prize in an air-to-air photo competition run by the British magazine "Aeronautics". As I write a framed print of that four-ship formation hangs before me on my study wall alongside the 492nd squadron patch - constant reminders of four wonderful days with the 492nd at Chaumont.


THE FLIGHT OF THE BOOMERANG

by John Henderson
North American Aviation Tech Rep

 

It's Saturday, the 21st of May 1955, - Armed Forces Day1955. At 0600 hours precisely, a California Air National Guard F-86A Sabrejet lifts off the runway at Van Nuys Airport. Destination - Van Nuys Airport the long way around. Wheels in the wells and cockpit lights in the green, the Sabre accelerated through the San Fernando Valley fog layer, breaking out on top of the cloud cover and headed east. Destination? Lunch in New York.
The first light of dawn revealed a large Australian aborigine throwing club, commonly known as a `boomerang', painted on the polished nose of the aircraft. On the bent club were the words "California Boomerang". And as everyone knows, a boomerang returns to its thrower.

It was known as Operation BOOMERANG, an attempt to fly from California to New York and back in record time. The pilot was 1Lt John M. Conroy, a pilot in the 115th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, California Air National Guard. The flight was officially timed and financially supported at the request of North American Aviation. Radio and television coverage kept the world informed on the progress.

The California Air Guard used the Armed Forces Day flight to promote national recognition and recruiting attention. But the official endeavor was to outrun the sun and establish a historical first in aviation annals. No one had ever attempted to fly coast-to-coast and back again during the daylight hours, sunrise to sunset, on a single day.

It had taken the men of the 115th FIS, CAANG over two weeks to get the F-86A Sabre ready for the record attempt. T/Sgt. James Elledge, M/Sgt Michael Jacobbauski, T/Sgt David Kitchen, T/Sgt Charles Crumrine, M/Sgt Pete Mortensen, and many others took a tired six year veteran F-86A-7 Sabre, serial 49-1046, from the 115th FIS, worked on the old girl round the clock, and made her look and perform better than new.

Rivet heads were shaved, every panel was made to fit perfectly and then the seams were filled. The gun ports were covered with fabric, and then painted with many coats of dope, until the panel was one smooth piece. After all that, the entire airplane was polished and painted into one flawless surface.

The J47 engine was completely disassembled and reassembled using new parts when possible. Many nights were used to try to coax just "a little more thrust" using all the tricks in the book. Then flight test and last minute problem solving. Finally, the drop tanks were painted red to aid the timers. Now could 1 Lt John Conroy, a bomber and airline pilot with only 250 hours in fighters, be the first man to fly to the East Coast and return between official sunrise and sunset.

The flight was a historical `first', consisting of a 5,058 mile round trip between the San fernando Valley Airport in Van Nuys, and Floyd Bennett Field, New York. Two fuel stops were scheduled heading east, and three on the return flight because of head winds. Fueling would be accomplished with the engine running - strictly against peacetime regulations. Conroy would fly at approximately 40,000 feet, hitting speeds in escess of 600 mph.

Excellent radio, TV, and newspaper coverage was maintained throughout the flight, thanks to the efforts of Major James Reid and others. Thousands of people would `sweat' with Lt. Conroy whenever he had a problem like fuel fumes in the cockpit or when a landing gear position light failed. North American Aviation handled the expenses of timing the official record. Air Guard units along the way handled the refueling chores and cost. Navigational assistance was provided by 27th Air Division members.

Conroy left Van Nuys at 0600 local time, landing at Denver at 0748. He was on the ground 6 minutes as Colorado ANG troops handled the refueling. Conroy turned around on the runway and took off in the opposite direction. Next stop was Springfield, Illinois landing at 0932 hours local. The Illinois troops beat Colorado's time by a full minute. Conroy landed at Mitchel Field at 1119 hours, where he had a quick lunch while "Boomerang" was being refueled.

Conroy left Mitchel at 1158, landing at Lockbourne AFB, OH, at 1258. Seven minutes later he was off again, arriving at Tulsa, OK, at 1426, another 6 minute refueling stop. Conroy touched down at Albequerque, New Mexico at 1558 local, refueled in 7 minutes and took off on the final leg, landing at Van Nuys at 5:26:18 pm Pacific time.

Eleven hours, twenty six minutes and thirty-three seconds after takeoff, the crews at Van Nuys had their answer when Conroy and the "Boomerang" passed low over their heads and pulled up into a graceful arc, reflecting the setting sun off its chrome-like wings. It was the first time any aircraft had ever taken off at sunrise on the West Coast, crossed the United States, and returned to California before sunset. Within a few years, jet airliners would be performing that same feat on an everyday basis. Conroy and the "Boomerang" had averaged 445 mph for the trip, counting all the refueling stops.

1Lt John Conroy, had indeed had breakfast in California, lunch in New York, and returned to California in time for dinner. However, after landing back at Van Nuys, Conroy found that after a couple of bites of a steak at the airport restaurant, he was just too tired to eat. "I can't eat right now. It'll take me a couple of hours to settle down" But he immediately added that he would later attend the officiers dance of the 146th FBW, California Air National Guard, at the Biltmore Hotel in Van Nuys. The "Boomerang had returned.


HASSLING WITH F-4'S AT UBON

by Jerry Eldridge

 

In 1964 I was based at George AFB, California, in the 431st TFS. We had been a F-102 Squadron based at Zaragoza, Spain, when the base was shut down to caretaker status. The squadron was moved to George AFB without any planes. But that soon changed quickly enough as we were to be one of the first units to get the brand new McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom II. We checked out in the new F-4C at Davis-Monthan AFB, and then went to pick up our brand new Phantoms at the McDonnell factory in St. Louis.
In the Fall of 1965, on very short notice, the squadron went TDY to Ubon RTAB, Thailand. The Vietnam War was heating up and we would be flying missions into North Vietnam and Laos. Ubon was still fairly primitive at this time, and we were sleeping in open air hooches. There also wasn't a club, which came later - just a chow hall.

You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that base air defense was being handled by Sabre Jets! Australian Sabres no less. The Aussies had a small group of Commonwealth Aircraft Company CA-32 Sabres, which flew top cover for us both going to and coming from the war. It was no. 79 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, and they would remain on alert at Ubon until August 1968. (see SabreJet Classics, vol. 14-1 for the full story of the CAC Sabre)

Since we had no club, the Aussies would invite us to cross the runway and visit their very informal club. It was always well supplied by a cargo airplane that flew up from their homeland. Often it was a Hastings, which looked like a C-54 but a taildragger. I'm pretty sure that it's main cargo was mail and beer, Australian beer! Darts was a popular game with the Aussies, and they obviously had more practice. They would often distract the American shooter by placing a dart very close to his boot just before the critical time of release.

One of the more memorable things about this TDY was "hassling" with the Aussie Sabres. And they wouldn't play fair at this game either. Often when we were returning from a mission, the GCI site would arrange for the Aussies to meet us for a little dissimilar ACT or Air Combat Training. The Aussie Sabres had altimeters thatweren't very accurate since they would always be a bit higher than they said they would be, giving them an altitude advantage.

The "hassling" was always encouraged for the purpose of a little dissimilar ACT, since the Aussie Sabres had a lot of flight characteristics similar to the North Vietnam MiG-17s. At least that was the `official' excuse to have a lot of fun. When fuel was running low, we would join up in one large mixed flight and return to Ubon. And like any fighter pilots, the Aussies enjoyed buzzing the base, and would often fly in right over the heads of the F-4 ground crews.

I guess that wouldn't be very politically correct any more. The Aussies would come screaming down the ramp in 2-ships, 4-ships, 5-ships, diamonds, you name it. It was always a thing of beauty. And when it came to looks, the Sabre and the F-4 were't in the same league. Right off the bat, the Sabre is a beautiful airplane. The F-4? Well you have to be around the F-4 to appreciate that it's just different. But then, the Sabre couldn't do twice the speed of sound, which is a thing of beauty in itself.


Beating Up The Canadiens

William McCollum

 

The cover picture and article in the Spring 1999 issue of SabreJet Classics reminded me of an amusing incident that I was a part of.
In 1956, I was in the 388th Wing (561st Squadron), at Etain AB, France. We had been TDY to Wheelus AB, Libya, and Herb Kochman had done something to upset the squadron CO, Howie Poulin. When we returned to Etain, the CO sent Herb TDY to England for 90 days as punishment. He was ferrying F-86 aircraft from England to Italy.

On one of his early trips, Herb stopped at Etain and remained overnite, and gloated quite a bit about his new `punishment' assignment. At the club that evening, I talked him into letting me fly his "E model" Sabre, actually an RAF Canadair Sabre Mk. 4, the next morning before he departed for Italy. The aircraft did not have USAF markings like the photo on the cover. It only had very small numbers on the tail, camoflage paint, and 120 gallon drop tanks. Quite different from USAF F-86Fs, which were all shiny and had 200 gallon tanks.

I took off from Etain rather sedately, departed the area, descended to low level, and proceeded to Gros Tenquin, where I commenced to beat up the airfield. I then left and headed straight for Marville, where I performed the same stunt. I left Marville and descended to VERY low level and went back to Etain, entered the pattern very sedately and landed just as innocently as possible. I told Herb that I enjoyed the flight. He refueled and departed for Italy.

For quite some time, we heard stories from the Canadiens about the two RCAF units that accused each other of an airfield `attack'. I think I told herb about it some time MUCH later. But I'm not sure. In any case, if either or both of the Canadien commanders are still around, I'm pretty sure the statute of limitations has probably expired on the incident. But if we do meet sometime, I owe them a round.