cool... my dad started flying 124's at charleston '58-'61, pcsed to hik til '64. then to tcm, went to the jet in '65 and then retired at tcm in '72. the C124 at tcm on display is now closed to the public... was told that all the radium in gauges made it too radioactive to allow people in close proximity.
Gene, radioluminous aircraft gauges contain radium and it has half life of 1600 years, so it will be safe in future...lol. Unless the gauges have broken glass, the radium is likely contained in the instruments themselves. The case/glass cover are sufficient to contain the radium.Most older watches also have the same radium for nighttime illumination. Unless you have a large number of items they don't pose significant threat. www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/whm-rps-EQC-1601-200703-potential-radium-contamination-aircraft-dials-pointers_192497_7.pdf
This is a safety notice for large scale storage of these instruments. Maybe antique watch collections have same symptoms. Lorin
Gene, radioluminous aircraft gauges contain radium and it has half life of 1600 years, so it will be safe in future...lol. Unless the gauges have broken glass, the radium is likely contained in the instruments themselves. The case/glass cover are sufficient to contain the radium.Most older watches also have the same radium for nighttime illumination. Unless you have a large number of items they don't pose significant threat. www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/whm-rps-EQC-1601-200703-potential-radium-contamination-aircraft-dials-pointers_192497_7.pdf
This is a safety notice for large scale storage of these instruments. Maybe antique watch collections have same symptoms. Lorin
Thanks, Lorin... I was about to post the same thing and add about the asbestos bull crap. It is harmless, in most cases, if left alone.Most cases, painting over it rendered it harmless. Hell, the environmentalists here in AZ created a much bigger problem when they gutted an elementary school!!!!!! What in hell do we do with the stuff now that we have made the school SAFE? Now, they are finding minute traces of mercury in adhesive used to put down floors in gymnasiums, it is an inherent part of some other naturally found compound. But, it is a horrible crime caused by criminal intent and greed of the adhesive mfr. Suppose I should legally dispose of my 1954 black faced 24 hour BULOVA USAF issued watch with the glow in the dark dial. Yes, I still have it, even though it has had several crystal changes, I might have unwittingly killed one or 2 jewelers!!!!!!!!!!!
The Old Sarge What is Irish diplomacy? It’s the ability to tell a man to go to hell, in such a manner he will look forward to making the trip. And buy his ticket!
in '61 we drove cross country from charleston afb to travis to catch a flight to hickam... this was the plane... in '64 we pcs-ed to tcm... pan am 707... sweet.
copy of watch issued to me in '75 by CCT. was told about C 124 and radium by the guy at the museum...
me in 77..watch on wrist
Worth about 345.00 if it runs
The Old Sarge What is Irish diplomacy? It’s the ability to tell a man to go to hell, in such a manner he will look forward to making the trip. And buy his ticket!
Gene, radioluminous aircraft gauges contain radium and it has half life of 1600 years, so it will be safe in future...lol. Unless the gauges have broken glass, the radium is likely contained in the instruments themselves. The case/glass cover are sufficient to contain the radium.Most older watches also have the same radium for nighttime illumination. Unless you have a large number of items they don't pose significant threat. www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/whm-rps-EQC-1601-200703-potential-radium-contamination-aircraft-dials-pointers_192497_7.pdf
This is a safety notice for large scale storage of these instruments. Maybe antique watch collections have same symptoms. Lorin
Thanks, Lorin... I was about to post the same thing and add about the asbestos bull crap. It is harmless, in most cases, if left alone.Most cases, painting over it rendered it harmless. Hell, the environmentalists here in AZ created a much bigger problem when they gutted an elementary school!!!!!! What in hell do we do with the stuff now that we have made the school SAFE? Now, they are finding minute traces of mercury in adhesive used to put down floors in gymnasiums, it is an inherent part of some other naturally found compound. But, it is a horrible crime caused by criminal intent and greed of the adhesive mfr. Suppose I should legally dispose of my 1954 black faced 24 hour BULOVA USAF issued watch with the glow in the dark dial. Yes, I still have it, even though it has had several crystal changes, I might have unwittingly killed one or 2 jewelers!!!!!!!!!!!
thought this is a good place for this... was going thru my dads things (he died in '05) found this watch... very early issue
when he retired in '72 with 30 y 9 m 28 days. they had a thing called boot strap to help with adjusting to civilian life.. he took up watch repair, lock smithing and continued in the ham radio... I think that's real radium on the dial... and like I said before, you cant get into the C 124 at the museum cause they put hazardous signs due to the gauges... just thinking about him sitting in front of the engineers panel for hours on end with a bunch of radium painted gauges...
a little more than on the dial of a wrist watch..
and then theres the cockpit... I cansee the need to post the hazard
Gene, Glad to see your dad was able to take advantage of his GI Bill.
When I retired in 1986 I filled my own vacancy in Flight Simulator System Program Office (SPO) at WPAFB. So my transition from Military to civilian was seamless. I continued to work on WPAFB as Contractor until 1998. At that time I was downsized and went on unemployment for the first time in life. Shortly after that I had a retina separation in left eye that left me "legally" blind in that eye. I have a spot in center of vision that was destroyed by retina tear and surgery to repair as much as possible.
During that time I went to VA and applied for a program to assist in transition from Military to civilian. Since I really never made a transition since I worked on base doing mostly what I did as military. So since I had a 30% disability and issues with vision the VA helped me write a request for training to convert. It took 2 weeks of sitting in room with VA and getting the right words on paper. It only took two weeks to approve a Training Plan. I started at a local training facility to become a Microsoft Certifies System Engineer (MCSE) The VA Program gave me a year to finish and enrolled me in a Package that allows me to take as many courses as I needed, as well as sitting through course more than once if I didn't feel as I knew everything to level I needed. I ended up taking 10 separate classes, 2 of them twice and passing all my exams along the way.
The timing was great as I finished and got my certification at end of 1998. Just in time to work Y2K Programs. With all of my Education and management from AF and my certification I got a job as Leader of a civilian team doing IV&V on Dept of Interior 99 Critical Information Systems. The pay was great but involved a lot of travel. After Y2K came and passed I stayed on with the same company as the Director of Operations. The company was a 9A, minority small business. I did a lot of Grant work with both US Government and State of Ohio. I got us certified for GSA Contracts and also got several Education Grants form Oh. One of them was training and certification as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Since I had a lot of time with Security Clearances (I was Facility Security for the company as well as all the years of Federal work I met all the criteria and experience to get the certification.
The VA training package cost VA $12,000 and the CISSP training cost Ohio $5,000. Sure glad I never had to pay for it. During the VA Training I also got paid monthly Stipend. BTW, remember the old Montgomery GI Bill? Well the old was wasn't a savings plan like newer ones. It was free and had a cap on amount VA would pay. Only thing wrong with it was it had an expiration date. It was only good for ten years after separation. So when I lost my job in 1998 my GI Bill had expired.
A lot of guys I worked with used up their GI Bill credits by taking classes while on active duty. The way AF Worked back then, we the supervisors had to make concession to students. So if I had an airman working swing shifts, I had to let him go to school during work shift. And the leadership never questioned it. Since the flight sim at Upper Heyford was operated 20/7 and we did maintenance during the 4 hours not in use I had to man a shop 24/7. Well that allowed me 4 people per shift. With GI requirements, leaves, and sick time I was often down to 3 per shift and we had to have minimum of 3. With two man requirements on working with electronics and security requiring at least one person guarding rest of building that let a guy go to school was not feasible. So we rotated shifts based upon college quarters. So most airman could do two quarters on days and mids and only miss classes during time on swings.
Very interesting story. Military service has very good benefits. My wife got out of the Army with 40% and with her GI Bill got a Bachlers degree and upgraded her LPN to registered nurse. Then came a time when her legs & knees made it hard to work as a nurse. Because she had 40% she had veterans rehab training and used it. She went for and got a masters in Human Resources to get off her legs. She became a director of HR for a 4 county agency. She has had both her knees replaced since then. When I retired I got 40% for injury and medical conditions. Got a job in a small home appliance store that was low stress. I went to the VA for my GI bill & veterans rehab. Wanted to go into computer science tech but the VA counsler said, "No, the country needs truck drivers and wanted to send me to truck drive school. I refused and said I can't sit long because of a crushed tail bone and can stand long for problems with my feet. We had a few arguments and I walked away before I pulled him over his desk and gave him a whoopen. I was shortly after that rear-ended by a woman at 50mph. Not long after that the injuries prevented me from doing many tasks at my appliance work, so I was let go. Unable to get hired else where. My military injuries were greatly aggrivated so I applied for increase in VA Rating and was granted 80%. Have not worked since 2006. Had to stop hunting and have sold my fishing boat. I don't do too much anymore except get on my tractor and mow the grass and my wife and I travel space-a quite often. Been to Turkey, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Hawaii, Alaska, & the East Coast. Space-a often is lots of fun and no big crowds, lines, & TSA to mess with you. Where do we go next? We plan to travel as long as we are able. Watching for a flight to Niagara Falls ANG Base and Lackland/Kelley. If you have not done a space-a try it.
Our first Space-A flight was to Hawaii, but that another story. The first flight we took the kids on was a KC-10 Tanker to Alaska. Left McChord and flew directly to AK and the flight was quiet and smooth. Once there we rented a car and drove to Denali Park. What an awesome place and the wildlife viewing was great. You wert encouraged to ride one of the parks buses or you could walk and get off or on when you wanted. Out in the park a young couple waved us down and got on the bus, they said a grizzly was following them just off the road in the bushes. The were white as ghosts. For the flight home we caught a C-141B back to McChord. Was a great trip.
On a space-a trip in 2019 to Europe we stopped one night at this place in Italy for the afternoon and night. First thing I noticed was the 318th FIS starburst in the driveway in front of the gate. Was nice to see the best FIS tail flashing in Italy.
NOTE: 256 charactor typing limit in a Shout. Press Enter or click the Send button to post your shout.
lindel: While I don't have a cheap phone, I DO have insurance on it...should it fall into a outhouse or similar, it can stay there...insurance WILL take care of it.
May 15, 2022 3:53:15 GMT 9
johncarr: I wonder if any one can help me find a friend from Det 2 48fis Robert Puls He was the chute man Got maried while he was at homestead I left the in Feb 73 my Email is [email protected]
Feb 5, 2022 12:14:03 GMT 9
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Bullhunter: Yery well said !
Dec 13, 2021 6:14:51 GMT 9
flypapajohn: SMSGT James Gier, USAF Retired, passed away last evening! "The Old Sarge" was one of many great crew chiefs that I had the honor of knowing! Allan John Kelly, Lt Col USAF Retired
Oct 7, 2021 2:40:54 GMT 9
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Diamondback: Wave returned, Mike, though different vintage--my grandfather was a Green Dragon around '65-'70ish including Osan; one of the last out of NATO Chateauroux and a lot of that planeload ended up posted at McChord.
May 6, 2021 3:40:17 GMT 9
deltadartcrewdawg-mike crowder: Waving a hand to all my brothers and sisters of the 318th FIS, from 79 to 84 🖐
May 2, 2021 15:32:59 GMT 9
bobdavis: Happy New Year to all of my F106 friends! 48th FIS Langley 1973-78, Tyndall 4756th FMS 1978-1980.
Jan 1, 2021 9:38:15 GMT 9
burt49: General Price was determined to fly that day. It was a dangerous place to be with all that lightning, we were fortunate not to be hit ourselves.
May 26, 2020 4:09:09 GMT 9
chiefeda: Have been out of touch for a while but back
May 7, 2020 0:43:12 GMT 9
deltadartcrewdawg-mike crowder: Been along time , shouting out to all my old 318th brothers & sisters
Apr 19, 2020 15:29:42 GMT 9
oswald: what happened to the forum?
Apr 14, 2020 7:41:01 GMT 9
ma1marv: Thank you for this info! I need to get back here more often!
Jan 26, 2020 5:18:54 GMT 9
bobski9933: :-/Hey Sixers, I'm looking for any T.O. that listed weights of MA-1 heavy parts, like Stable Table, Radar Antenna, TR Unit, Magnatron, etc. How much did the "05 hell/door: weigh? How about Ground Service Equipment? for a VA back Disability Claim.
Dec 31, 2019 8:01:39 GMT 9
Bullhunter: Pat Mcgee, I told 3 people how to order your key chains today.
Oct 6, 2019 15:15:34 GMT 9
sand4u: I was a F106 mechanic at George AFB 329th FIS from June 1963 to Jan 1967,swing shift mostly,worked on all the aircraft we had there.
Jul 31, 2019 4:21:21 GMT 9
pat perry: bobdavis Tell Armstrong's son to join Convair F-106 Delta Dart group on FaceBook and post his Dad's info. They have over 5000 members and his chances of finding those who served with his dad are better.
Jun 19, 2019 2:33:35 GMT 9
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pat perry: On 12-31-2013 this was posted for LtCol Armstrong, Henry W by his son: I am signing on behalf of my father Lt Col HW Armstrong deceased 1-2-01 Skilled 102, 106, 101, 100 pilot and Cheif or Operations for the QF102, QF106 and QF 100 programs at Holloman AFB
Jun 19, 2019 2:00:59 GMT 9
bobdavis: I met a gentleman on another forum who say my signature F106 photo and messaged me. He said his Dad flew F106's back in the day. He said his name was Hank Armstrong. Did anyone know of him? Thanks in advance. Bob Davis 48th FIS and 4756th ABG
May 9, 2019 5:27:19 GMT 9
