This Day on Voodoo History (Read 3,865 times)

July 19:

In 1957, a live MB-1 Genie rocket was launched and detonated over the Nevada Test Range during shot John of Operation Plumbbob. The intended primary armament for the F-101B interceptor then in the early stages of flight testing, the MB-1 was launched from a Northrop F-89 Scorpion over a group of observers 20,000 feet below, detonating the W-25 warhead with a yield of 1.7 kilotons, producing a fireball 1,000 feet wide. Just over one year later, the VooDoo would be presented with its chance for a live test.

July 23:

In 1961, the Nationalist Chinese air force in Taiwan experienced the first major accident with their small force of four RF-101A aircraft. Aircraft “5652” was badly damaged in a landing accident and would not be available until the end of the year. In the meantime, an attrition replacement was provided from the 363rd TRW in the United States.

On the same date in 1968, RF-101Gs of the 154th TRS, Arkansas ANG, began movement across the Pacific Ocean to Itazuke AB, Japan to monitor North Korea after their forces captured the US Navy intelligence ship USS Pueblo in international waters.

Photo: The first Voodoo delivered to an operational squadron, 54-1449, after conversion to the RF-101G configuration. Note the early-style tail markings without any white numbers or tail codes. The RF-101Gs of the Arkansas ANG were not fully equipped when they were given the activation order due to a shortage of KS-87 cameras urgently needed for later production blocks of the RF-4C in the mid and late 1960s.

Photo Credit: Mark Nankivil Collection

It won't be long and our forum will have the most complete VOODOO history any place.. Thanks, BIGRON..... My VOODOO time came on the recce birds of the 45th TRS Misawa/Vietnam.........

Hi Jim!

I've extracted these dates from the manuscript for my forthcoming book on the F-101, which last I've seen is due out in November.  It is up on their website.  I've only been able to get at the broad outlines of the story and there remains a lot more to be told, but at least ti's something and I am very thankful that you all have created a forum here where I can put some of it out there!

Good article here on George Yoshitake -- the photographer of the "John" Shot.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/george-yoshitake-nuclear-test-five-5-men-nevada_n_1687233.html

He passed just over a year after that story in October, 2013.

www.legacy.com/obituaries/newspress/obituary.aspx?pid=167656077

July 25:

In 1949, McDonnell began detail design work for a turboprop research airplane to be converted from the first XF-88 prototype as the Model 36J. Intended to mount a 2,500-hp Allison XT38 turboprop engine and modified J34-WE-15 engines with afterburners, conversion work would soon experience a lengthy delay with the crash of the second prototype and the need to substitute the aircraft for USAF evaluation during the penetration fighter “fly-off.”

Photo: The Allison XT38-A-5 engine used in the XF-88B.

Photo Credit: NASA

In 1965, I was on my second TDY for the 39th Air Division/45TRS at Tan San Nuht AB, when one of the RF-101C came back with a gaping hole in the upper wing skin,( about 6" in dia.) And a 2" hole in the gear door. Whatever went through there missed the landing gear and all hyd lines and electric wires. In fact the pilot wasn't aware that he had been hit until he joined up with another a/c. Said when he got close to base, he reached for the gear handle with crossed fingers!!!!!!!!

Because I was in QC at the time, it fell to me to notify OOAMA that we were going to need an aeronautical engineer to authorize a so called one time flight back to Misawa for repair. Now, most us know the the wing skin on some a/c are mechanically or chemically machined to a tapered thickness. The 101 had this skin, so you weren't going just put a patch on it and let it go- even for a "one time", so an old (older than me Structural Repairman) TSgt said, ask them if we can cut the jagged skin away, stop drill the cracks revealed by "dye penetrant", and take some 1/2" 6061 T4 and cover the hole top and bottom, epoxy the top piece in place and use bolts to anchor the 2 pieces together without piercing the wing it self..... Reply came back next morning that this was ok, but why did we want fly it back to Misawa, there were no replacement wings available any place in the world. I replied back that they were correct, but there was a damaged wing (broken front spar) in salvage at Misawa that we could cut a plug out from that identical spot and repair this aircraft. I was instructed to do the temp repair and return to Misawa and prepare all the drawings and photos of the planned repair. The bird left the next morning and I left that afternoon on a C-130 and arrived Misawa 2 days later, via CCK and Kadena AB........ Now, at Misawa we had 2 of the finest metal workers I ever met, right there in Field Maint. These 2 JNs had some English ( began working there after WW2) and I had some Japanese,so we managed to get the thing all drawn out, laid out on both wings and photos sent by courier to OOAMA. Four days later a TWX came in saying to get started and that the structural engineer would arrive in 3 days.... They wanted to know what my qualifications were in this area- told them that I had a structural repairman's 7 level, along with my APG 7 level......

He didn't do much, other than sit in the shade of the wing while those 2 artists performed their magic. But at night, he could put the Saki away and eat about 20.00 worth of suschi and sasumi. The dollar was worth 360 yen at that time....... I think it was when he realized he was almost broke, that he had better sign off the repair and get back to Utah.
The 2 JNs each received a 250.00 bonus for their work. Me, my reward was within 6 months to receive orders assigning me to the 45TRS with PCS without PCA and 12 months more RVN time....... When I rotated out, the a/c was still flying........ Perhaps it survived and was eventually assigned to the ANG some place.... As to ser. number, hell that was 49 years ago and I am almost 80...........

Out our way, on the Marin Headlands just north of San Francisco, the National Park Service operates a restored Nike missile site. I've driven by it once, but they were closed that day so did not get to see an up close look. It is mostly restored inside and out, the missiles can be raised from their silos and mounted on their launchers. Although the radars are long gone, apparently much of the underground support equipment has been restored. I could not access the National Park Service website tonight, but here is some good info: nikemissile.org/site_sf88.shtml

Cheers!