This Day on Voodoo History (Read 3,868 times)

Interesting.  Who flew the 45th TRS birds?

Edit:  Just found the story here...

taiwanairpower.org/blog/?p=48

Nice FIND Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I got to Misawa, Dec '63, the polka dots had disappeared from everything but the pilots scarves and the white fatigues were nowhere in sight......... Camo had yet to be applied, even though we operated with about 5-10 birds as Detachment 1 at Tan Son Nuht AB until June of '66, when all of the birds went PCA without PCS (along with a big group of the 21st OMS).. Eventually, Misawa became Det 1, 45th TRS.......

June 22:

In 1950, after the crash of the second XF-88 prototype, the original ship, with new afterburning J34-WE-15 engines, was ferried to Edwards AFB to compete in the penetration fighter “fly-off” against the Lockheed XF-90 and the North American YF-93.

On this date in 1954, the results of a study for a single-place interceptor to supplement the now badly-delayed Convair F-102B were presented. Two single-seat F-101A derivatives, the rocket-armed IF-101A and J67-powered IF-101B with a combination of rockets and guided missiles were chosen over the Northrop F-89X and advanced North American IF-100B interceptor proposals.

Photo: Ship No.1 being removed from storage in January 1952. It is in the same XF-88A configuration that it was tested in during the summer of 1950.

Photo Credit: Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum

June 23:

In 1953, the USAF began a brief evaluation of the hybrid XF-88B aircraft, just prior to it being turned over to NACA for research in advanced supersonic propeller designs.

On the same date in 1955, Hughes was directed to modify the E-9 fire control system of the Northrop F-89H Scorpion to target and fire the nuclear-tipped MB-1 Ding Dong rockets as the new MG-12 system. Essentially, this would serve as an experimental prototype for the MG-13 system destined for the F-101B.

Photo Credit: Art Davies, Jr. Collection, Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum

June 28:

In 1955, Phase II evaluation of the F-101A was completed. Although the new “Type II” inlet ducts improved pressure recovery within the inlet duct, the F-101A would still encounter compressor stalls at high speed and altitude. Range performance was 15% below predicted values, the afterburners would blow out at high altitude, and lateral control was not as desired. Work on the engines to improve surge margin and alleviate compressor stalls, along with changes to increase cruise efficiency, were undertaken by Pratt & Whitney while McDonnell worked on further improvements to the inlet ducts to eliminate compressor stalls during maneuvering flight.

First Photo: Maj. Austin A. "Gus" Julian at the controls of the second F-101A, 53-2419, which had been held on the production line for modification with the new Type II or "12-and-up" ducts intended for production from Block 10 aircraft. Credit: National Archives via mark Nankivil.

Second Photo: The first two ships in formation over Edwards AFB. The longer Type II ducts on 53-2419, in the foreground, are noticeable compared to the smaller Type I ducts of the first aircraft. Credit: NMUSAF via Mark Nankivil.

June 30:

In 1955, the first flight of the YRF-101A reconnaissance aircraft, taking place from Lambert Field, St. Louis. The primary focus of testing was on general flying qualities. As the Fairchild KA-1 and KA-2 cameras were not yet ready, the aircraft was delivered without them.

On the same date in 1964, 414 “Black Knights” Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force at North Bay was disbanded and its CF-101B VooDoos distributed to the remaining three squadrons.

Photo Credit: NMUSAF via Mark Nankivil

Out of town for a few days, so have a little catching up to do. So here goes!

July 4:

In 1951, Project Back Breaker was initiated to test and modify Republic F-84 fighters for the carriage of forthcoming MK 7 and MK 8 tactical atomic bombs for use in high-speed “intruder” missions. In 1952, Operation Fox Peter One began with the deployment of F-84E Thunderjets modified for in-flight refueling, flying across the Pacific Ocean and arriving in Japan on 16 July. This operation proved the concept of rapid, large scale movement of fighter aircraft in support of the long-range bombers of Strategic Air Command, and both developments were key to the conceptual development of the forthcoming “strategic fighter,” of which the F-101A would be the ultimate expression.

In 1953, the modified XF-88B was announced to the public soon after it was turned over to NACA for research.

July 7:

In 1950, the “fly-off” competition at Edwards AFB between the McDonnell XF-88A VooDoo, the Lockheed XF-90, and the North American YF-93 was concluded.

On the same date, in 1958, the second XF-88A prototype, 46-526, which had been transferred to the NACA facility in Langley, VA in February 1955 to provide spares in support of the XF-88B supersonic propeller test program, was turned over to base storage for disposal as a firefighting trainer.

On the same date in 1967, an RF-101C departing Tan Son Nhut AB in Saigon, South Vietnam experienced a sudden hydraulic failure, forcing the pilot to eject.