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Post by Julien on Jun 19, 2007 8:43:23 GMT 9
Hi, can any of you guys in this site tell me about the red markings on the front of this F-106 "Thunderchicken" Thanks Julien
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Bullhunter
Global Moderator
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Jun 19, 2007 12:08:54 GMT 9
I don't have a clue. I spent 3 1/2 years in the 318th FIS and never seen any markings like that on our birds. Almost looks like access panel outlined.
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Post by Cougar on Jun 19, 2007 12:30:13 GMT 9
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Post by Mark O on Jun 19, 2007 15:39:12 GMT 9
I read somewhere that they put that tape on to keep the weather out of the bays. Seems that red tape was all they had but I wasn't there so....
Makes sense
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Post by Julien on Jun 20, 2007 4:56:20 GMT 9
Thanks guys, I suspected was the eletronics pannels as I had been told they sealed them if left outside, I am surprised they were not waterproof though? could they not fly in rain? Thanks for your help. Julien
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Black Bart
F-106 Qualified
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Post by Black Bart on Jun 20, 2007 5:04:08 GMT 9
That looks like a 1978 William Tell Aircraft. That is red duct tape.
The purpose was to seal out the humidity of Tyndall. While to aft comm/nav panel and the armament panel on the other side were stress panels with a lot of cam-locks holding it down, the radar and computer had a hinge across the top and four clamp latches so weather proofing was more important there.
With that many Sixes there to compete, there just were not enough heaters around to pre-heat the MA-1 System. This may have also been a foul. Joe A. and I did this successfully on ACT TDYs.
The other reason was sabotage. If anyone was working when we were done, we did not want some unit to swap a questionable box with us. While the tape would come off, it was also initialed, so a tampered A/C was readily noticed.
On a side note, on the Visual ID and shoot phase, the CO was lead and Capt Stultz was the wingman. The Old Man could not get a visual, but Stultz could, so they switched Call Signs and Stultz lit the burner and did the ID. He passed the F-4 at better then Mach while inverted, IDing the back seat placard on the right rear canopy and yelled "PURPLE, PURPLE, PURPLE". The CO got a clean shot.
We were in first place going into the last round and just needed a decent score. But done celebrate too early. Our Marine exchange pilot landed with an Electronic Cooling Light. With the intake screens on, our lady crew chief got tossed on the wing and climbed on top to open the refer compartment. Well a cam-lock popped out and fell down the right side, but never hit the ground. The engine was rolled back in no time and the engine man put the snooper scope in the access point. There was a chip about the size of a quarter, so we could not make the final mission. That is how we lost William Tell 1978. Black Bart
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Post by Cougar on Jun 20, 2007 7:15:54 GMT 9
Thanks guys, .....I am surprised they were not waterproof though? could they not fly in rain? Thanks for your help. Julien Julien....the Six was soooooo fast that it could fly through a thunderstorm and not get a drop of rain on it. However, in the heavy Tyndall humidity it was a different story....something to do with the crew chiefs sweat glands secreting all that tdy beer, which was then absorbed by components in the electronic bays - hence the need for the red tape.
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Post by ma1marv on Jun 20, 2007 10:15:33 GMT 9
Julien, If you buy that story from a Crew Chief about the "6 flying "SOOOO FAST it would not get wet" then have I got a deal for you! Any way, just to back up Bart, we used duct tape on our aircraft when I was assigned to the 84th FIS and earlier from the 87th and even when I was TDY to Wurtsmith AFB, with the 2nd FIS. The RADAR and Computer bays had a pretty good seal along and around the doors, but they were'nt always in the best of shape to keep moisture out. That tape kept the water out of the bays when sitting out a rainstorm, but in a TDY to Tyndall, it more then allowed us MA-1 types to determine quickly if anyone tried to remove one of our aircraft boxes to help them fix one of their own aircraft, and thus leaving us a broke/non-useable unit behind! Never could trust anyone TDY from another unit! Especially at Tyndall, and NOT during a William Tell meet. During William Tell the "utmost honor" had to be followed! Lest you cost YOUR Commander HIS trophy! Many trips to Tyndall resulted in using an AC unit to blow heated air through the system to dry out the moisture trapped inside of the equipment racks. If not dried out, the moisture would short out the internal wiring and cause disasterous results. The absolute LAST thing you ever wanted to do while TDY was to pull a rack! MArv
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Post by lindel on Jul 3, 2007 21:57:40 GMT 9
I don't think ANYTHING could keep the humidity out at Tyndall. I spent many an hour flushing the "plumbing" with rubbing alcohol trying to get the green scum out.
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