79tiger
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Post by 79tiger on Oct 15, 2009 3:09:27 GMT 9
In the Fall of 1983 the Florida ANG took over the Air Defense mission at Homestead AFB, Florida, otherwise known as the "Hot Corner". The F-106A replaced the F-4 Phantom for the transition.
As a Crew Chief I was responsible for aircraft launch and recovery, and with communicating with the Ops Dispatch Center on a continual basis.
They didn't name that place the "Hot Corner" for nothing, for without divulging the numbers themselves, it was multiple scrambles many many times. We did have a problem at first though with the number of airborne scramble cancellations. I kept getting calls from ODC to cancel the scramble, and my reply was to "call the tower that the aircraft are airborne, and have been that way for quite awhile". Their reply was that "they can't be", and my reply was "I don't know what else to tell you".
After a couple weeks of this, they finally accepted the fact that the Six was getting out of the barn much much faster than the Phantom. Some in ODC remarked that it was like pushing a button and having missiles launch.
The statement made us proud, but now we were being accused of having our pilots setting in the cockpits reading books with the engines running waiting for the green light and horn. Yikes!
It was finally accepted by the powers to be at Homestead that this good looking Interceptor was indeed real quick out of the gate, and procedures were implemented to better accomplish the mission.
Note: This true story is not given in detriment to the F-4 Phantom, which is an awesome Fighter in its own right, but to highlight a performance issue that needed some adjusting for this mission.
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Oct 15, 2009 7:53:04 GMT 9
I never worked the Alert Hanger at Minot, so didn't get to launch the Six on a scramble. Do know it was quick, just by watching them.
While at The SCAB, I did work the Alert Hanger with the Saber Dog and L model. They were fairly quick, as they had an easy start and with only one seat, it was easy to strap the pilot in and get him going. We generally had the start procedure going when the pilot hit the ladder. The only thing we had to be careful of was a "hot start". That would ruin your day, and the day of the engine shop.
At The Goose it was a different story. I worked the Alert Hanger there with the F89J for the first several months. You talk about a dogggg, the Scorpion was it. It took forever to get both J35s started and then out the door. The radar was still warming up as they got the thing in to the air. Not a great interceptor.
While we were awaiting our Deuces at The Goose, the RCAF pulled alert with CF100s. They started both engines at the same time and rolled. They would hit the short runway and be off before the 89s could taxi to the end of the long runway they needed to lift off.
When we got our Deuces in the barn, they were great. Started very quickly and could use either runway. Fast off the ground.
While at Minot, I worked the transients during exercises. We got 89Js from Hector Field at Fargo and 101Bs from Glasgow. The 101 would launch very quickly and the only wait was getting both J57s started.
The F4 was not an interceptor of note, and took forever to get going and in to the air. As a tactical fighter/bomber it was great. That roll didn't call for a quick jump to do an intercept.
Thanks for bringing back some memories 79tiger. It was all fun.
Jim Scanlon
:god_bless_usa
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79tiger
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Post by 79tiger on Oct 15, 2009 10:47:45 GMT 9
Thanks Jim for your memories of the birds you worked. No kidding, it was all fun most of the time.
An added comment about the F-106 was the high pressure high volume air starter which spun up the engine so quickly. Those Convair guys were way ahead of their counterparts in systems design and operation in the 50's. I Crewed the Six for 9 years and can't recall having had a starter failure
I worked the F-100D, F-105B, F-106A/B and F-16A Fighters. Though the F-16 was the best for ease of maintenance, my fondness for the Dart remains most of all.
And what a great forum for reliving those old memories.
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willieb
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Post by willieb on Oct 15, 2009 13:02:50 GMT 9
I never worked the Alert Hanger at Minot, so didn't get to launch the Six on a scramble. Do know it was quick, just by watching them. While at The SCAB, I did work the Alert Hanger with the Saber Dog and L model. They were fairly quick, as they had an easy start and with only one seat, it was easy to strap the pilot in and get him going. We generally had the start procedure going when the pilot hit the ladder. The only thing we had to be careful of was a "hot start". That would ruin your day, and the day of the engine shop. At The Goose it was a different story. I worked the Alert Hanger there with the F89J for the first several months. You talk about a dogggg, the Scorpion was it. It took forever to get both J35s started and then out the door. The radar was still warming up as they got the thing in to the air. Not a great interceptor. While we were awaiting our Deuces at The Goose, the RCAF pulled alert with CF100s. They started both engines at the same time and rolled. They would hit the short runway and be off before the 89s could taxi to the end of the long runway they needed to lift off. When we got our Deuces in the barn, they were great. Started very quickly and could use either runway. Fast off the ground. While at Minot, I worked the transients during exercises. We got 89Js from Hector Field at Fargo and 101Bs from Glasgow. The 101 would launch very quickly and the only wait was getting both J57s started. The F4 was not an interceptor of note, and took forever to get going and in to the air. As a tactical fighter/bomber it was great. That roll didn't call for a quick jump to do an intercept. Thanks for bringing back some memories 79tiger. It was all fun. Jim Scanlon  |
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willieb
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Post by willieb on Oct 15, 2009 13:13:28 GMT 9
I was only at Goose for 10 days in 61 or 62 but I was at Harmon from 59 to 63. The 323 FIS closed up in June 1960 but some of us stayed at the 59FIS Det. We worked only alert but they sure sent a lot of dueces to get flying time when the weather got bad at the Goose. Ended up at Minot from June 73 until I retired in December 79. Spent most of my time in WorkLoad. Col. Wolford used to say, "When it's not fun any more, it's time to quit." So, that's what I did. I wouldn't change a thing but it would be nice to know where people are today. I went to college after I had been retired for about 8 years, and am still teaching high school. Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks.
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Post by Gene on Oct 15, 2009 14:11:20 GMT 9
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MOW
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Post by MOW on Oct 17, 2009 4:59:52 GMT 9
318th Det 1 Alert, Castle AFB CA, 1982-1984 GREAT DUTY! Blue coverall uniforms, shifts of 3 on 4 off, good stuff untill the F-15's came in a kicked us out.
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Post by dude on Oct 21, 2009 6:40:59 GMT 9
In the Fall of 1983 the Florida ANG took over the Air Defense mission at Homestead AFB, Florida, otherwise known as the "Hot Corner". The F-106A replaced the F-4 Phantom for the transition. :-[ Interesting about the F-4. As far as I know the Homestead Det was supported from Langley with Sixes up until the squadron crossed over to ADTAC circa '82. Evidently they used some Phantoms as gap fillers until the ANG spun up. I assume FANG crossed over from Deuces, or were the F-4's theirs? I worked both the line and did some "Barn Time" at Langley; both as a tech and maintenance controller. As I remember the long pole in the tent for breaking chalks was never the engine, but waiting for the MA-1 to time in (3.5 min). That is assuming they would wait. If memory serves this is why they kept the MA-1 system set to WARM when they were in the barns. Growing up as a kid just 20 miles from Bunker Hill I remember seeing B-58s scramble. There were no doors on the barns and each barn was lined up for only minor correction to get on the runway. Those guys would light burners while they were still in the barn and come screaming out like there was no tommorrow. For a ten year old kid it was nothing but awesome! |
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Post by falconkeeper on Oct 22, 2009 3:51:10 GMT 9
That reminds me of one ORI at 5FIS when we flushed 20 AC (18 Sixes and 2 T-33) in under 20 minutes with one T-33 sitting on the runway, not allowed to take off because ATC had nowhere to put it once airborne. Loved it.
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Post by Gene on Oct 22, 2009 5:44:26 GMT 9
i used to watch the jets sitting at the hammerhead and suddenly scream down the runway with that great flame behind....it was awe inspiring
............... :fire_missle_ani
.............................................. :fire_missle_ani
:us_flag
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Oct 26, 2009 3:07:58 GMT 9
posted by Falcon Keeper:
We oftened referred to that as a "Flush" in the 318th. Mass scramble or Flush during ORI's were awesome.
I remember one at McChord during an ORI (circa 1976/77).
The klaxon horn sounded and the pilots and ground crews went sprinting for the jets. Had we had the compact video cameras back then I would have loved to tape one.
Age equipment starting, anti-collision & nav lights on, starters firing off, engines lighting off & turning, chocks being pulled, and jet after jet taxing out to the runway. What action,and what a sight and sounds to behold.
Then its run-up and after burner bang as each jet rolls down the runway and climbs out.
One this ORI Flush all our jets either went north toward Canada or west toward the Pacific Ocean.
But one F-106 lifted off and then pulled the nose up and banked sharply southeast toward Oregon. It was a very impressive departure.
Maybe one of our member pilots might have an idea of what that might have been all about.
:idea :fire_missle_ani
Picture of 318th FIS ramp.
I believe our own Gene might have taken this photo.
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Post by jimpadgett on Oct 26, 2009 11:38:14 GMT 9
Bull: We uploaded all of the 318th sixes (HOT) in 1976 or 1977 and they remained on alert for a week. Had to beg ADC to let us download and fly some each day. All rest and no play makes the six a dull bird. Never heard the reason for it all, but we were all pretty tense. As soon as the flyers returned the had to be turned and put back on status pronto.
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Post by lugnuts55 on Nov 3, 2009 11:45:14 GMT 9
I worked the Alert Barn for three months at Minot in the fall of 1970. It was a good time of year to be there because it was duck hunting season and it was also not cold.
I hated that klaxon horn because it sounded like it was right next to your ears when it went off and it scared the heck out of you. It did get the adrenalin going though. We had four birds on alert, two on 5 minute scramble and two on 15 minute scramble. I never knew or asked why that was. I had two stripes and that was all I needed to know. I don't remember how we knew which ones to launch. I think the NCOIC told us. I know it did not take long for them to be airborn from the horn going off. I'd throw the lever down on the Hi-Pac and go pull chocks. The engine was running and taxiing that quickly.It was definitely impressive to see.
Another thing we practiced a lot was Combat Turns. I don't remember how many of us were on a team, but my job was to put a screen on the left intake, check the oil and install the drag chute. Man, that was hot right after shut down! Sometimes we had to do hot combat turns. They never shut down the engine. The fuel truck came in next to the airplane instead of behind and the pilot didn't use the drag chute when he landed. No checking the oil. Also, the weapons guys had to load missiles. It was a well-choreographed dance and it took practice. After it was done, we got debriefed. We were told what we did wrong and what we did right. It was work but we enjoyed it and the extra things thrown in made us feel like we were there for a reason. We knew we were, but it was nice to practice it.
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Post by dude on Nov 3, 2009 12:29:16 GMT 9
posted by Falcon Keeper: We oftened referred to that as a "Flush" in the 318th. Mass scramble or Flush during ORI's were awesome. I remember one at McChord during an ORI (circa 1976/77).  We had a cute one during an ORI. The STAN team called a flush from the air when they were on final approach into Langley. Put all the birds up and when they returned all the pilots were calling in Code 2 or worse wanting to have their Six worked for the next morning excercise. As soon as the last one called in, the STAN team called a Mass Load. We only had two OR jets we could load.  |
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jwcoon
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Post by jwcoon on Jan 5, 2010 11:19:14 GMT 9
I remember the Hot Corner of Homestead very well. Never had to pull alert there but had to go fix F-4s a lot. We had to give them an estimate to repair and if it was to long another jet had to be brought in and the repair bird was set off to the end away from guard shack and taxi area. I went to The Grif after homestead and pulled alert there numerous times. I loved working in a FIS (that was followed by The Kef for 18 months) and remember thinking that after we launched out that extra 10 minutes was gold, compared to watching them at Homestead lol. I have fond memories of all my assignments but the FIS at Grif and Kef were the best.
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Post by oswald on Jan 18, 2010 7:08:45 GMT 9
One of the experiences I had was working alert team at osan. I distinctly remember the closeness of the runway from the two main scramblers. They were right across from the two trailers. The pilots were in one and the crewchiefs were in the other. those two quick spots allowed us to scramble in about three min.
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Post by bear (Deceased) on Jan 19, 2010 0:00:00 GMT 9
Fast scrambles at Castle SAC alert was next to us and they would have elphant walks (taxi all alert birds down the runway, what a cluster *****. At Osan alert planes had to come up about a 3 foot hill to get on the taxi way,one night a young Capt came out of the first spot and turned a short hit the guard shack with AP inside,over went the shack and pilot kept on going. When he returned after the flght he was asked about it didn't know he hit it. When planes returned we had push them back into the parking spot by hand useally with engine running. This 94 FIS in 69.
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Post by steve201 (deceased) on Jan 19, 2010 3:48:13 GMT 9
Man ...you guys were so friggin lucky to work with the alert birds....my barrack's overlooked hanger ave. at hamilton and I'd watch those things take off with flames shooting 50 ft behind them and just as they got to where I could see them...the noses had started to rotate....awesome at nite.....
Steve
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Post by pat perry on Jan 19, 2010 4:43:01 GMT 9
Fast scrambles at Castle SAC alert was next to us and they would have elphant walks (taxi all alert birds down the runway, what a cluster *****. At Osan alert planes had to come up about a 3 foot hill to get on the taxi way,one night a young Capt came out of the first spot and turned a short hit the guard shack with AP inside,over went the shack and pilot kept on going. When he returned after the flght he was asked about it didn't know he hit it. When planes returned we had push them back into the parking spot by hand useally with engine running. This 94 FIS in 69. Hi Bear! I used to stand by the 456th Alert Barn during ORIs and watch the "Minute Run". After the Elephant Walk, the BUFFs and KC-135s would take off about a minute apart. One would go straight after take off, the next would roll left and the next would roll right, and so on in rotation. After several minutes of this a KC-135 apparently got caught in wake turbulence and rolled right with wings in the vertical plane. He caught it in time and rolled left again with wings again in the vertical plane. I thought he was going to cart wheel. His wing tips were less than 100 feet off the ground. Pucker factor about 11.6. He finally got her under control and I imagined he would be fine after a change in underwear.  Those SAC boys were deadly serious about ther ORI's, sometimes taking big risks. Pat P.  |
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Post by bear (Deceased) on Jan 19, 2010 22:18:50 GMT 9
Pat
Do you remember the road trip to Fresno with all the flight line trucks pulling AGE. As I remember it took half a day. I think it was to check our deployment ability. One of the pilots on a scramble, running from the tail of the aircraft tried to duck under the wing and the elovon edge hit him just below front of the helment, he didn't make the scamble and had wing imprint on his face.
Bear
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We had a cute one during an ORI. The STAN team called a flush from the air when they were on final approach into Langley. Put all the birds up and when they returned all the pilots were calling in Code 2 or worse wanting to have their Six worked for the next morning excercise. As soon as the last one called in, the STAN team called a Mass Load. We only had two OR jets we could load. 
