Notes

Piglzting Colors

CENTURV
SERIES
in Color

by Lou Drendel

� st:dron/signal publications
UW\IUC,HI 1'J,I(flh, "01 \111111' "1(,',\1 I'IHI I("II(I'''.I'(.

III«(I{P\\II\ 1l1l .1 \IlROJI HI'. rJ'\"�(/lIf'

.\It r>j.\"hl' rl....·f"\(�r .\"o I.arl o( thl'" l,ul.hrall<l!l m,,;. 10., ro·JH.,("r\l.... �1.
�1 ... rL"d in a r,",Til",;!l �hll"m. "r lr ... n.�mil\O'II \)1 IIlI�" {<>nll!o� .In.1 m"an�
d."\Clri<"l!.1. rr""'(il:miral roT nthl'n' ''>'.'. "ilh<1I11 fir>-I 'l�'�ln� th<.· "T,It\'n
IIl'rmi.-iofluflh,'I",hh.lwT.

ISBN 0-89747-097-4
II you hIVe Iny photogflplHI 01 the alferlh. Irmor, ,o/dlers or shipi
01 Iny nillon, partlcullrly wlr1lme Inlplhola, why nol shirl ,him
wllh UI Ind help mlk. SqulldronJSignel'l bookl I II 'h. more In·
Ilr'ltlng end complele In the lulurl. Any photograph IIII n l '0 1,11 will
be coplld Ind 'hi orlglnll returnld. The donor wHi be tully credilld
lor Iny photos used. PleUI send them to: SquadronJSlgnl1 PubliCI'
lions, Inc.. 1115 Crowley Dr., Carrollton. TX 75006 .

Gothscans ltd

Federal Standard
Color Equivalents
(as listed In FS 595a)

Insignia Blue . · ..15044

Insignia White .. . .............17875
Insignia Red .. . 11131:1
Oloss Black, .11038
Bleck . . .31038
Inlern8110n810r8nge . · .. 12197
Dark Green · .. 34079
Undersurface Gray. .36622
T8n. .20400
Brown 3.0140
Tan (more Brown than 20400) , . .3.0219
Green, Oltve Drab. . .34102

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o.rt.Q,_ Q';:�oo I"\�;e.
.....
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Introduction
pubhc beheved. and Congre" lunded The USAF becam e lhe
m,ghlle,1 military Organization Ihe wOl"Id had ever seen
The Century SerIes f.llecled dlve.se design pholoapfllea and ttc·
tleal requi reme nts. II was a .l1owcase lor Am6flcan dealgn g enlu•.
whiCh mlghl well be char.clerlzed as one 01 our "greal leaps
forward"'. The Century Series continue' \0 aoldle' on Inlo the
When Chuck Yng,f blasted through the sound barner In 'elghlle5, but I hey wOUt born In tha ·\lIIles. In my mind lney will
CI.molOu, GI,nnl., ttle Ben X-I. on October 14. 1941, 11 wI'lhe always locall t hose days when American Alrpower ..... a8 unchallenged
beginning 01 a technolOt;Jlcal re'lolul la n. Until Yea{ler proved t hat the Qu.,ltallvely and quantitatively.
lOund barn,r was no ban.., I' an, II was a widely h eld benet th" the My Irlond D,ve Men'rd ,ugge,l ed Ir..t Ihl, book mlg"l beller be
apeed 01 IOUnd ended In ••olld wall, an Im penel labl, obstruction IllIed "Century Serl." B.C. {Belo.e camooll�.r· loolMd. m an y 01
Ih.at would mash anything thl' au empted 10 trayer., lis lorbldden lhe serle, were al Ihelf esltoellc best belOle amoullage c.me InlO
couidors CrossIng Ihal Jtlleshold opened new ylstas tor altcrall vogue In lhe mld··shtt/es. The application 01 c.moullllQo was more
()eslonefs and tactICians Illke. They wefe quick to expior. those thin JUSI anolllar allempl al the;tOO 01<1 brus h.t dream O/Imposlng
YlIII' Within len )lealll a whole new I.mlly 01 "merlean military air· lOla I unltO«T1lty upon their \lOOPS particularly tha more Splllled.nd
crall werlt routinely lIylng supersoniC m i nions . This Is a plelo"iI' Innovallve Iroop,_. Ihe lighter pilots It .... ., a p!"eeurSOl 01 dreary
survey 01 one Ix,neh olthallamlly. the IG-«Il1ed "Century Senes" 01 days 10 come lor Ihe Century Series It .....as t&Clt 'ckno",ledgamenl
USAF Ilgt'llers. which Is popularly acknowledged to Include the F·IOO thaI we needed visual decepllon 10 accomplish our mllslon. The
ttlrOugh the F·l06. and perhaps 10 a purist or IWO. even Ihe F·IOT and gaudy squadron markings which adorned tho Cenlury Sene, In the
F·IIO. ·tiItles and 'slxtles were more Ihan JuS! decor,tion. They ,poIo:e (and
The Cent ury Sqrles Is more Ihan JUSI a collection 01 .' rplane , 10 scm.umos shouled) 01 a unlt'S espf" do corps They proclaimed 10
tho.e 01 us who lived through thaI time. II Is an embodiment 01 Ihe world; "'Here we come and we don'l re how easy ,t I, fOi you 10
American mlillary .nd. perhaps even public, thinking during Ihe aee us. lor we are Invincible'" W e won'l IgnOre Cllmoullage In this
IllHea � II Is a part 01 Ihe story 01 the Cenlu ry Serre, but we WIll try
TM '1lIties .....ere a ;olden deeade lor American mlillary .viatlon to concentrat e on '''e/o(. de viv,. 01 thosa glOri ously colorlul days
The cokl wa r .....s on and. even" you dldn'I Ihlnk II wou ld turn I"IOt "B.C." This then. I, .. nOllolgla boo k. Tn."ago '* eet Return WI!h us
anytime 1OOf'I . you did,,', Quesllon Ihe nOCeSSlly to be roady JU'I In now to thou halcyon days 01 yesleryHr. ·�tlen out altha ",.lIther.
C... .. (Pea' I HIIbor was I •••n enough In everyone ' . mll"ld and Ju.t achoed lI"Ielnunderlng loar 01 J·51s .nd J·15,
about eYet)' Ame,lcan .....hO had .ttalned the .ge 01 rN.on could
.emembe. the nflsul! 01 too much Isolallonlsm.J 1<.01"" had plOven F·IOOA·5-NA ollhe
WrlQhl Air Do""lojl�1 Center.
W/ttoJhl·Paner.on
Il'\8t In..e we •• STIli dragon, to be "aln. I! had .150 p!"OVen thaI Il"1e AFB, In liSl. The cha"elerl.Uc
dl.color.tlon ollha elt lue-'ago I,
Russian. we,e more lhan ju S I ., bunch ollgnOl"ant Cossacks when II cau,ad by Ihe re.ctlon 01 the titanium alloy 10 hoaL F·100 w .. Iha
came 10 designing je! Ilghtars They couldn't begin to compete whon Itrs' .Ircrall toemployI.rg. emount. 01 tIIanlum. NOOh American
II came 10 lIymO tlgnlers. but Ihe MIG 15 proved Ihey k n ew how 10 purchaaad onr 80% ol.n titanium produced In Ihe U.S. In 1953.nd
build them Curt,s LeMay was spar&(! Ihe fale of Billy Mitchell Tne IQ54.(p,ler 80we" �I. Jim Sulllwan.)

/'

- US IofRf"ORCL A.i
2 S 775 / II
 II /.- -

'I 411�12
FW-792
- -- r-
�ll

� F·l00C·S·NA. 0 1 Ihl 450th Figh t er 0.'1' Group. Fo.ler AFB, Te�I.ln

F·100 Super
1958 marking., with rId ,cliloped no.e II.,h. Thl 322fld Group
plon.,red Ir.n,·Atlantlc non'ltop d.ploymenl. In /hl 1956 a..rcl..
"MobU. B.ker", Ilying Irom Foaler 10 Sidl
SlImln•. Morocco, Ihln on
.
10 Llnd.tuh]. G,r",any.(Plllr Bow. r �I, Jim Sullivan)

Sabre 11Isl 100 ! l igh t hours. which occured wilhln six weeks
!lIght. The Air FOlce test pilots.headed by Pete
01
that IIr51
E�erest. began tlying
lhe F·lOO In J uly and by September Ihe Phase tl tIIgh\ lestlng was
It was one thing to provo that you coulcllly laster than the speed 01 comp l eted. The sec ond prototype was rolled out and flown on
sound In an experimental fockot·poworOO researCh aircraft. The real October 14. In the meantlme.loollng lor production F·lOOAs
had pro­
trick was coming up with an airplane thai could do It on a daHo.c!ay ceeded. The IlrSI A model came 011 the l ine and was flown on
basis. with a reliable IUrbojel engine. Much Is made 01 the genius 01 OC l o ber 29. The A modei lncorporaled what seemed a minor change
Ilreratl desig ners. while a 101 less Is made 01 the contributions 01 the at Ihe lime. Its vertlcailln and rudder were shortened In an ellon to
powerplan! designers who really provide the heart and soul 01 an air· cut down drag and weIght. This change was to have a
cataslfophlc
cratl. (There can be advantages \0 this too. When the F·111 gal Inlo consequence.
big trouble be<:ause 01 e ng i ne problems, the plOSS never said: "A During the test program. the Air Force allowed orientation !lIghts
Pratt & Whitney TF·30 crashed wh!le attached 10 an F'II!,") by fIghter pilots other than test pilots. The nearty unanlmOlJsleactlon
While NOllh Amenean Aviation had made a commitment to produc­ 01 aU of them was an unqualilled "gee whlzl" Practically tM only
Ing a supersoniC lighter In lhe late '40S and was backing II up wllh l P
serious dl sse n o r was el e Everest. who was nOI al all convinced 01
corporale funds. Prall 3 Whltnoy had also made a commitment. P&W the F-tOO's stability Oul al those raggea edges where much 01 the
was determined to become the engine supplier to the aerospace In. serious business 01 I lghler pllols Is conducted. Welch hlmsell
dustry. There was no Question thai the lei was the engine the 01 Ihought the airplane was J u st line. The Air Force was In no mood lor
lulure and P&W h1l upon the Idea 01 a
spill compressor lurblne, any dilly-dallying when It came to getting Ihelr hot new fighter Into

which SOlved many 01 the most vexing perlormance problems bein g the operational Inventory.
encounlered with lei engines. By 1950 Ihe J'S7 had emerged as a By Ihe end 01 September 1954.60 A models had come OUlfle pro­
viable concept with 9.250 I b s. thrust In mil power and 14.000 Ibs. In ducllon line and the 47g'h Day Fighter Wing was ac t tvaled al o
G orge
al1erburner being promised. North Amedcan had found the engine AFB. California. On Oclober 14. Geor g e Welch look oil on hiS last
around which 10 de9ign the F·tOO. 16Sllllghl. The mission that day was to dive tho airplane to its Ilmltln;!
In those pre·Korea days. the nowly cr ealed USAF was less Ihan
convinced 01 the Immediate need lor a su pe rsonic IIghler and show· F·tOOA·20·NA 01 Ih. ArI,on. Air Gu.rd II Phoenb, t�e2. M.lklng. all
&0 1i1lle interest In North Amerlcan's proposals. Attitudes were y.llow .dged In bl'Ck.IP,u! 511.,.IIIn.)
rotated 180 d81lrees when the firs! MIG·15s were encountered.
though. ana NAA began 10 recel... e slrong ollleisl encouragement.
That encouragement soon became an order for two prototypes In
November 1 95 1 . The F·lOO was ol fl cla l ly born and the Century Serlos
was launched.
The IIrst YF·l00 mado Its debul on May 25.1953 wllh company lest
pilot George Welch al lhe cOntrols. Welch had Ilnlshed his tour o!
WWII Army Air Force duly as an 181h kill ace, Ihe !lrSllour kills being
sCOfed over Oahu on Decem ber 7. 1941. Twelve years Ia.ler Wetch ac·
compllshed another first as he took the YF·lOO through the sound
barrier on lis IIrsl I lI gh!....!n level llighl. I t wa.s lhe IIrS! turbOlel·
.
po ....ered alrcrall to do so.
tI the Air Force had ooen somewhat reluctant to lump wilh bolh
leel Into Ihe supersonic fig ht er business In the late ·fortles. they
wore now more Impatl&nt th an a mlddle·aged bride. NAA lestlng 01
much of the fIIghl envelope and systems was
completed within the
F· tOOC·25·NA 1m·
m�l.t.ly ,1I.r d . I I.... ",
10 Q�r". AFB, e.Ulor·
nl•. A totll at 451 01 the
e model w.r. built
belore production w.s
.....Itch.d
. to the 0 In
1956. Th. F·l00C Wit the
tutul 01 III Sup'r
Sabll', with In olllcllUy
IIst.d top speed 01 924
mph .1 35,000 'ell,
(North AmerlClnl

Mach number, then pull the rna)!; desIgn load limit f7't.z G) on pull.out. Even belore the F·lOOA became oporatlonal, the F·tOOC had been
Some nagglll'jl doubts had cropped up, as there had been lour cases authorized (The F·tOOB was to havo been an all·weather Interceptor,
01 F·lOOs coming apall In IIlght In the preceding lew months. At and evolved Inlo the F·lOn The F·tOOC was Ihe first 01 Ihe bombal
HAM Welch began his lalal dive, aiming his Super Sabre a t Rosa­ models 01 tho Hun. As SUCh. It tncorporate<! Ihe lollowlng Changes
mond Dry Lake. The dive was begun 81 45,000 leet. Shortly €liter pass­ trom the A: strenglhened wing with six hardpolnlS lor ordnance or
Ing through 25,000 leet, the F·l00 exploded. Though Welch ejected, luel lanks. Increased luel capacity (Irom 744 to 1102 gallons). uprated
Of was ejected, he died belore reaching the ground. All production J-51 engine (10.200 Ibs. dry and 16.950 Ibs. with afterburner). MA·2
F·l00s were grounded while NAA began an Intensive Investigation. LABS (Low Altitude Bombing System) 101 delivery ot nuclear
Since this had been a specially Instrumenteo alrcrall. some clues 10 weapons and an aerlal relueiling syslem. The Initial C models were
whal haa happened remained. Speclllcally. there was 111m trom a the last 70 As scheduled lor producllon. The C made Its maiden tllght
camera mounted In Ihe vertical lin, aimed at the leiliallplane. A long on January 1 1 , 1955. It sel a IWO-Iun speed lecorCl 01 822 mph on
ana complex technical explanation can be shortened by simply say· August 20 and was In Ihe hands 01 the first unit to operate the "C".
Ing that Everest had been Ilgh1. The F·l00 tacked directional stabHlty the 322nd Flghler Day Group. 8t Foster AFB. Texas that 118me monlh
at high Machand high G loadings. Also In the wor1ts was a two seal version. which began \lie as a
AU F·tOOs on the production line weul modllled with a talger tin company-Iunded project In 1954. The Air Force gave approval lor the
and rudder. and 21 Inches were added to wingspan. Operational modillcation 01 a production F·l00c IniO a two seater. In December
F·IOOs were re!rofltted With these modillcallons. Production and 1955 lhe Air Force authortzed production 01 the two seat version. the
sQuadron Introduction 01 the Super Sabre continued. F·l00F. which retained lull oparatlonal capability. The main dll·
The Supel Sable was to TAC what your Ilrsl new car was 10 you. It lerence!! belween it and the single seal versions wore In luel capacl·
was the single mosl Important worldwide "show the lIag"lnstrumenl ty, anClln elimination 011'1'10 ol lhe lour ""·39 20mm guns In the nose.
� had In the mid 10 late ·Wlles. II pioneered aerial reluelling on a The IInai version of the Super Sable was Ihe F·l00D, which wss
loullll8 basis for overseas deployment. Ihe boom 01 a J·51 after· Ilrst 1I0wn on January 24, 1956. II Incorporated Ilaps, a larger vertical
borner lighting 011 could be heard 110m Sidl SlImane to Itazuke. By lin, and an aulOpliol. This was 10 be the most popular model 01 the
mid· \951 TAC had 16 wings 01 F·l00s and the lollowlng year the Air Hun, wllh l,274 being produced.
National Guard l&Celved lis Ilrst F·lOOAs as the 188th TFS 01 the New
Mexico Guard Checked oul In the Super Sabre. By that lime Ihe Hun A p'lr 01 F· l00c·'·N A. get,.",., lrom Eglin AFR lor , p"ctlc, bomb
had undelgone the metamorphosis 01 shedding lIS day Ilghler role million o".ron. 01 Eg lin' . flng •• during t•• t. 01 I he F·I00'. ne."ly·­
lOf thai of an all·weather IIghter·bomber. d.,lgnat.d rol. ollightlr·bomber. M,y 18se. (USAf)
c
o
o
0r-
o
U.
 �J
- �-
_ -..... .

"
IJ.

I
/

/
F·I00C·2Q,NA at New York Air Guard, 1960. The
...
.lre,v h t r.fulliing probe 1'1 bHn r'pl,eld by •
doubl, bi ,
n d bringing the bUlin" . Ind up to
whar. It " mora '1111011 during hookup' wllh lh,
linker. (Mort Hartman 'IIIJim Sulll'lln)

(Right) F·l00c·'2/i·NAa II Olorgl AFB, C.ll lomll,

19!>7. (Norih AmlrlCln)

(Bottom) F·lOOC 01 the 41IUh Flght,r Bomb,r

Wing. Wing Commander', Iln:.r''', Cirri,. th,
wing bldga on th' 'Ill. 0435th Flght.r B o m ber
Squadron b.dgl on IUlillgl. NOli, lu . .llg•• tIll
bind, arl, from Irani to r.ar, top to boltom: rid,
yellow, blul, or,ngl, grHn, ,dgld In whll •. Tht.
looklllkliha C.O:. alrplanl, 'Ilt I, hlghlV poU,1'!­
�I {Oa", Minard}
F·l00C, 01 lh' 333rd fkiJht.r Bomber Squadron,
4th Flg t.
h r 8omb,r Wing. Seymour·Johnlon AF8,
1.,.50 •. Mar\lngi Ir. r.d, .dg.d In whll •. (UCol
O.org. C. a,r.y wI. 0 ....
. Mln'rd)
F·IOCC·I·NA lined wlln larger lin and neal
"'Inl OUtll' which beclml I tendlrd on Ihl D
modll, ,hown onIlndlng (otloul It NAA
P.lmd.lll.elllty. (North Amlrl�")

F·l000·40·NA ot Iha 5tOttl Flghtlr Bom�r

SqUldron, 405th FBW, llngllY AFB, VA,
1957. WIng bldgl on I'll. lqu ldr on bldgl
on lu .. tlgl. T,1l .tripi II Yillow, Idged
bllek. (Mlnlrd}

F·1000 Q.2o-NA 01 USAF Air AI .. erd, Ind

DI"'llopm.n! Clnter, II Edward. AFB
FUqnl Tilt Clntlr, J.nu.ry, 1958. B,.ldll
Ih, modIfied Itn, Ih, 0 moolt WII thl IIrlt
Hun 10 M �ulJl
k
Ind, eVlntulllly, lin "reslor h o o . Flips and
Ihl hook W"I I boon to Hun ",1"'''1, Iln�
Inl hot Ilndlng /I., and C modlll could ulull·
Iy nollM ,Ioppld without 'tll lid ollnl drag
chull, which hId I 'Illurl ratl In Ihl
neighborhood 015%.(USAF)

--
F·'I)OD·20·NA 01 In. 531.1 TFS, 2111 TFW, Mluw.
AFS, Jap.n In comp.ny wtlh RF·IOIC of 4511'1 TRS,
.1'0 oul 01 Mlu"., r.III.UI"" Irom. KII·.5OJ 01 th.
421.1 ARS. Hun m.rtdn". ar. r�, .dge<! ....-hll .. ....hU.
th.1DI c . rrl .. blu. '''0 wh i t. m.n.ln" •. (M.n.rd)

Ooo-Hal • • n F·lOOD·25·NA 01 Ihe 4ltllh TFS. 2191

TFW, MI....... A8. Ij6(l. M.n.lng. u. blu".oq.o
whll •. (M.nard ColI.cllon)
the 531$1 TFS. 3911'1
Utile John • •n F·tOOD·50-NA, at
r ....
Ai DtvI.lon. MI" a A8, lie!. All marking. ,f' r.d,
� whlla wltn Iha IlIc.pllon 01 tn. drop lank
. ...
no . which .r. dark blu •. (Norm.n E. T • .,.lor wia
M.nard)

(
(�

F·IDDD. 01 Iht
TFS
531,t InClud.
ano,
Ullie John
Ih;
Bonn', Bee (In
10r.glounO).
Phologflph.o
ov., Japan. 1961.
(USAF)
SO'n TFW Wing Commend.r's ,Irpl,n.> 1960·64.
8'I'Ioa on lall "a Irom lop: blua, yellow, rad wllh
whllo ,tafl. Worthy of nota Is lh. cant.rllna pylon
wllh practice bomb clapenser filled. Cente,Una pylon
was nal 01191'1 us&d, Slne.lnlarlarene. with In. spaad
brek. WIS lee'ad. (Manerd)

F·l00[)..90·NA of the 417lh TFS, Sillh TFW, Frenea.

1959. Merklngs ere red with white atara. 50th TFS
Huns calfled Squadron bldg"s on tills. (ManlHd)

(Aboy,,)F·IOOQ·2S·NA ollh. 71h TFS,

491h TFW al Toul·Ro.I" .. AB,
Fr.nc. 11�59, m,r1dnga .r. IIVhl blua,
.dged whll •. ll'''' F·IOOD·gQ·NA 01
th9 Bth TFS, ,lao al Toul·Ao.l.t.s In
\959. M,r1o:1nv. "e y.lIow, .dged
bl.ek.(M.ntfdl
F·l000. 0/ the 20th TFW, RAF
W.th.fllI.Ie, Unlt.d KIngdom,
lHI. Fin Itlah" .r. (Irani 1(1
r.. n 11K!, y.ttow, blu •. Wing
badge on lalt. (MlnlrdJ

F·l00D-85·NA. 01 thl 791h TFS,

20th IFW. RAF Woodbrldg••
UK, 19&0. nt, la ,pp'r.nlly , ....
Squadron C.O.'. "Ipl.nl, .. II
c,rrt . . ,trip.. on nOli. M,rte·
lng' Ir' y.llow, .dg.d bllek.
WlnQ b,dg. on lan, Squldron
badge on lu .. llgl with Unll
CII,IIon on 1111 In Iront 01 Wing
badg•. (Mln.rd)

F·l00D·85·NA known by Ih,

lroo p. .. "flipl. Zilch" w ..
th' WlnQ C.O.'" tMd, with on.
01 many .,.(I.Uon, on thl.
m.rlllng••chlm •. TM. onl In·
clud.. btul. y .llo"W, rid no..
• tt1pe• • nd ,,11 /1111'1, wllh
Squldron bldg .. 0/ 55th, 7911'1,
Ind 77th TFS on lu •• t.g•.
(Men,ro Collection)

/.
 F·tOOD·15·NA 01 Ih. 48lh Flghl er Bomber Wing.
19se. Wing C.O: ••lrplane had hom Iront; red,
yetlow, blue IIt'I 11 ..1'1. Wing b.dg_ on Ivsala"e
under cockpit. Nole Ihll this I, II polished
alumInum IIllcr.lI. Wher ... , from elrly '60s On so­
c�lIed aluminum IlrcIll1 weI. actulily pslnted
alumInum. (Men.rd)

(lelt) F·tOOD·go·NA ollha 48th TFW, 49"2"d TFS.t

RAF Llkenh •• ,h, UK, 1962. N OI e Ind I,ll
� --=--- enevlons 'f. Irom Iront 10 ralllr: blue, yeUow, red.
(O.Pennlck wla Menard)

(Abon leU) Thl, qu.lllhts n .. genuine period

piece, jllustrating the Ilgh l. r pHa!'. 10'11 01 '1St
Ilrplan.a,cars .nd.. . . w.lI. lome thing Is ml,,'n;!
F·l00D 01 the 31111'1 TFS, 11th lFW, wllh rid, yenow.
blue no.. chevrons, rad ,.11 III.hel, .11 .aged In
whlla. Wing �d,,8 on !uul.gfl.(Men.rd)

F·tOOF. of 81h TFW, bolh elnylng WIng C.O:'

martdngs 01 red. yellow. blue lin IIlshad refuel
from a KB·50J of the 421 ARS oYar Japln, 1960.
(Menard)

.,
F·l00025-NA 01 'he 18,h
TFW lending at Kadena
�
AFB. Oklnaw •. 1.958. Fin

�
IInh !rom ,op: red,
whllo. dorlr; blue. Nose
flesh colors Ire uncer·

II
taln, It .re colors at
wing rences. {USAF vie 53619
Men.rd)

'-

F·l000·85-NH ge.s aw.y hom tho lec.ol')' on tis dellvel')'

tIIgh •• fler undergoing IRAN Inearty '60s. F I.t .Iumlnum
Ilnlsh Is most evident In this shol.(Norlh American)

F·l00F·IO·NA 01 Ihe 3531d TFS, 3541h TFW, '960. Mark·

Ings 810 rad and while.(USAFvia Menardl

F·l00D·8S-NH 01 the 355.h TFS, 354lh TFW at Avlano,

Ila.)', 1960. M.rto:lngs are derk greon and while. (Manard)
 F·1OOD·90·NA 01 tho <l941h, IS It ap­
peared In Spring 1959, with red end
whit. markings on spine wingtip. Ind
nose. (Da"e Men/lrd)

.r

-.:, Another F·l00D·90·NA of Ihe 494lh

TFS. 481h TFW .t Toul·RoslerlS A8,
Franco. Summer 1959. Markings ./8
fad and whit•. Nol. thaI the lormer.
much more colorlul, nose markings
haye bean owerp.lnl.d with
alu mi num . (Dave Menard)

.-..
-..
"­
" Jm2l! -

�=�
' � �/!/�· F.W.'2d6§2 Si����

F·l00D·70·NA of the 4291h

Fighter Bomber Squadron.
<17411'1 FBW. Markings on n058
and 1.11 ar. �aUow Ind black.
while stripes on tuselage and
4S{) gallon drop lInk .re, Irom
front to rear. fed, yellow, blue.
adged black. Arrows on drop
lank Ira yellow end black.
.,.
(0 • Men.rd)

(Bolow lall) F·1Q(lD·85·NH 01

l
308th TFS. 31St TFW, wl h .n
extremely Irash 1&e8 on lor Ihls
1959 vl,1I to Tout·Rosteres AS.
Merklngs e'e g,oen end white.
with Wing bedge on len. This
elrp lane finished It, ope,.·
tiona' caree, with the 107111
TFS, Mlch1gan Air Guard. and
\0 the Nil·
W!lS then transferred
tlonal Air end Space Museum
collection In August t978.
(Menard)

F·l00F·t5·NA of the 308th TFS.

315tTFW.1959.(Manard)
F·lOO()'4S.NH 01 the Stllh FBS, 4QSth FeW, M.v 1 959 , Marklng•• fe
blullnd whlll, with Wing bldge on 111I.IMerie Olmsted 'III Menlrel)

F·lOOF·lI).NA 01 the 814lh F8S, 40111 F8W. 1959. Mllklngl on nose

Irl rid, bllck checklfbolrd owal nl!Urllllumlnum on tIll. IIgh! gfay
painted tin Clp.
614th bldgl undll cockpit 'lit ,Idl, 40111 bldga
Slme position right slde.IMenlld)

F·IOOD·SQ·NA 01 the 454th F8S, J23rd FeW, Bunker HIII.o.F8.lndlana,

1957. Mllklngs Irl black and whltl chlckerbOllds with medium blua
binds. 4S41h badga undlr cockpll.(Balogh 'III Menlrd)

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"
ThunderblrdS going o�er the lop 01 a loop In th.1r
F·1OOCs. Note thai they did nOI hawe lel ueiling probes
on thase alrc:raft, whkh limited them 10 shows within
continental U.S. The SkybllUers. elsa Hying F·lOOCs.
represented the USA Fe. When the Thunderbhds got
seven league boots, In the lorm 01 ee r l al reluelllnil
c: e pecl ty, they bec:ame the Air Forc:e's olliclal IUght
demonstratton team and tho Skyblazels wero disbanded.
(USAF)

F·100D·JO·NA ot the 1964 Thunderblrds team. Alrcrl"

serials W8re c:arrled until lite 1965, wh en they we,.
replaced with Indlwldull formallon numbers sp ell ed out.
(Paul Stevens)

F·IOOD 01 Thunderblrd'sleldar, Major Nell Eddins. nil

appeared lor 1967 show at Chanute AFB. III. (P.ul
Siavans)
F·l000 sOlO aircraft dUf'
Ing low pltSS at Wllm·
Ington. N.C. In 19M. Ihe
last year In which Ihe
Thundarblrds lIew Ihe
Hun. (Jim Sullivan)

Thunderbird .5 m.klng •
go·,round el Wllm·
Ington. N.C. April 21,
1966. with JuS! about
everything hanging oul
uupt the drag chute.
(JlmSulliven)

DIIQ Chute deploy mIni

saqulnel Is llIuslralld
hera, .s pllol chule has
p ulle d deploymlnt bag
conllllning dreg chute
from Its
compartment
under III tu selag e .
cable
h.u rlllilld Irom spring
sllel panels on all
lusal.ge side. end Is
.bout to pull tllul. (Jim
SuillVlln)
 F·IOOD positioned 011
ZEL (lero lenglh launch)
plallorm el NeW, AFB.
Neuda. Rockeld�n.
M·l4 loUd rockll motor
dl ... lloplng 130,000 lb•.
o! thrust Is mounilld
under all fuselagl. II will
provlda • 4G pu.h
through 215 knols , .t
which 11m. Iha pllol wll
jalliion Iha rockil
angina .nd conlinu. tIM
minion. Flrlll.uncl"! 0(.
c u red In M.r c h 195.'l. All
of Iha IInll blocks of 0
Ind F Hunt were ZEL·
cepabll, though ollly 20
add!llonal launches wara
mad•.

F·l00. w.rl Imong tha IIrli comb.I

/ allcralt com mltled 10 thl VI,lnlm
War, 5.111 h.r. II 81.n HOI AB In lht
early '80s. (USAF)

F·lOOO·8S·NH of Ih. 8111h TFS, 311h

TFW In thl arming pits It Phlln RIng
AB, RV N . pllor to MI� 1969 mission.
Armorlrl wilt r.mo.... lit 111.1." pin.
Irom ordnlnce balor. wI ... lng 11M
Huns 01,11 lor IlkeoH. Aiming pit 11
uluilly clOI. to Ihl end 01 Ihe acli....
runwlY, wIll IWly from thl plrklng
rlmp.{USAF)

F·'OOD·TO·NA of Iha 53111 TFS, 31d

TFW lads In posl mission. Bien HOI
AB, RVN, Oeclmber 1989. Fin tip Ind
crew nl ma block are ,.d. with whit.
Irlm.(U$AF)
F·l00c·l·NA 01 the Ul., TF5. Ol.,rtc, 01 Columbl. Air Gu.rd .
•, Alldr,.' AF8. MD. 19tH.

(Above RI�htl Fr'llce r.c.l .... d 75 F·1OQO •• nd 7 F·l00Fa under

thl MAP. The .. were operat.d by 11 Esc.d... 0, Ch.51. (II·
hlltfllted) .nd 3 elc.d" De Chlt'l. French Hunl may w.1I
h.v. been Ihe IlnI\ 01 Ihe 'YI'I 10 ••• comb'l, flyIng mlstlons
10 Algerl.ln 1980. (Michel C. KI .... . r)

F·l000·4l}NH 01 730 Squadron. Royal O.nllh Air Force. 1982.

NOSI .nd ,.11 marking:. are blue .nd white. O.nmark rec.lvld
50 Os end 8 F. undar MAP. ThIY we re optlr'led by 725. 727 •• �d
730 Esk.drlllern •. (via Plul 51' ... . nl)

USAF Camouflage
 The third F·tOU
lands at l,mblf1
Field. 5 1 . loul ..
alter lIs m.JdtI
Wghl on Nay ...
ber 26, 1 954. Mc­
D o n n e l l ' , c h ltl
I.st pilot, 80b I.JI.
lie, wal l I the eon­
troi s. (USAF)

mlrably. S t i l i , both the A i r Force and Mc Donne l l had a lot 01 time and

M c Donne l l money Invested In I he 101 program. Neither 0 1 I hem really wanted to

see II a l l go down the t u be s . A large el lort by bolh service and coo­
tractor engIneers I I n a l l y resolved the t ec hn i cal problems and
Mc Don M I l was al lowed to resume prod uction In November 1956. IfI­

F· 1 0 1 Voodoo
Illal configuration of Ihe Voodoo I n c t uded lour M·39 20mm can l'lOll,
two retractable rocket pods each carrying sl'" 2.75 Inch rockets and
t h rae A I M-4A Fetcon radar·homlng A A M s which were mounted on .
rotary weapons bay door In the l u selage. It carrIed APS-54 radar, �
Whoever said Ihat t r u t h was s t ranger I han I l c H o n was certai n t y a total l u e l capacity w h i c h !:Jave It an unretuelled range of 1 .700 mil"
blessed w i t h some elltreme I nsl g h l . Take, lor Instance. the case 01 al 0.9 mach at 36,000 leel and was generally l u s t wha' SAC haO
McDonnel l ' s I l rst supersonic t ig h t e r, The One-O·Wonder· l u l VOOdoo. wan led In Its escort Hghter.
Its eafly history was a successIon oi l i t s aM s l a r U . as Ihe USAF a1- T he l i r s l 01 50 production F · I 0 1 A s y,'as del ivereCl t o I he 8 1 S \ TFWIn
tempted t o p u t some perspective to the lechnolog lcal Innovallons May 1 95 7 . TAC had I nsisted u po n changes to Ihe basic conllgu latlon.
t h a t were pouring forth 110m the ai rc raf t designers at A merica. making I t more s u i t ab l e \0 the t llctlcal l i g h t e r rol e. These Included
The 101 was s i red by the XF-38. which grew from the post World deletion 01 one 01 t h e starboard M·39s to make room 101 TACAN. dtlIt­
War II need lor a long· range lighter 1 0 escort SAC's bombers. SAC tlon 01 retractable rocket pods and addition 01 a centerline stores
was every t h i n g In those days. I I they said they needed lighters, we l l, hardpolnt to allow t he 101 t o carry a nuc lear bomb. The esco rt fight.
then they wele going lo get t h e m ! The IIlst XF-88 t ook to the air In Oc· had become the bomber I S t r u c t u ral beef·up t o the a l r l rame to allow
lober 1948, pawered by a pair o f 3,000 lb. I h ru s t J·34s. The second low · level hIgh speed penetrat ions. beg u n with Ihe 5 1 s1 production
X F-88 was cancelled In A u g u :u 1 950. ai rp lane, reSUlted In l&designatlon t o F· I O t e . A tOlal 0 1 1 2 4 F·tOI"
What SAC t h o u g h t I I could do w i t h o u t In 1 950. II 10uM out I t and C models wele b u i l t , I n c l u d i n g the 29 pre-prO<luctlon airplanes
couldn'l lIve w l t h o u l ln 1 9 5 1 . M I G · 1 5s were m a k i n g t l t e miserable l o r wh i ch, Incidentally, remaln&d I n ' " g h t test u n i t s .
B·29 c r e w s a t t e m p t i n g d a y l i g h t m i s s i o n s o v e r I h e Y a l u . Suddenl y. the T h e s i n g l e seat Voodoo earned Its niche In I he aviation halt 01 fame
XF·88 was on agaIn. McDonnell was aware t h a t the marginal perlor· In the reconnalasance role. TAC hedged its bets o n the 101 In 1950&.
mance ol lhe XF·88, with Its J·34 engInes. would k i l l the program as orderIng two recce examples, des i g na ted Y R F · t O t A. The 11151 01
soon as Ihe panic 01 KOfean War experiences began to lade. The J·57 these Hew In May 1956. The R F version 01 t he basic 1 0 1 design
engine was now available. Project E n g i neer Edward M . Flesh propos· 1eatured a longer nose. w h i c h carried Irom t o u r to s i x h i g h speeC
ed that the X F -88 be slletched t o aecomodate the bigger and more framing cameras. The first wino to operate the R F · I 0 1 was the W
pawedul engine. The A i r Force c o u l d n ' t have been happier w i t h t h i s TRW, w h ich received the f l l S t 01 Its allplanes In May 1957. A \olal ol
proposal. a conlract being I s s u ed I n January 1 952 l o r 3 1 pr&­ 35 R F · I 0 1 A , were bu Ut belore I he previously mentioned alr1ratlll
production F·I O I As . st rengthen i ng prO(lram res u l t ed In a switch \ 0 R F · t O I C production.
T h e IlrS l F · I O t A made I t s malden t I I g h t o n September 29. t 954 9 \ The I l lS t R F · I O I C flew In J u l y 1 957. A total 01 166 Cs were b u U t . C0m­
Edwalds A I r Force Base. T h e A i r Force planned o n &Qu i pp i ng five m u n i s t Chi nese t h reats 01 direct action against Formosa resulted I n .
wings w i t h l h e Voodoo, and It looked as II McDonnell had h i t I h e s h o w of lorce In s upport o f Ihe Nationalist Governme nt I n 1957. StJ.
aerospace J a c k p o t . U n l or t u nately. I U g h l l e s l l n g revealed some R F - I O I A s 01 the 1 7 t h TAS l I ew Irom Shaw A F B . S.C. 1 0 Formoll. u.
seriOus problems. The basic problem had 10 d o with t h e stab l1at or. Ing I n · ! U oh l reluelUng and lest stops at Island bases across tM
which. being mounted h i g h on t h e vertical l i n , was prone t o beIng Pac i f i c . T h i s set 1 he stage lor Irans·Pacllic d e l i very f l i g h l S 01 Ihe RF·
blanketed out at high angie 01 a t t ack. The A i r Force ordered su spen· W I C 1 0 the 4511'1 TAS at Mtsawa AB. Japan and the 15th IRS II
sian 01 f u rther prod u c t i o n 01 the F · t O I on May 2 3 , 1 956. Following the Kadena AB, Okinawa In 1 958
s u spension 01 produ c tio n, questions again arose concerntng t h e The f l l s t t O I combat missions were very l i k ely lIown tly Voodoos
basic F·IOI mIssion. Ihe mark i n g s 01 Nationalist C h i n a, which received Irom 6 to 9 of tl"ll
The I I rs t I 1 lg h l o f l h e Voodoo had s e e n a d r a m a t i c s h i H In m i s s i o n AFs I n 1959. W i t h the R F · I O I , the Nat Ional i sts were able 10
emphasis. As SAC dropped 1 1 5 o p t i o n on that d a y . TAC p i c k ed I I up, photograph s t r i p s ol l h e mainland up to 100 mUss Inland. w it hou t at
deciding that t he erst whi le escort f i g h t e r would now become a t u a l l y v i o l a t i n g communis t airspace. Naturally, t hey weren', sallslled
penetrallon I l g h t er·bomber. By 1956, TAC haCl assIgned the l i g h t er w i t h t h is . They had a recce lighter hotter Ihan anything their en'mllS
bomber role to the F · l oo , wh ich seemed to havo laken to the role ad· on the mainland could pul up. They used the 1 0 1 ' 5 a l t i t ude and speed

20
I(!vantage t o photograph anyt h i n g and every t h i n g within range. Even·
tually t he communists got holler a i r planes and surface 1 0 air
missiles. Operational a l l r l t ion a l one kind or anal her Is thought to
llivo llnally e l i m i nated t h e 1 0 1 I rom t he Nationalist Ch i nese Air
FOICII.
RF· t O l s performed Invaluable service In I h e C u ban m i ssi l e crisis at
1962and wen t o n t o distinguish themselves In Vietnam. The IIrS!
l OI S t o arrive I n Sou t heas t Asia v i s ited D o n Muang a n d Tao Yuan I n
Thallaoo 1 1 \ 1960, T h i s w a s l ol l owed b y a 111511 01 l o u r R F · l 0 1 S to Tan
Son Nhul I n 1 96 1 , during General Maxwell O. Taylor's fact·llndlng
mission lo r J F K . The RFs remained atler Taylor h a d gone, ostensIbly
1 0 log some flying t i me, but actually t o keep an eyp o n communist ac·
t l'III Y and t o rePQrt on any Viet Cong o r North V iet n ames e b u l l d · u p .
F r o m Ihese s eem i n g l y I n s l g n ilicant b eg i n n i n g s , the American i n ·
·'olvernon\ l n I h e reg ion c o n t i n ued t o oxpand. T h e R F · l 0 l w a s neyer
oot 0 1 Southeast Asia u n t i l fl naUy being w i t h drawn f rom operational
usa, In lavor o l lh e R F ·4C. i n 1968.
P rll, producUon F · l 0 1 A a t Edwardfi A F B , June 1956, w i t h I h lp, down
The t l n a l , and most n u merous, model of t h e b a s i c 101 design w a s a n d .peed brakes o u l . NOle conlrol pos I t i o n s w i t h l u l l ri g h t rudder
llle F · I O t S . The B made Its fllSt l l i g h t o n March 27. 1957. It had been and a i l e ro n .(USAF)
ordered as a r e s u l 1 01 problems wllh Ihe l I a d g l i n g F·l02. (SuCh was
lha cOfOucopla at technology 1 I0 w ing hom Ihe terl i l e drawing boards
All 29 pr.,prod u c t l o n F · I O I A s w e r a reta Ined In l a s t s t a l u s aller pro­
of American alrcralt companies. lhal Ihe Air Force, I f nOI s a t l s t l ed
duction a i rp lanes went InlO the I n v e n t o ry . T h i s alrcra l l I s s how n .II I
EdwArd!!; In t 958, wearlng the badge 01 the I I l g h t tnt center o n I h e
with the progress at one of I t s programs, could s i m p l y adapt another
program to l i t I h e miss ion.) t a l l . (USAF)
The F·IOI B was desli ned t o become I h e longest· lived 01 the series,
as 1 1 coollnues '0 soldier on InlO the ·elghlles. Changes Irom the
baslcoeslgn Include add i t i o n of a second seat lor the radar observer,
. 1"18 M G · I 3 1 I re conllol system, p rov is i o n lor t h ree Falcon AAMs In a
rOlary wea pons bay door and external hardpolnlS to accomooate a
pall 01 AIR·2A Genie AAMs w i t h nuc lear warheads. The I I rst F . I 0 1 B t o
I!fller A DC In�entory was delivered I n January 1959. B y A u g u s t 1 960 ,
1 7 ADC Squadrons had received t h e F· W I B . It replaced t h e F-86L,
F-89J, F ·I 02 . and F · I Q.4 In these squadrons and would remain a pr l n ·
clple Ingredient In A m e ri c a ' s deterrent 10 enemy air aHack for oller
two Decades. A l o t a l of 478 Bs were b u l l t . t n 1 96 1 . 66 01 t h e m were
Iranslerred to the RCAF. after mCld l f l C t l ons made 10 suit canadian re­
quirements. The m ed i l leel F· W t S s were redeslgnaled Fs.

F · H I I S II n d a r tost II Edwards with two n ll c l o s r Irmed MS· I G e n i e

AAMs on lusal'ga paUlI. {USAF)

./
I I L I . J ul.s F. N lelsiln, Jr. 01 Elmhur" , III.
.,nk•• • pole In I r o n I of Ih. 1 0 1 he flew
hom Andlews AFB 10 Lleul, Belgium with
Ihe .Id of refuelling 1 1 0 m KC·135 lanker.
F·IDIA Clnle. t h e m.rk l n g s ot Ihe 522nd
FBS. 27th FBW. I t was b...d . t Bergstrom
A F B , Teus. ( U S A F)

Two de'''U , h O l S 01 Ihe F · I O I A H o w n by M.

JOI John Burns, 01 Ihe 8 a l T F W (.'50 S••
COIOf I9nderlng).
 10. VlHAUST lEW P[IUITll III E QA.OU
' I . 'UEl FLOW INDICA '01l.5
IJ. .....SUII C.\UTIOH LIGHT
11. JlIII! WAItH I H O T EST 'ANn
U, F U E l O U A NT l TY QA,O l
I I. STANO-I' CO .. 'ASS
I ., , ... CHOWUERS
1 1. 04l ""'ESSU " E OAOU
,&. V'fAnc.o\l V nOCtTY I N DIC AT OIil
1'. IlS-TACA ... SWITCH
N, II U O OEII ' EOA L AOJ U IlMEN T CUNIt

17 l l . .TANOIY ca .. PAU L I O N T SWITCH

n. CQUASiE INOICAroll
I. LANDINQ DUll: WA fII H I H D L I D H T �! � ������"' l IN DIC"'TOII
2. J..C C ! LfJII OM IETt Ii
l. C LOCIt
u. AJ�'ElD A N D III ACN INDICATOil
T Q ,. ItADIO "'AONElIC INOICArOIl ("'frill) .... 'A"OfT AL nTU O E IHOICArOIll
$. TIII U E A IIII S'HO I H D IC... roR
>0 .. FlIO H T I N OICATOII CONTI\OI. ' A N E l
71. r U IIN AN D S lIP I NDtCA'OA
a ... .. ..... MENT CONfllOL PANn
1 . I' U D I1 T I N DICA'Ofll
.. ... TTIT U DlINOIc...rO Ill
.. ENDINE 'fII USU lll l ItAliO OAOfS

Pristine F · I O t A prtO( t o Ita deUvery IUgh!. The

F · I 0 1 A c a p t u rld the wor1d's .blolul. spHd
rlcold on Olcemblr 12, 1 951, p o s l l n g I!I ' w Q-w.�
aVlraga spe.d 0 1 1 2{) 7. & mph ovef 8 len mile
course. The record ! I 1 g h t wu flawn by MsJol
Adrian E. Dr.w ol lhe 27th FBW " 3&,000 leel o�ar
Edwards AFB, C . U r ornl •. (Paur Slovens)

F·IOl e at 'he 81st T FW . T h I s alrcrs l t was I.tar

comerled 10 R F · I O I H . M a rklnos on l a l l .r. lop to
bott om; medIum b l u •. y e l l o w , red, wl.h white or
blu. S I A fl t , W i n g bedg. on both . l d ' lI 0 1 r u . . t.g •.
(P.ul Sl .... . ns)
RF·l0IC o f Iha 3BJrd TRW, 1 7 l h TRS, III A n d rews A F B , O d o b e r 1 957.
(USAF)

(Above Right) R F· l 0 I C 0 1 Iho 1 7 1 h lRS II It Ipp..red d u r I n g Ih,

NOYlmber 1 957 mob l l l z a 1 l 0 n exercise M O B I L E Z E B R A , which s aw
units 01 TAC's N i n t h and Elghtee n , h Air Forces tty t o ,h, lar e a s t .
(USAF)

AF·l0IC 01 I he 17lh TRS. Checkerbo�Hd on t a l l I s l i g h t r e d , s i m i l a r t o

F S 2 1 1 58 . B i n d on nose I s Ippalln1ly • dlrker red. N o l e I h l l bldge
I'Ll. Men removed 110m nose. (,Ia Pa u l Stevens)

R F · l 0 1 Cs 0 1 Ihe N I 1 I o n a 1 l s 1 C h i nasl Air Force. photograp hld In

1 9 6 6 . Supplied w i t h betweln 6 Ind 9 R F· l 0 1 s In 1 9 5 9 . the ChInese Na·
t lo n. I I ., . opera led them success ' u l l y over Ihe m a I n land lor se'erel
yeer' bel ore opera t i o n a l a U rl l i o n IInally ended Ihell cllreers.
(Su l1l ,an)

A F · l 0 1 C o f I h e 36Jrd TRW. T h i s I l r cII ' 1 has red nose bInd . wherelS

o u r cover a l r plene c l r r l e d I derk blue band . (USAF)

AF·l01C'S nose oponed

up 10 expose lis
ClmlrlS. K A · 2 s e n d
KA�5s warl carr1ed prior
10 19&4 moder n l lation,
which Included ,ep l ac e·
mini 01 \hUI c.mlras
with Iha Hycon K S · 7 2A
elml"S. (Aoglr
Blseckar)
 -

O H lc l, 1 mark ing. sch.ma carried trom 1980 uo l l l th, 1II­

troducHon 0 1 c a mou f lag e In I h e m l d· s l . , tls �at overall
gloll gr.y, with TAC badge lind l i g h t n i n g b ol l o n tall. "
t u .trlf,d b y I h l s R F· 1 D l I t EgUn A F B , Flo rida. 44871h
r .. , Squadron. Saptembl' 19154. (Norman E Taylor rill
Paul Stevens)

Fllst attempl.s 8 1 cl mou i tag lng the R F · l 0 1 ( a n d pam.pot

the I l r s ! , ! t a m p l .! c amo u ll.gl ng any TAC Ilrerall!) 'Nil
during the Cubln mlssUe crlsl. 0 1 1962. Color. ai' two
shld •• 01 gr80n, and I n l l ra I l r e r . l t hiS beln pal n t,d, 11\­
eluding nose end ad'l.usls! ( U S A F via Plut Ste"lns)

A n o t he r •• rly c.mou
118;0 scheme I s mod.l�
ed by the RF· I O t C du�
Str ike Command's IX""
else GOLDFIRE. whkh
WI' held I n tho .r•• cl
Fl. Leonard Wood, MO in
Nowemba! 1964. COlor1
are two shades 0 1 grHl\,
ona s h,de 01 brown.
L l g h ! calered be nd 00
1 1,I 581&g8 W/l5 & merklng
appl ied for !hls exercl"
o n l y . (USAF)
Flrs l R F· l 0 1 1 1 0 dlploy to Vletn.� w o r e t h e lAC grey
schlme. Th l l anI htlS th& P A C A F badge on lis t I l l ,
r a n S o n N h u l A B . R V N , Februlry 1 964. ( U S A F)

(Bilow R I g h I ) RF · 1 0 I A· 25· MC 01 I hl 441 41h C e T S ,

Sh.w A F B . S . C . , Much 1 9 6 8 . C.mouUsge schlml I II
oll-le drab, dark green, I n d medIum brown, w l l h th e
brawl"! beIng Ihe I I ghteSI appearIng color I n I h l s
p h o , o . ( Norm a n E. Taylo r!

The SImI alrcra" o n I I n . 1 approach a. Shaw AFB,

S.pl.mblr 1 966. (Jim SuUly.n)

Yet InOlher exper1m.n.al camo u l lagl lehlme I I d lsp l.yed by Ih l s

R F · l 0 1 a' D.n a ng AS, Fl V N . 11 I s appar8 n l l y I hrl 8 Ihadel 0 1 gr8e n ,
wUh whIte 0 1 Y l ry I I g h . grlY undlrsldes, and a wldo rod t u rbl n o wlrn·
IIIQ Jlrlpl on lusolago. (Tom H l n l o n 'III P a u l Sllvlnl)

C.moUUlgI COIOfS. 1 1 not p l l l lrnl, hid beln II .ndard l�8 d b y 1966.

Thll wIIl·worn yetoran Will a pil rl 0 1 11'11 bIg reeCI 01 1 0 11 Ix plnd ld
duri ng Roiling Th u nd er , Tin Son N h u l AB, 1966. (USAF)

MIJor J.mes F.
Y o u n g o l l h o 2011'1 TRS 1 8 � I U I n I I I I H iI m i s s i o n over
Nanh Vlelnlm In ' 966. ( U S A F)
) Lata m o d e l
nose.
RF·101
showing
p i l o t s n d sensor
helds . 8S well IS
camera w I n dows.
[USAF)

S l i g h t l y n o n · s l , n d , r d camouUage t r•• tment, I S evldanced b y larg.

nilional I n s l g n l l o n l u u t ag e . slIrvlclI n l m e o n fuulage and Irellt·
man I o l , l r C I . 1 1 serial number was sWt Clrrled by some RF·l01s 01
I h e 363rd TAW It Shaw AFB I n 1 9 6 6 . (Jim S u l l I va n )

S t a n d a rd c . m o u l lsga p a t t e r n on a n A F · I O I of Ihe 1 8 t h l R S , landing

a t Shaw, t 9 7 0 . {Jlm S u l l l..,..nj

( laft and B e low) Two '1'1111 l i o n s o n c.mauU.ge p.".m t $ applied 10

subseq u e n t l y n u m b.rad all'plane5. T h e racea lIoodoo performed
yeom.n "rvlclI I n Southeast Asia, performing the majority 01 pT.
and p o s t · s t rlka work d u r i n g Roiling Thunder. The Voodoo W'I sue·
eaSi l u l I n I p l l e 01 /I nasly p'6d8l1cllon t o pilch up w h e n axclSlln
angles 01 aUack were put on II. as mIght be expected t o occur when I
pilot was . ! t e m p t l n g '0 evede a S A M or AAA. ( P a u l Stevens)

"
(Abo�e end Right) Two
yllwS 0 1 Ihe prolOl vpe
RF· t O t F. /1$ II epp&!lred
II Gr!l!ln�1I1e, S.C. In
Augusl 1 9 7 1 . I I h a d bean
d u bbed "2,000 MPH
Brownie C a m e r e " . . . ob·
ylously bV someonlt w h o
wes nol lamUlar w i t h I t i>
pe l f o r ma n c e l i g urru
(Jim Sulll�8n)

79 01 t h e 480 B moders
built were modltred w l l h
dUll controls l o r t r e n s l ·
l i o n I I l l n l n g . T h e se were
r.de s l g n ' l e d F·IOIF.
Some 0 1 these did not
han 1 1'1 08 Intercept reder
gu, .nd were leHu
modilled Inlo R F· I O I F s.
Thl • • I rcrall belonged 10
11'1. 192nd TRS of 11\&
Nlnd. Air Guard In
1 9 7 2 . (Jeny Geer �I. P e u l
Stewlns)
 F· I O I e le&(l5 , fOl'
m a l l o n o f the AOC
aillterl. ( U S A F)

F r esh l y mini ltd F · I O t 8 awalls delivery t o l i s operatIonal h o m e

( r o m I h e M c D o n n e l l factory. Th e l O t r e m e l n e d t r u e to I t l
o r l g l n a ' mlsslon(s) t h r ougho u t I t s servlca l I I e . one 01 t h a f_
modem alrcratl I h a t ...... el. n o t m o d l f l.d l o r s o m e t h I n g olMr
I h a n Iha des igner's origi nal In l e n ! . ( P ll u l Slev.nl)
�
- n
( B e l o...... l.lt) F · I O t B · I O S · M C l a d i n g al Oreer,.llIlI. S . C . In M.y
1 9 7 1 . Th. F · I O t a ...... . . operated b y u p t o 28 Squadrons during
Us USAF caraer. ( J i m S u l llv,n)
F · I O t B·9.s.MC 0 1 the 6 0 t h FIS, O I ls AF6,M,se. M a y 1980, The
60Ih w .. the IIr.1 u n l l t o get Ihe F · I O l e . T,II marklng. lfe red,
w h i l e the e on the Inllke rlmp Is black. (T h o ma. S. Cuddy II 'II.
Paul Sleyens)

R e la ! l v a l w targe
f lap area II
dllp!ly.d In I h l s
h.ad·on .ho t on
en F · I O t B . (5.
Ohtakn
F·IIJI B·I I (}.MC of Ihe 29t h FIS, wllh
" tl-t'bulnell Ibille, t a k l l a l l Iro m
".'mSlrOm A F B . M o n l l n . I n 1966.
hll nash I I Yillow, w i t h bl.ck edges.
ADC bedgl on Ilirboird I i d e 01 tall.
Squadron bldge on lalt side. [USAF)

ulest markings o f F · I O ! B o f the

IOTth TfO a le .'so the l a s l 1 0 be
dll-played on a Voodoo b� this unit.
They Include Squadron badge, ANG
.h�ld. •n d ADC pon n . n t o n tell. (S.
Ohlak�

flS, ! 42nd FG.

F · I O I B 0 1 t h e t 23rd
Olegon A N G ., William Tell '78. Red
bIrd. with yellow beak, trimmed In
bllCk. Bleck scroll w l l h white l e l l el'
Ing. Insld" 01 .U glll r doors. speed
br,hs. lIaps are gloss red. (5. Qhllkl)

Mothballl' The eventual lale 01 alt

F · I O " Is dJl-pllyed by this Voodoo 0 1
thl WashIngton A N G , II I Greenvill e,
S. C. ln 1 9 7 1 . (Jim Sullivan)

3'
D u r i n g 1 9 6 1 , t h e R C A F ac q u i red 56 F · I D I 8, and 10
F · l 0 1 F s ( t h e F Is t h e d u a l c o n t rol modeQ to
rep la c e lis C F · 1 Q O I n t e rcept o rs . T hese were lak,n
directly Irom opera t i o n a l ADC squadrons. tIM
Canadians e l i m in a t ing the I I s c a t yesr plath: hom
the aerla' n u m ber, a n d ad d i n g a 17. Nota that
so me vesllges 0 1 the U S A F marltl n gs remeln on
the18 alrc r a l t . ( R C A F yla P a u l Sleyens)

As I he F · I D I W IIS phllSed oul 01 ac t i v e A D C ,.l

ylce, 66 01 t"-em were extan slvely modertz:ed Ind
t u r ned over 1 0 the Canadian Armed Forces. In e�·
change lor Ihe 58 rem a i ni ng odglnal C F·IOll.
These were asslgnad completely new semil
numbels by Canada. beginning with 1 0 1 00 1 .
T h e s e C F · I O l s belong t o 409 Squadron, l I y l l19 oul
01 C o m o x , B . C . T h i s Is Iha c u r r e n l CAF marklng$
schama. (vIa P a u l S l a yens)

C F· I O I I l r a s a G a nle. T h i s Voodoo belongs to 425

Squa d ron " A l ouetles", o u 1 0 I Seoo\v11le. C A F ,Il·
era t l were b i l i n g u a l al 1 h l s lime. w i t h Freoch on 11M
right side and English on Ihe le11. (via PIUI
St6Y6nS)
 F · 1 00 S u p e r S a b re

F·HIOC,'·NA 452nd FBS, n

3 22 d FBW.

� 8th TFW

�
��.:.1./�
� �
F . 1 00C. I O . " " 1 1 o . ' by "",,,,,,,, ,.,,,,
Moll. Ed PelmQhln dtlrlng 1 9 6 3 .how snaon.

�
IIIIJ
 CF·10l B 01 409 Squadron III William TeU '78
T h e Cenedlen Squadrons .re In ' n tegl"
pari 0 1 NORAO and p8ftlclpat. I n .11 com­
p.t l t lons. C F · I O l s a r e no ..... painted o�.r"
gloss grey. (So 0111alo:I)

C F · 1 0 I B 0 1 4 1 6 S q u a d ro n , as 1\ appeartd
was
d u r i n g 1 9 7 1 � I s l t 10 O re e n� lIla, S . C . I t
home· ba sed a t CAF C h a t h a m . Though this
elrcl'1lU I s nalural m a l e l . mo.t ClnadJ.n
--- � 1 0 1 . ware painted aluminum soon .lIa, Ihl.
---==:;=--=::::=
::=: p h o l o was I.kan. (Jim S u l l l-v.n)
CF·I Q 1 B s 01 425
S q ll . d r o n . II·
III. t r . l . th.
pllnted . I u m l n u m
look. Squ. d:ron
lladge I, red and
blick, white latter·
Ing. 1P.ul Stevens)

F/ R F· 1 0 1 A i rcraft M a rk i n g
S p ec i f i c a t i o n

35
����9�� Special TeS!. McClolI,,,
 F · l 0 0 F d O · N A 01 the 353rd TFS, 354th T F W .

F-1 00 Ej ection Seat

,-�
Mk 81 Snllke.,." I 250 lb. G P Bomb

F·tOQ pori gun be.,. showing two 01 the tour M·l9

A u l omellc G u n s. These 20 m m weapons are Gas·
Opelated, B e l l · F e d a n d EteclllclIU.,. Fired ,e�ol".,·type
guns.
 The s u b s o n i c:
Y F · I 02 . T h i s II
number on., at Ed·
wards AFB, shan·
I y betora Ihe crlSh
l a n d i n g that dIS'
!rayed I t I n N�em·
b e r 1 953. (USAF)

t o r . The I nterceptor h a d y e t t o be desIgned, b u t the A i r Force d t d send

F· 1 02 D e l ta o u t Req u e s t For Proposals I n 1950 and t hey did I n v i t e ConvaIr 10 bid

on the PIOJect . Convair's bid was based upon liS very successful
XF·92A. They were awarded a cont ract for two prOlotypeS In

Dag g e r
December 1 95 1 , The problems Involved In t hi s ambitious projec t were
really qu i t e staggering at t h e time. First 0 1 all, a s u personiC ilght&r
was going to have t o be de.s lg ned . The co nl rac tor was proposing a
radical con l l g u ral lo n . Secondl y. a radar and f l r 9-Co n t r o l s y st e m wu
g o i n g to have 1 0 be d e s I g ned and b u i l t parallel to the t ighter design.
The two systems then had to merge at the end 01 the i r gestatlOfl
T h e F · l 02 was t h e I l rs t weapo n s system t o bo aeslgned Irom t h e periOd and work well t oget he r . This was t h o b i rt h 01 the mOdern
drawing board up. " Weapon9 system" l s a t e r m we h a v e c o m e t o tak.e weapo n s system. A t hird compllcallon was. added to this scenario. In
for granted. but I n 1 950 I I had not yet entered t h e l e ll i co n 01 t h e early · l l l t les. It looked as though we roally needed a n I n t erceplOf
aerospace term inology . The very Idea 01 such a thing was somewhat las t. The sooner. t h e be l l e r l The d e s i g ners real l y could nOI afford to
revo l u t io n a ry . The tact Ihat the weapons system would be wrapped wast e any t i m e In g e t t i n g t h e s y s t e m Irom concepl to reality. The Air
up In a de lia- wi nged package made It soom down·rlght BUCk Aogers l Force Indicated that they wantoo t he I n terceptor in t he inven tory by
The F · l 0 2 story really s t a r t s I n t'945, when leams /rom American 1 954,
alrcralt companies were sc o u r i n g a ravaged Germany lor lalent and B e c a u s e the w h o t e system h a d become so compl icateO , It becal"M
Ideas. rNe had t h e Industrial wherewi t h a l 10 b u r y the A x i s I n World o b v i o u s t h a t a p u r e 'experl m en ta r version of I h e I I n a l produ ct could
War II, but t h a Germans really had cOfnered t h e market on I nnova t ive not be han d b u l l t , tested, reworked. lesloo again, etc. , elc. Thera Just
aerospace Ideas.) One ol l he more I n teres t i n g concepts to make It to was n ' , Ihe time lor Ihat. The designers wou ld have 10 give I t I hel l best
t h i s side 01 I h e A t l a n t i c was the delta·win ged l i g h t e r 0 1 Or. Alex s hot and come u p w i t h the production art icle t h o IIrst t ime alOuM.
Upplsch, who had designed t h e M e 163 K ome t . The I n t ra·servlce This ph l1osop h y was art i c u lated by A i r Force Generals Orval A. Coo k
rivalry 01 our A r m y and Navy had s u rvived t h e war In robust good and Lawrence Craigie and the die was cas t . The Cook· Cral gle Plan
health, being manifested by both services awa r d i n g contracts lor became the standard lor A i r Force weapons system procurement.
Oelta·wlnged l i g h ters. Teams /rom Convair and Douglas were I n on This really puts the onus o n the designer 10 come up wilh the best
t he ground l I o o r a n d Ihey received I h e conlracts. The A i r Force con· c o m p romise between prac t i c a l i t y and advanced featu res . In
Iract to Convair was lor a Mach 1.2 l i g h t er. T h i s I n 1945, belore retrospec t , It appears to have been a stroke 01 g e n i u s , as II has allow·
anyone had evon lIown laster than the sp&ed 0 1 soundl The con l rac t ed tho U n i t ed States to develope and build the most advanced
was amended the l o l lo w l n g year 1 0 pro.vlde lor one research allclalt w eapon s systems in the wor!d
only, the eventual resu l t being t h e XF·92A, w h i c h l I ew l o r t h e I I rs t The prototype F · l 0 2 was deslgnaJed Y F· t 02. II was about 2 5 %
t l me o n J u n e 9, t948. The XF·92A was t a r I r o m supersonic, but I t w a s larger than I I I p r o g e n U o r . t h e X F·92A, and p o w e r e d by the wOndOf
e�tremely succes s f u l I n provi n g t h e concept of a delta·wlnged engine 01 Ihe 'SOs, the J·57. II made I t s I I r S l l l l g h l on October 24, 1953
l i g h t er. AI! I I needed, thOy t h o u g h t . was a bigger englne . . . . t h e n I t a t Edwards A F B . w l l h ConvaIr's C hle ! Project Test Pl i ol Richard L
w o u l d be supers o n i c . They w ere I n f o r a r u d e awak e n i n g . J o h n son al t h e conlrols. T e s t i n g c o n t i n ued w i t h Johnson. Earle G.
B y t 949 t h e A i r F o r c e had r e a c h ed some c o n c l U S i o n s aboul a i r Martin and Sam Shannon s h a r i n g I h e duty. As they approached tile
delense t a c t i c s and e Q u i p m e n t that reQuired s o m e lundamen t a l Mach, they encountered all kindS 01 p roblems, I n c l u d i n g severe bul·
changes I n t h e w a y Interceptors w e r e designed. I n t h e I I r s l place. let and yaw o s c i l l a t ion. To cap It o t t . on Its seve n l h I I lg ht the Y F · I 02
since the enemy bombers w o u l d be carrying nuclear bombs, you had s u t t ered a l Iame'o u l and crash.landlng which dest royed n u mber one
to try 10 b r i n g everyone 01 t hem d o w n . I n order t o do thaI. you would p r o t o t y pe . The second p rototype was rolled o u t and itown on January
have to have 3 tot of I n t erceplors or you would have to arm the I n · 1 I, 1 954. but despite t h e mod l l ica\lons made to damp o u t t h e buffet
t ercept ors t h at you had w l l h very e f fect ive weapons that c o u l d be and yaw, I t Just would not break Mach 1 . The vehicle that would carry
I l red Irom greater d i s t ances t h a n the conventional atr'le-alr ..... eapons the u l t fil'So p h t s t lcated M X· 1 1 79 system Into M i l le wouldn't even
(guns) 0 1 t he day. There had been some moderatel y successful use 0 1 break t he Mac h ! T h i n g s looked very dark Indeed lor the F · l 02. and 1\
airborne radar I n the war and I m provments were b e i n g m a d e a l l t h e was at t h i s poi nt t hat the Air Force got McDonnell crackin g onthe
t i me. This, coupled w i t h u n g u ided a e r i a l roc k e t s , provided t h e basis F · I O I B.
t or t h e f i rst p r i m i t i v e weapons s y s t e m s which w ere embodied In F·94 Whal had led Convair \ 0 I h l s dismal day? Well. to pul It I n t o a n&at
and F-89 alrcra l l l i t t l e Pilck.age, I would have to say I h a t the absence 01 a supersonic
H ughes A l rcrall Company had pioneered t h e lield 0 1 A i r b o r n e I n · wind t u n n e l had done them I n . O n papel t h e YF·I02 was su personic.
lerce pt RadaL I! was l h e l r E·4 radar t hat equlppeCl the F-B9 and F -86 D . but I he prInciple lor design ot s u person ic wind t u n nel s was not
They received t h e contract lo r t h e M X · 1 1 79 sys lem , w h i c h would eluc ldaled u n t i l 19':9 b y NACA's J o h n S taC k . The I I rS l supersonic
detect a n d t r ack a t a r go l and g u i d e w eapons to I ! Irom t h e I n lorcep· wind t u n n e l beca.me operational i n 1 9 5 1 at Langley Laborat ory. Unlor'

38
hJnalely, by Ihal t l m o ali l h e design work h ad been c;one en Ihe 1 02
and It was In I he works. E�perlmentallon til Langluy Ie'; to I ho "Area
Rule" 01 aerodynamics, a u t hored by Richard T. Whitcomb ThiS led t o
the scrcaUed "coke bol 1 l e " tuselage. When t h e F · W 2 g O l lnlo serious
lrouble. Convair decided 1 0 make USe 01 area r u l e t h eo ry . w h i c h had
bHn made public I n December 1953.
Convair produced the Y F · t 02A I n \ \ 1 days o t around·the·clocK
I
labof at their San DIego plant. I t o n l y barely resembled I h e o r i g i n a l
VF·l02. T h e l u s e l a g e w a s 1 6 lee\ longor, h a d that c o k e bol 1 l e s h a p e ,
along w i t h a drooped nose and a n e w c a n o p y . 1 1 h a d a n uprated
&/lglne.I h e J·57·P4 1 , whIch gave 1 5 . 500 l b . 0 1 thrust. The Y F · l 02A
made lis IIrSl IIIghl o n December 20 . 1 954. going Ihrough Ihe MaCh. to
1.2. the lollow l n g day. The following month I I c l i mbed 1 0 over 55.000
(eet and Ihe Air Force . and Convatr, breathed a coli &clive s i g h of
rellaf.
Even though Ihey now lell lhey had Ihe producllon c o n l l gura.!10n
baslcaJly conecl a n d that prOOuotlon could g o ahead. t h e i r problems
·...era oot o\·el. As t h e I l ig h l test program began to e�Dlore I h e region
beyond Mach 1 .2 . severe s t r u c t u ral vibration was encountered. I I
l ook u n l l l
January 1 9 56 10 work o u t t h a I problem. the solullon 01
....hlch was a redesigned and strengthened air I n i a l ramp. Test i n g con·
IlmJed w hile alrplanfts c o n t i n ued t o roll 0 1 1 I h e productton line
EvefYtlme a modllicatlon became standard as a rasu l l 01 tesl S . I t had
10 be retrofitted 10 prOOuclion airplanes. The classic case I n point Is
tile vertIcal ! I n . which had been enla/geo 1 0 give b a t t a r dlroctlonal
stabl llly. This modllication became slandard o n t h e 66 t h airplane and
was retfOlllted to a l l previous alrpl a.nes . The ! l nal produCllon con·
l�urat1on was agreed upon I n April 1 95 7 altar h a l l 01 t h e produCllon
bI!ch 01 873 102s had be e n m a n u l aclured. ProductIon was c o m
pleted o n e year later.
The weapons employed In the prod u c t i o n a I r plane I n c luded 3
AJM.oIA radar�ulded and 3 A I M·4C I n l rB·red h o m i n g A A M� Those
",ere carrIed I n t ernally, I n t h e weapons bay I n t h e belly. TM foldmg
<!o'eapons bay doors o r i g I nally had provision l o r accomodallon 0 1 24
uBguJded loldlng f i n aerial rockets. These were e l i m i nated. The I n I t ial
production version 0 1 the M X· I 1 7 9 weapons sys t e m was the MG-3
The first unit t o r&Ce1vo t h e F · l 02 was t h e 327th F I S , which began
recelvl� ils aircraft In June 1 956. Peak usage o f Ihe D e u c e came a
stant lour years later, with 25 ADC squadrons l I y l n g t h e 102 D u r m g
I t S service I l l e , t h e 1 0 2 w a s 1I0wn by 46 U SA F squad r o n s . 20 A N G
squadrons and b y Greece a n d Tu rkey T h e A i r Force has modllied r h e early 'Rlndlcraan c o n l lgu ra U o n Is evident I n t h l . sh o l a l t ha I I r ! t
MYe!'!1 a s Q F · l 02s and POM·l02,As for u s e as drones. l i S I I r8 t l i ne Y F · l02. A l so not. t ha non-ar.a·ruled f u se l ag a. ( U S A F)
servf ce I l l e w a s relatively s h o r t , o n l y because i t h a d s o e f l e c l l vely
r:IemonS\lC!led t h e potential 01 I t S basic desi g n . which l e d to d o \o e l o p - F l r l l I l ight 0 1 the p r o t o l yp. Deuce w a s made at Edwa r d s A F B . Qc.
IIltfll ol l h e F · \ 06 D e l l a O a l t . t o b e r 1 953 b y C onv.lr' S R Ichard J o h n s o n . (USAF)

J9
 F·1 0 1 Voodoo

F · 1 0 1 Ej e ct i o n Seat

F · 1 0 1 M a i n L a n d i n g G ea r
 � 60th Frs

018 132nd
:i: GUlIrd, 1 974.
I OS·Me a t FIS, M a l n a

�
MA.lN E lacs
�
«
C\I
o
,....
•
u.
The 't'f. I 0 2 c ons l st. nt l y r.lund lo l l y b'y o n d Mscn 1 In Jev al 1 ! l g h 1 .
a'plt. Ihe bill .llo r l s 01 Corwel,', .ngln o.rs who romovad . n d
reworked I he wing t i p s t w l c a . n d l a t a r a d d a d .n o t o n g . t e d nose.
I\lSA�

The nurTIbfW t w o Y F · I 02 took ov.r Ihe bulk o l lhe t .st p,ogr. m olte,
numb. r ona cr.shad. Powar unit t o r rudder Is I n ,.I,'ng on vartlc.1 lin.
wIllI. the e'avon unlls e re I n \h. 1,l r lng s undar tha wlngl. ( U 5 A F)

The IIrsl Y F · l 02A show·

ICI s m,rked dltlera n c e
Irom Iha un!ucc. ul u l
yf·I02. Wllh lIS ora.­
ruled, longa, luselag.
,nd 'V' wl n d s c r . o n ,
ICOIW,lr)

fbt ptoductlon F · t 0 2As

til. ,oorl varl l c . l l l n
lied
..... I " t , r r . ' , o f l l l ,d
IIId w
"" I! the '!lrget lin. T h e
"V" wlndsc!!.an WI"
ldopted 1 0 cut dr.g:. I I
¢lu.ad so mony dls ra c · l
tlng rafl. c t l o n . tn Ihe
(ockpl1 thOi 0 v i s ion
JPIltl.r was I n s \ l ' led.
(p" " Bowers vIa J l rTI
Sum"n)
 IB I �2nd Oregon A N G , 118 ap·
:���Od al William T&II '76.
01 Ihe FIG II

-::£9'.i1q��__.......

F · I D I B 01 lh& �'!��:.'S, 1 �7Ih FIG.

T & x a & Air G U l r ,
 F· 1 02 Delta Dag ger

F · ! 02A 0 1 the 4961h F I S .

LJ . S. AIR -
F O RCE F.. C · 13!
:-

� 3 F · I 02A 0 1 Ihll 4 0 l h F I S a 5 I I lppured

I n 1 9 6 1 , Yokota A B , J , p , n . B a l l n c: e
0 1 alrcflt! I n s t a n d a r d 1 02 marldngs,
wUh buu n u mber.

�� [
53 4 0 3 l F · l 02A 0 1 I h e 4 9 8 1 h F I S .

F · l ()2 A ol l h e 460,h F I S a s I I appeared

I n 1 984. Blliance 0 1 ,'r(:r.'t I n stan·
dlrd 102 mark ing'. ""' l I h buu n u m b e r
on fuselage.

6147 8
 Onl 01 the Urst F · I 02s 10 bo dollyerod 10 In Ope!.
l i o nel squadron, tho :l271h FIS It l OIO(go AFR.
Calif ornia, Is s h o w n In A u g u s t 1 9 5 6 . (USAF)
F · f 02A·J5· C O a l t h o Oklahoma C i t y N l t l onl l Alr
Show In S. p l tmblr 1 95<1. Checkorboerd on t he lall
I s rId, a lrlpod o n I U l Ollgo aro, Irom fran I: rtd.
Whltl, bluo, Y I I IO"W. I n slgnll on III! Is Ihal 0 1 ItIt
3 2 7 t h FIS, Ihl IIrl' unit to eq u Ip w i t h I hl F · I O a
(Ooln Englahardt �II Paul 5 1 0Ylnl)

Early producllon F·lil2

wHh t h e taller lin, but
wi tho u t m o d i f i e d In­
91111
Ilkl' end e n r lrg.d
.peld brahs. (Olnll'lI
O ynlmlC9)

Th& t l r s l T F · I 02A WflS r o l l e d o u l l n OctObo!lf 1 955. (USAF)

This Y F I s l a b e l e d Y F· I 02 C , I h o u g h no lormsl record 0 1 .. C d8£ign s t l o n

s e e m s t o e x i s t . ( A A H S)

Fln.1 prod u c l / o " con­

I I g u rllion l o r tho F · I D2A
I n c l u d &d radll/gnod Ilk
I n takes w i l t! . p l l t t.r
pll'" which Inlblltd ttlt
Oeuco to ,uch M l c h loS
a n d I Ilrglr Iplld b r.kl.
ProducHon lIre rail wlr'
r l t u rnld 10 Ihl Sin
0 1 1<;1 0 plant 10 reellYI
theu U p d l t o S , pl u l tht
completo MO·10 Fir.
Conltol Syslom which
I i s o had dala li n k , .n.b�
Ing " to I n t lThe. with
SAGE ( S , m l · A c t l ¥1
Ground E r w l r on m & n t )
(Genlrll Dyno!lmlcs)
Del.t. O,gga(l 01
thl 1 7 5 t h f l S ,
Soulh Dakota
AHG. Red U g h t n.
Ing bolta on lin
I .. d l n g Idgas.
They I.t" Idd e d
.n o l her b o l t of
.bout tha uma
lI"9th u nd er 1M
url.l n u m b e r .
(USAF)

F·t02A of I h e I l Ih FIS. F u u ll(J6 s l rlpes 1 ( 8 ct!ll V glo

or.ngl. IDIYI Memltct)

F·I02A of the 47Salh A i r Delenu WIng. While s t t l p e

on lin with red (top) .li n d blue delta,. 1 92 glUon d r o p
1 1t!I ' . ' f e nlh,,(li mel.l. l )( e n B uch'n,n)
61500

Fe-soo U. S. A IR F O R C E

.� The 311lh Ind 3 ' s l FIS were " I \ l o n l d I I Elm.ndor! A F B ,

A l u k l l n 1 958 I S ' p l r1 0 1 N O R A. D's deflnus 101lnsl o ve r ·
'he·pole bomb" a t tllcks. ( U S A f)

F · ' 02. 01 'he 4961h FIS I' H ahn AB, G e r m any, \961.
F u sell"e I n d dlop l a n k . t ripe• •r . blue, yellow, rad. Tell
.Irlp. Ind .peed br.ke • • r. yeUow, with b l & c k o u l l l n e ,
s t r i p e s .nd sllrs.. (G. Pennh::k will Gear)

ADELANTO, a n F" 02A 0 1 I h 6 329lh FIS a s I I 8ppe.red II

Sheppard A F B , TeXIS, S a p tember 1 960. (Merl8 OlmSl6&d viII
Paul Slev�,"sl

782&

J .,
 R a m -A i r T u rb i n e

� 60960
I R F O R C E F e- S 6 0
F·102A·9().CO 01 the 1 7 S l h F I S , S O A N G , at A n·
�
or;a
rt4:S J S AIR fORC[
drew. AF8, Md. Ma y 1964. A t about t hla tlmo
F·I0'2s were ' " t ed with a b a l l · l l k e I R se n sor I n
IrOflI 01 Ih. wIndscreen. (Robert T. O ' O a l \ vie
PeuI Steven.)

F·I02A 01 t h e 496 t h FIS. Y o l l ow lall w i t h b l a c k

.trlpes, .p.ed brake eppeers 10 be dark I n ·
11gnll blue. S t ripe. on nose yellow and b lack.
willie IIdome I. bull·colored, p i l o t r.d. while
st riped, m lSlUes are red w i t h white m , rt l n ;,.
Ullh bldg. on b o t h sIdes o f t . l I . (Oav8
Menard)

The T F · 1 02A
SiflC& the A I r Force ' e l t t h a t I h e F · l 02
\\'as a handlul 01 airplane, they dl d fl · '
e�pec\ relatIvely IneKperlenced p i l o t s
10 be ,ble t o l I y l I , w l t h o u t e K t fa ! ra l n ,
'1lQ Conseq u e n t l y they c o n t racted
W i t h Convair i n May t953
l o r a two·
leater Rather t h a n laking I h e com·
parlwely simple expedient 01 s l f et ·
chIng ttleslandard a i rplane 1 0 mak,e
room for a tandem second seat, Con·
n,1 went aboul I he bUSiness ot
bUilding a alde·by·slde variant. T h i s
turned 001 10 be
a g r e a l t rainer. c o m ­
munications w i s e ( h o w coul d you Ig
tIOIe Ihe Instructor " he was geslur·
'"II Wildly or p u n chi ng you on I h e
aim). bul a cerlm.ble a u b - s o n l c ver·
sion 01 a supersonic I n t erceptor. N o t
on l ., . w a s I I n O I supersonic, I h e 'l a s t
Ironlal a r e a created a l l k i n d s o t n e w
Mradynamlc p r o b l e m s . T h e U r s t
nrg/ll was I n October 1955,
bul l h e T F
....as n o t released t o r performance
tHUng l ex almOS I a year. w h i l e
o
fari u s combinations 0 1 I I xes w ere
Iliad10 solve i l S problems. A tolai ot
63 were buill

MlIslvl irontll aroa o t Ihe T F Is I'll·

�t I n this Shot 0 1 a t 5 7 t h FIS
.lrpl'l"Ie 8 t McEnt i re ANGB. S C , 1 9 1 1 .
Ol"lt of I he c.nopy l I us r e q u l rod 10
comblt OlclSl lva h hig speed bull.l
In t h l T F w'l lnstll l l l l o n 0 1 a row o f
t.ne. . on ". dl n g edge 0 1 canopy r a i l .
IJIm Suillnnj

TF·l02A a t AOWC, Tyndall A. F B ,

FlofIda, w i t h carner. p o d u n d e r rIght
wing and ram air turbine deployed
undlf luselage. ( U S A F)
 . �

F · I 02As o f Ihe Louisiana Air OUlld. Blu.

and while 'tripes on lall, wlln 1 22nd FIS
"Y"l. Top 01 .peed
Modge on lall { I n ""' h l t e
brake and w in g lanca' .re r.d. (PIIII
S I IVln.)

F·I 02. 01 I h e Idlho Air NIIIOnl' Guard'i 1 24 1 h FIS,

Bal •• , Idlho. VIlla...., Ifill band . n d Imp.. on drop I.ok.
wllh black o u t l ines a n d diamond • . F·I02A·35·CO IboYI
WII p h o t ographed In 1 9'68 by Oougl. . D . O llo n , whll,
Iha TF al '.11 ""'II Ihol In 1988. Tha O.uee bllow ""'"
Ihol In 1 967, Ihl yllr I h a l buu numblrs ""'Inl oul 01
favor. (via P ll u l Slnln.)
F·t02A 0 1 th. 460th F I S . (Bob BurgellS via
P,ul SleYen,)

F·t02A45·CO o l .he 1 1 8 t h FIS, W ls h l n g l o n

A l l Guard, Spokane, W I s h i n gt o n , 1 968. Red
. t r i � on laU, w i t h b l u . a n d w h i l e borders.
Ace of spades la b l a c k a nd w h l l o , w i t h g o ld
,lIl1all0 with blue handle run Ihrough
cln l.r. ( Dooglal O . O l s o n v I a. Pa u l Stevens)

F·t02A 01 the 64lh FIS, P e I ne FIeld,

W uhlng t on. D e l t l on lall I , red, w hi l e, b l u l ,
wllh 64.h bldge I n c e n t e r . W i n g 'I n e e s a r e
yellow, s peed b Ilka, r e d on 6 1 467. (VIa
Jerry Gaol)

F·l 02A·70·CO 01 the t t l l h F I S , ' 4 1 t h F I G ,

rllts A N G , E l l I n g t o n A F B , Te� . . . Tu bes l o r
FFARI ' I e e w l d e n t I n weapont b a y do o rs.
(Or. Carlton A. Eddy w la Pau l SleYens)
 F . and TF· l02A o ! tha 1 761h FIS,
Wllcons!n A!r Guard, TfU" FI.II!.
t 9 7 1 . Not, Ihat In AmerlCln A!rllnM
deca! hIlS bean p!aced ov., the N.
t l o nal GUlfd Insignia on the T Ps I ...
an obvious re ference to I h e source 01
t h ' A i r G Ul rd's m s n n l n g fl·
qulr.manls. (P.ul Slavens)
F · l 02·9Q·CO ol l h a ' ,3rd FIS, OrtgOll
Air Guard, 1 968. L l g h l n l n g boll ao6
l u ul.g. s t rIpe, Ire gold {mel.llkJ
trimmed In green. (Ooogln o. 01soa
�Ia Paul St, ... ens)

F · l 0 2 A · 4 5 · C O 01 the l s e t h FIS, M()Ilo

n
tI a A i r G U /l f d . Greal Falla, 1968.
Blue tall b I n d , w l l h w hlla border and
s'ars. Siripe on l u sallQ' and IIMQ
'Incas art red. (Douglas O. Olson 'ria
P a u l Slevens)

...,
B GJ S
' 0 5 3390

-.

U. S. AIR F O RCE

F · l 0 1 A · 50 · C O 01 I hl
I l ath FIS . Connecllcul
ANG "Flying V l n keH-,
Bradley Field. CT, 1969.
(Thomlll S. Cuddy II YII
PauI 5Ie"" (l5)
TF . I 02A·26·CO o f the Hoollg/lns. It Elman·
dorl AFB. Alas k . In 1 96 9 . (NOlman E. Tlylol
¥II SI,vans)
F·l02A·S5·CO 01 lhe 178!h FIS, Norlh
D.kol. All G u ald. Bligh! red 1111 S t llpl, with _
bllek bouSel, lad wing ! lI n c lIS . Thl HIP PY
Hooligan, have Ilown a Yallely o ! lnlercep·
IOfl . • 1I I n Ih. A D C buslnlss. ln Ihe plll$ l two
!ltead•• Ind always w l l h I h e lame milk·
�.,(DoU91 .. D . Ol,on. v i a P a u l S t aven,)

<Dr
TElAS

, ,
I
- I1I1I
0.6 1 079 ,
G

F-l02A.sG·CO o f the 1 4 7 1 h FIG. Tex.s A i r GUllld, 1 968. (Thomas S.

Cuddy II vi. Sllvlns)

T F · 1 02A 01 t h ll 1 82nd F I $ , Slm A n l o n l o . T e x a s ANG. D l s l l n g u l . h e d

��'� i.'�.�o� ���9� �h�I�,� clk,�;r ��II��l,l�tt�O,'��r;�ch.a:'lfl� u��� 7�\� /f

Sulllv.n) JJ.i...AlR FORCE �. �'
F·102A·70·CO o t , h a 3 1 7 1 h F I S . E l mendorf AFB. Alllk., 1968. High
Ylsit/lilly rad on 'III lind w i n g tips, wllh Alukln A l l Commlnd Bldgl
on Ilghl side o f lin, 21s1 C o m po s l 1 o Wing blldge on l e l l side, 3 1 7 t h
bldg. on bO l h s i d e s D I .'I t i ng u l shod U n l 1 C l tilion o v e r n il ·
of nou.
Ilon.' lnllgnla on both sides 0 1 l u ce l l g e . Flar;hes on
lanks ere r a d.
/NOl"m.n E. Tllylor via Jerry Goer)
 A I hre.. a h l p In alT show formaUon
oweT I h a d el l a l n 1966. (USAF)

(Abo�o Lelll AI Tan Son Nhul,

DecembaT 1 9 8 5 . ( U $ A F)

Standing alen, In camouUage . II I

Udof(, R T A B i n 1989. (USAF)

F/T F · 1 02 Ai rc raft M a rk i n g Standard U S A F C a m o u f lage

Spec i f i c a t i o n
IUMINO LOCATION
AU.$. ..iI5.' FORCE r"iii"iii.' 'iii
til ....
��' 11"-1IIOl'I
...---i�==­
L.U .1de "I I� •• L.n .... .lid- -
"' "
'- ...."'tJ.eI. ' . . hlgh

55
 F·104
Starf i g h ter
" T h e M issile w i t h a Man In I t " may not :!&EIm l i k e a very f u l u r l s t l c o r
even U !l u s u a l nickname \0
h a n g o n t o a l i g h t e r a i r c I s l 1 to day . what
with missiles with men I n them being a mOle 0 1 less accepted lact of
IUe.But back I n t h e early ' 1 l l t l e s t h e o n l y m i s s i les we had wele slrle!·
Iy experimental an d had a way 0 1 b l o w i n g u p I n spectacular and
unplanned t a s h lan. P u l l i n g a man Inlo a miS9ile seemed like a really
d i c ey propos il lon . . . . . maybe a good way 01
creating Instant aviation
marlyrs . So t h e S t arllghter's nickname should be appreciated for
what I I meant . or Implied. when t h e name I IISI g ot h u n g on
Loc kheed 's sleek and dangerous 19505 l i g h t w e i g h t .
The SlarHghler I s one of t h o s e nile e x a m p l e s of Ihe lighter p i l o t
get t i n g a_ae l l y what he a s k e d lo r I n a n a i r p l ane. I t wa..s t tle d i rect
resutt 01 a t r i p t o Korea by Its designer, Kelly Johnson, pfllttrfamllllJS
of lockheed·s lamed ' · S k u n k Works · ' . Johnson traveled to Korea I n
1952. oSlenslbly 1 0 g e t a I l r S I h a n d report on h o w h i s earlier b r a i n ·
Sial,
c h l l d . t h e F - 80 Shool l n g was d o i n g In combat. A m e r i c a n t i g h t e r
pilots. t h o u g h t h e y were enjoy ing a len·lo-one adyantage I n k i l l s over
theIr communist rivals. c o n t i n u a l l y bemoaned the fact that t h e nlm·
ble MIG-IS could outcllmb and o u t t u rn anything t h e y h a d . J o h n son
was Impressed wUh t h e i r pleas lor an I n t e rceptor t h at would beat
anything the comm u n i st s had. T h e Air Force was also I m p ressed and
the y ga�e lockheed a c o n t ract for
two proto ty pes. which t hey
deSignate<! X F · l 0 4 and lockheed called Model 63 "Sta IHghter" · .
lockheed had sellied on t heir p r e l i m inary design by March 1953.
The Air Force spec i f lcallon called f o r a Mach 2 airp lane that would
haye a combat cel:lng o t 60, 000 leet. J o h n son ai med at Mach 2 . 2 with
a celllng c o n S i derably h I g h er. I n an a i r p lane I h a t weighed In at bet·
ween 1 5 ,000 and t8.000 pounds . H e a l so wanted to use t h e new
pewer p lant under de�elopment by General Electric tor use I n the
B·58. This was t h e J · 7 9 , destined t o become t h e most ::;iuccess f u l
engine 01
t h e · s l l t les and ·seventles. Even t h o u g h a ploductlon yer·
slon 0 1 t h e J · 79 wOllld not be available u n t l i I956, liS promised perfor·
mance was so Imp lesslye that lockheed decided 1 0 awall l i S arrival.
I n the meant1me, t h e two prototype XF·l04s
w o u l d be powered by
Wright J·65s. rated at tO,200 I b s . l h r u s t .
The prototype c o n f i g u r a t i o n w a s evolved t h r o u g h t h e use 01 the
high sPited w i n d t u n n e l at NACA Ames Lab and w i t h a m o d l H ed Con­
vair CV·240. The CV·240 carried a computer which could be program­
med 1 0 d u p licate control responses 01
var iOUS alrcralt cont!gura·
l ions. Using t h ese two new t oo l s . Lockheod was a b l e . 0 try over 300
d l l leren. varla 1 1 0 n s al l h e m a t n t h e m e belore s e o l i n g on the flnat pro· The t lrst X F · t 04 tn f11'i1hl over Edwards AFB, tn 1 954. Evan w i t h the
tot ype c o n l l g u r a l i o n . tamporarlly ta l l ed J·6S angina. whlch dave lopad only 1 0 .500 Ib,.
In s
An Intere s t i n g s i d e l i g h t t o the F · t 0 4 productlan p r og r a m I S t h e lact thrust wIth a t t e r b u rner. tha X F · I 04 reach ed a spead 01 Ma ch 1 .6,
t h a t once the basic design had been proven a n d approve<! lor produc· wh i c h m i d i II Iha lastasl al t h a Century Sarlas u p t o Ihat t i me. This
tlon. lockheed launched a n I n t e n s i ve study t o comptetely rede s i g n p h o l o WIIS captIoned "tho t lrs t o l i l e lll i vlaw 01 the XF·t04" , b u l clr·
t h e w a y I n w h i c h t h e t04 w a s b u i l t . T h i s w a s done w i t h o u t c h a n g i n g rles la10r manelngs. (USAF)
the d e s i g n b u t , I n ellect, completely changing t h e airplane. T h e r e s u l t
m a d e t h e F · t 0 4 e a s i e r t o mass·produce a n d , based on a producllon (In previous p i c t u r e s . Lockheed had managed .0 conceal the Int akes
run 01 2,500 a i r p lanes, w o u t d save u p 1 0 $ 1 2 . 000 Pitr a i r p l a n e by placing one 01 ! h e l r better looking employetls I n t h e lOreground,
F i r s t I I lght 0 1 t h e X F · 1 Q.4 took place on March 4 , 1954. w i t h Tony concealing I h e strategic paris 01
t h e a t r p lane.) The Intake covers
leVier at t h e controlS. Throughout the rest 01 t 954
and 1955, LeVier. became known as · ' F l i g h t Falsies· '.
Herman · · F is h ' · Salmon and Joe Ozier explored Ihe XF·l(}4·s Lockheed received an order lor t 55 F · l 04As
I n 1 955. all lor t he Air
CharacteristiCS. T h e r e was p l e n t y t o e x p l o r e and t h e test program Delense Command. One o f the YFs reached Mach 2 In April t956.
was anything but dull, as pltch·up and roll·coup l l n g presented pro· There was a b s o l u t e l y n o denying the p o l e n t l a l o l the 1 04. I n lact . t he
blems that would have t o be overcome bel ore service acceptance. a l r l rame would obviously g o m u c h laster than t h e engine c o u l d sland
Generat Electric had the I l rst YJ·79-GE·3 engIne Q u a l l l led In l i m a \0 p u s h I t . (The red·llne was put at 2.2 because 01 I n l e \ temperatule
l o r InsertIon I n t o t h e I I rst Y F· I 0 4 . w h i c h rolled o u l l n December 1955. l i m it a t i o n s on the engi ne.) Though the S t a r t l g h ter was a really amaz·
F i r s t ! l i g h t was made on February 1 7 , 1 956 by Fish SalmOIl. T h e Ing piece 0 1 work, I I was also very troublesome. The test program
YF ·1(}4 was n o t i c e a b l y longer t ha n the X F , having to accomOdate t h e lasted l o u r yea,s and Involved lhe l i rst 52 airplanes. When serviceS(;·
l a r g e r engine and add i t ional f u e l . I t a l s o had mOd i f ie d I n t akes, w i t h a ceptance was I I n a l l y achIeved In January 1 958 , I t was relatlvoly short ·
large shock cone centered on the fuse lage. T h i s mod l l iCallon led to lived. The I lrsl SQuadron 1 0 operate the 104
was Ihe 8Jrd FIS al
some laughable ellons
by the Depart ment 01 Defense 1 0 classlly I t s H a m i l t o n A F B . Call/ornla The early F· l(}4sall had a downward eJec·
detailS. Laughable because literally thousands 01 people 081 Edwards, lion seat, p r I m a r i l y because I t was felt that t h e available methOdS 01
Burbank and Palmdale had seen the ai rplane and knew what , h e In_ seal p r o p u l s i o n were I n s u l licient t o gel the seal high enough, fast
takes looked l i k e . But, when Lockheed wanted 1 0 ollicially announce enough. to clear the t a l l . T h i s seat m i g h t have been .acceptable II an
1 M airplane 10 t h e press, 000 I n s l s \ed t h e I ntakes be covered. eJrtCllon al a l t i t ude could be guaranteed. Unlort unately. a larger
Lockheed came u p w i t h some s l i ck polished a l u m i n u m covers thaI percentage 01 ejections seemed t o come close \ 0 the ground, on
looked lor a l l t h e wortd l i k e a part 01
the alrptane. even t h o u g h I t was lakeof/ or landings. Tha o n t y way 10
kill yoU/sell more Quickly than
obvious t hey c o u l d n · t be anyt h i n g o t h e r than what they were ..... lake. r i d i n g a crippled. uncontrollable airplane I n t o t h e ground Is t o blast

56
yourself I n t o the g r o u n d t h rough the bo l 1 o m ol t h e airplane. The ser·
..Ice 100s were grounded I n April 1958. T h e g r o u n d i n g was because 01
�e problems that had developed w i t h t h e new J · 7 9 e n g I ne. Those
problems were eventually Ironed o u l and t h e 104 was once again
dealed l o r fUgh1. La t e r that year lockheed came o u l with t h e C-2
W I . the I I r s i u p w a r d eJec l l n g m o d e l to be f i n ed 1 0 I h e 1 04.
nllouglloul I h e test program, and much o l l t s service IIle. t h e 1 0 4 h a s
rnilntalned t h e worst salely record 01 any o f Ihe Cen t u ry Series. F a r
WOfS8 l ha n a n y of t h e r i g h t e r s t h a t h a v e been developed s i n c e . I I was
simply nol a forgiving airplane. I I you made a mistake, iI would very
lI;'elybe I h e last one you made In Ihat airplane I
KOI'ea w as the last real eyeball to eyeball alrwar. On s u r e . there was
ptenty 01 a i r cornbal ln Vietnam, but t h e bad guyS were almost always
II!lder ground conlrol. I n the Korean a i r war. f i g h t e r airspeeds had In·
creased by approximately 50 % from V'N/ II. G u n s were sll11 the
primary armamenl a n d you still had t o see t h e other g uy first, t hen
close to Within a few hundred yards al most before shooting. Nobody
knew what would happen w h e n lighter airspeeds went u p by 300 % . This photo shows the ear1y lest markings lor rha X F · l 04 a n d Is bellev·
F or lhat malter. probably n O I t oo m a n y people anHclpated t h at hap· ed to h av e baen laken In J u ly 1954 a ' Edward,. (USAF)
penlng wllhln Just a few years. Whal happened was t h a t the ai r·
lrameJenglne comblnaHon ran away lrom I h e p l l o , . s a b l i i t y 10 see and o j the '409 had s p r u n g . had laIn dormanl since t h e end 01 World War
Ihklk wl1hout electronic h e l p . U n f o rt u n ately, the age of m i n i· II. Now, I n a n allof! to reb u I l d , the B u ndesrepu b l l k went all oul to get
rurazation had nOI arrived and there was no radar that was bo t h a modern and Sopohlstlcated weapons system they could build I n
!IfOllg e n o u g h and s m a l l e n o u g h t o 1 1 \ I n t o the 104. t hei r lactorles. Lockheed w a s w i l l i n g a n d able t o provide them w i t h
Lockheed s o o n realized t h a t t hey would n e v e r r&cover the COSI o f thaI system a n d , t h o u g h the operational h i story 0 1 r he 104 I n Ihe
de'<eloplng Ihe 104 I I I h e y h a d 1 0 r e l y o n s a l e s to USAF . (T h e A D C Bundesl u l lwalle was one d i sa s t e r aller a nOl her , t h e program d i d I n ·
Jlfll l allM w e r e W i thdrawn I r o m service I n 1959 and t u r ned over to t h e deed resurr&el t h e G e r m a n aerospace I n d u s t ry .
A i r National Guard.) T h e y promptly s e t t h e i r s i g h t s on Europe. T o T h e G e r m a n s had s i g n e d t h e i r conl ract t o licen se· b u i l d t h e t o " I n
Il'lelr credil, t h e y w e r e open , m i n d e d enou g h , and I n novative enough, M a r c h 1 9 5 9 . T h e i r lead w a s Q u i c k l y followed by Canada I n September,
to realize t h a t r h e y could not hope to sell "made I n AmerIca" Japan I n January t960, H o l l a n d I n Aprll, B e l g i u m I n June, and I taly I n
AmerICan airplanes t o Europeans. They also realized that o u r NATO M a r c h 1 96 1 . T h e F · l 04 became I h e largest International manufactur ,
lilies would neoo m u l t l·mlsslon airCraft. So began yel another r9- ing program In hIstory and led to the sale of the 1 04 to several other
�Jon of Ihe 104. countries, m a k i n g I I the most wIdely used I ntercepiOr I n the world
The redesIgn 01 t he 104 actually began I n 1956. The onty notIceable d u r I n g the ' s l x l les.
cI\�ge from the t04A was the larger, boo s ted rudder , whIch had "The M i s s i l e with a Man In I I · · remains somewh at 01 an enigma to·
been Introduced on the H r s t two seat 104, r h e F . l 04B , fnternall y. day, Experienced f i g h t e r pilots w11l swear by II . b u t Ihere I s no deny·
Il'1ough, I t was cons iderabl y changed. Not only had the s l f u c 1 u re Ing that I I prevented h u n d reds 01 other p H o l s from gaining any addl·
been s l rengthened to accomodate I he h i g h "Q" ground attack m l s · tlonal experience. I t was a I&cord breaker I n t h e ' 1 I I U e s . Pilots 01 the
\101\, but a n e w and more sophisticated sel o f avionics h a d been I n · 83rd F I S gained worlO'S records for speed and a i l i t ude I n t 958 , 1 1 was
stalled. T h e A utone t lc s F · 1 5 A NASAAA (North American Search A n d t h e I I r s t t i m e that these records had been eluabllshed wl l h the same
RangIng Radar) pro�lded fOf enhanced alr·to·alr capab i l i t y , as w e l l as Iype alrcral!. And there I s eyldence I M t 1 1 might s t i l i be a record·
radar bo m b i n g and \t!ll aln avoIdance capabilit y . The I n takes weut holder, given more lavorable circumstances. Darryl Greenamayer's
antl'lced, bIgger t i les and brake chute were l i l ted, an a u t o p i l o t , an AB·l04 · · Red Baron" d i d eSlablish a new closed course speed record
IrnIltlal navigation ser, an I n l ra·red s i g h t and prOvisions f o r carrying I n 1 976, hi1l1ng 1,010 mph. U n f o rtunately, the · · o f l l c lar' monitoring
2.000 Ibs. 01 stores o n t h e cenlerllne and 1 .500 Ibs. on each 01 lour equipment m a l l u n c l loned and I h e AS·lo.: was destroyed In a later ac·
.� stallons was made. With all of these Improvements, In the c l d e n t before another record al l &mp t c o u l d be made.
/lands 01 an experienced I I g h i er p i l o t , t h e 1 04 need nOl lake a back
t.eaI I O any lighter I n the world, UnfOll unalely, lhe redes i g n ed Star· The second Y F , 1 04A . t Edwllda l n 1958 with t h e n o w lamou. " l tIghl
lighter was nOl d e s \ l n ed 10 be placed I n the hands 01 axperlenced f a l s i e s " In pla C t conrlng the Intakes. T h. ,eadl n g e dge. o f Ihe wings
flgllier pilots. were s o , h ar p (wllh . radius 01 16/1 000) t h a t co�ers ara l n.t .nad on
The Germans needed t h e 104 for more than j u s t defanse . They t h e g r o un d r o k eep g r o u n d craw f ro m i n j u r i ng t he mulve•. One ad·
rIfIeOed It (or some l h l n g l i k e l1J t o rebu i l d a whole I n d u s t r y . The v i t a l yantage o l l h e super· thIn wings and f l a b l l a t o r I s t h e f a c l I h a t lc. 1'0' 1 1 1
German aviation I n d u s t ry, from w h i c h most o f t h e dynamic n e w Ideas not , dher. t o I• •d l n g .dgas. { U S A F)

57
 ..,
--
�
�
o
,....
•
L1.
58
F·l004A& 01 Ihe 83rd FIS over
lhe Golden Gale arldga In
I!lSB. (USAF)

( B , l o w Right) F · l 04 A · 1 6 · L O 0 1
Iha A r l t o n a A i r G u a r d , 1 964 .
T h e yenirai l i n WII t i t l ed \ 0 t h l
I s s l 0 1 lhe Y F I to I n c r e a•• t h e
IIt'ral .la b l l l t y . 1 h i g h spaed . I t
dotl double d u t y , a c l l n g also
as .n .nlennili. ( P a u l Sl avans)

F · I Oo4 A 01 I hl 83rd F I S , w i t h
Squldron mlr1t1ng. Ipplled, I n
\959. Though I h e oplla t l on a l
fOlca 01 Sl l rl lg h l el s WI I
groonded I n 1 9 5 8 , p i l o t s 0 1 t h e
IIlra u led ta . . I l r c r s l ! t o set
naw IItHude ( 9 1 , 2 11 9 11) In d
.pHd ( 1 ,4ll4 mph) rlcOldS In
"''I 01 I h l l year. (Doug l es D .
OllOn ... l . P.ul Steyenl)

..,t:" .r . �

------ . . �
u. S. AJR FORCr

Th, I h l 0 1 I h e t w o ual yer l lon s, !he

F·1G4B. Tha a w .. 1 I 11 1 110wn on Fe b rulry 1.
19�1. It W I S 1 0 be u I.d s l r l c l l y l o r l r a l n l n g
Ind Irlnsilion and hed the clnnon and
Soml luselage IUClI CIi PICl t y removed 1 0
maka room lor t h e SClcond "I I . 2; 6 we"
OOll l , a l 1 by LOCkheed. (Paler 8 0wars v i a Jim
SuUlwan)

F·l04A·25·l0 01 the l S71h FIS, S o u t h

C'lolin. A i r G U lrd, 1963. (pl u l Slavens)
 ... L-J
U. S. AIR F ORCE

F·\ 04A·25·LO at !ha l 3 7 t h F I S . 1 9 60 . H i ghly poUII\­

ad nalural m e l a l l u salage, white w i n g s . Rw
f u selage aecUona IHO lIIanlum. (David Lucab-s.h
- y l a Paul S l ayens)

F · l 04A 0 1 t h8 3 1 9 1 h F I S Ov.rall IIgh'

w it e
. early '60s.
mel.' r •• r f u selage IOC­
� ...
gray, h w i n g •. n e l u ral
t l o n ll . (David Menard)

..- -0 S:,lIR FORCE' •

", ­

The Ilrst 01 'h. C models .ppeered I n 1 958. 17

weI. buill for USAF's TactlclIl Air Command.
dIU.,ances A Includsd
..
Primary from Ih. provision

bl
lor rial fefuellng. Iligel and m o r a powerful
J · 79·GE·7 engine, ow n IIlI.ps e n d proYlslon for
a l r·lo·ground ,10185 capability.

T w o non· s t a n d a rd F · l 0 4 I n s t ru m e n l p e n e l s ( e e n l e ' pln ol conl,lns

specIal les\ Instru m e n t ation). Later 104 models would have t h e r,d"
c n er
scope In Ihe lowel e t 01 t ho pane l . while the a l a n w o u l d be b ce
photos reloased In 1 9&1 Il l u s t rate
a
s i m i lar. These the ,elative s l mpllcl·
ty ol t h o 1 0 4 In thed y Ilg h h H mission. ( U S A F)
{Righi a nd B e low) F · l 04Cs 01
TAC's 4791h T F W , b/lSed at
.. ---
George A F B , Ca l i l orn la, 1 963, - �
. here d u ri n g Operation
'ho ....n
Swill Strike til, a Joint A r m y· A l r
FOI"CI maneuver held I n Ihe
Cltolln., I n July t 963. S l at·
tlghtlrs oper a ta d oul of Myrtle
Buch A F B . (U S A F a n d Duane
Kllulk. v i a Jeny Gear)

(B.low RighI) F· l 04Cs we re ...

•v.nt u . l l y t u rn.d ovar t h e
PU'rl o A l c o A i r G u a r d ....h
. .n Ihe
4791h T F W r.·equlpped .....l t h
I h a Phantom I n 1 9 6 5 . P R A N G
Iltw Sterllg h l l " u n ti l their
r.thement ln 1 9 7 5 . (lionel P a u l
.II J lm Sulllvan)

The N F · l 0 4 .....
. . operated by USAF·, Aerospace Ras elr c h Pilots
School . t Edward s A F B . T h r e e w I r e built, t h e m o d l t lc a t loo. I n ·
cludlng tha add i t I on 0 1 2 leet 01 span to esch wing, LR· t 2t 1A R ·2
roekal angl ne under tell, H T P reecllon conl rol. ( l o r pitch a n d yaw I n
oose, Ind t o r r o l l I n e a c h 0 1 I h e wings) end m odilled I n t a k e a h o c k
cone. 10 aecomodale h i g he r apeed •. T h e y w a r a u .e d to t r l l n p l l o t a
l o r IIItJng body 11Ighta, X · 1 5 m in ion. and ev e n l u a l l y I h a Spaca S h u t ·
tie. a n i wa. lo. 1 w h e n C h u c k Yeeger g a l II I n t o • ! I /I l ' p l n a n d r o d e 1 \
down lrGm over 1 00,000 leet t o 8,000 b e lore I!nally g lvtng up and p u n ·
ching 0\1 1 . Yeager wa. bad l y bu rned , but s urvived. The RCS co n t ro l
hlndlals mounle<l on the le t t c e n t e r o l lhe panel. (USAF)
 NASA has oparaled Iha F· 1 Q.4
l o r seyar.1 yea rs . I n t h 6 pre· P R·
oriented erl, their alrcral t war.
natural ma la l with yellow and
blue lIuhas ( 1 966). I n 'a" r
Y.lrs thay acquired I much
III. h la r scheme 0 1 w h i t e . dar_
and l i g h t blues. with gold
s t rIpes s epa rlt lng the eoIOl •.
The yellow l i n l Iu h was re" In­
ed. (USAF and Palar Mlneu.
via Jim S u l l ivan)

-= NA SA �
812

�-J
In 1 9 5 9 24 F· I 04A s warl converted to
QF·l04 Dronas. Thay havI b.en
operated by AIr FOlcI Systems Com­
man d. (U SA F)

Allho ugh they cany U S A F met\lngs,

these F· l 04G . IIle owned by the
F e d e ra l Republic 01 G arm any. All Ger·
man S t a r l lghte! p i l o t s are t r a I n e d by
USAF I n s t ru c t o rs III L u k e A F R ,
Arizona. Garma n 1 0 4 • • , l u k 8 " .
ma I n t a i n ed b y Lock he e d Salylct
Company, u n d e r .. clvman contract
aw a rded by U S A F . Ge rman y pays .po
p ro. l mll t td S27 million annu al l y lor
t he s e serolee. ( U SA F}

.,
F · I 04G 01 J e b o G 33 at Florannea, Belgium, S e p t e m bef 1 97 2 . The l l r s l
ol lhe 'G' m o d e l s l I a ..... on October 5, 1 950 . F I r a t O a r m a n · b u l l t St lf'
l'uhlar Wilt delivered In Augu., 1 9 8 1 , a n d t h e Itfat Lull ..... a"e unit to
eq u i p ..... lth lhe S ' trllghlef ..... as Jlbo G 31 a' Norvenlch. Oermlny's
lroublu ..... l t h t h e Slarflghier lad ' a I I . b e i n g grounded on seYlu,1 oc ·
caslons, c l u s l n g n a t l o n l l l u r o r t o e q u a l Waterglte In I h . US. O t h e r
NATO c o u n t r i e s h a v e nol hed ' h e prOblems Ihlt O e r m a n y hed. ( U d o
W i l l i y l e J i m Sullivan)

(Aboye Right) R F · 1 04G 01 A G · 52, 1969. Th. reeOnnelSSlnCI vlrslon

hn Ihe eannon deleled Ind thr •• camaras I n s l a l led In I h e l r pllce.
ModUlettJont tor ' h a RF·'D4 ....era
. dona al AlI'lo Olepan a l Y p a n bufg.
(One Menerd)

TF·IG4G 0 1 M F a·2 e t Royal Flush X V I I I , Bramgartan, J u n e 1 975. Tile

West Garmen NIVY did nol allperlance 1111 loss r.tl. ol l h e L u l l ..... I " .
with I I , 1 041. ( G u n l l r Grond"lln)

CF·I040 ot thl ROYII CanadIan Air Forcl at R A F Alcon b u ry , 1 987.

CIMdlan SIIr1lghler. ....Ira
. optimized t o r ' h a . t rlke lighter rola. ThlY
Wlfl asslgnad 10 NATO's Numbar I A I r Oill'lston d u r i n g t h e m i d·
sIllies. Tha flrsl Cenedtan u n l l 10 equIp ..... l t h the CF·I04 ..... IS No. 427
Squadron ., Z ..... elbrucken I n Oacamber 1982. (Oe"l MInerd yl. P e u l
Sl.�ans)

(fligh t) Lockheed b u i l l l3 CF· I040s lor Canadl. ( G u n t e r O r o n d s la l n )

(8ottom Right) C F · I 0 4 G In o"lreli dark graen camoullage . ..... h l l e tall

with r.a mlpla l a . t for Tactlc.1 A I r Mlet, WUdenrath AB, Glrmany,
JUrM 1978. (Gunter Gronds'a!n)
(8llow) Clnadlln S ta r l lo h t e r! hava carried II wide vlrlely 01
camoull'Ol schames d\lrlng Ihalr slr\llce lIIe. Thls parllcullr yerslon
Is In RAF oray Ind dark green, ..... l t h 10 ..... villblllly n/liionl' markings
{red mapl. leal o n blul c i r e l li , lIao on '811 I, I n 'ad with no
backgfound}. (Gun'., G rondaleln)
 F · l 04J 01 the 2Q5 t h Squa d r o n , 61t, Wing.
JAS D F, Komatsu ABA, J a p a n , �979. TM
S tarllg h te r I s lIeense manu fact ured In
J a p a n b y Mltaublshl and Kawaukl. The Il rti
3 F · l 04Js w e re built by lo ckheed and IIrlt
t I. w In June 1 9 6 1 . T h e y were t han
di sasse mbled, s h i p ped to J a p a n I n d
r•• $Se m b le d b y M l t sublshl. J ll p a n e s l Stll"
lighters Ire op t i m ized lor t h e alr·lo-elr role,
In keeping wllh t h e i r · 'd.tense o n ly " 'r,,'Y.
The l l r s l J a pln e , e unltl 1 0 gel the 104 Wlfl
the 20 1 s t and 202nd Sq u a d r on s al Chlto.s.l
an d Nyutebaru. The Japanese name lor 1 1'11
104 I I Elko (Glory), a name Ihal can be 19-
pntel.'ed by Ihose I h a l I I V I h e 1 04. {Shlnichl
O h laklj

(l el l ) l I a l y I s one o f t he I . rgn l
(II leasl p u bl l clzod) opelliors
and builders 0 1 the F·II)(.
I I l1 l 1 a n ' 04 s ware built by •
g r o u p c o m p r i s e d 01 F I I \ .
A e r I e r . Macchi. SI A I· Ma rch.ttl.
P la g gl o and S A C A . Thay buill
the most u p- I o ·da l e version 01
the 104. t h e S model. 10 namld
be c a u se I t I s c a pa b l e 0 1 Clrry.
Ing the radar·gulded Sparrow
m i s s i l e . (Michel C . K l av . "

Early D u t c h camoullage scheme WIS overt II 1l9h t

grey. ( M Ic h el C. K l a ver)

RF·I04G 01 306 Squldlon, Royal Net herla nds All

F o rc e ( K lu) al Y pen berg , Netherlands, 19TO.
curiously m aril e d. A mong I h e marill n g s are a Gil'
man ClOSS b e h I n d the n a t l o n e l I n sI g ni a (a .11
ga m e s k i l l?), o u t l i n e pa i n t ing s al a g l r a t t e (ov..- tl'll
n um . rll '2' 01 the serlar) and I vIctory cup (ul)d..­
the wIndscreen) p l u s . l i a r , e Csnadhln l Iag and
two blrd's loolprln t , . ( R u ss e l l · S m l t h vi. Jim
S u l l l v !tnJ

(lelt) T F · t 04Q 0 1 R N A F Operatlonat C o n

varslon U n i t . T h e D u l c h operated 5
sQua d ron l 0 1 the 1 04, two Interceplor,
two U1Olh1er·bombel and on. recc o n ·
n e l l s a n c e . (M ich el C. K lever)

( R i g h t ) The a a l g l a n Air Force g o t Ihe 104

I n 1 965. T h ay oper.ted lour squ.dronl 01 - F I ll
1 04 s , 23 and 3 1 a t Kleine B rogel and 349
end 350 a t B.auvflc h. ' n . B elgl . n 1 04 1
were overall n l l u r, ' me ta l w i t h tigh t 10Irey

.�
nose and while wlngl , u n l l l rec.lvln1Ol
Ihelr c a m ou l la g e In the ,.te '60s. ( M ichel
C . K l a v e r)

( R i g h i ) The BeI1Ol'_n Air F o r c . re ce i v ed _

l ola l 01 t 89 SI.rllgh t e I S , 188 01 which
w.re m l n u f a c t u r e d b y S A B C A at
O os s e U el, T h e y Iv,ntually .dopted a
c . mou l lag e schame 0 1 1 4064 dark grein,
1 4 102 t l 10I h t green, a n d 20219 'In, w l l h
2 6 6 2 2 l I g h l g r e y u n d e l l u rlace.. IS
s h o w n on IIt .. e 1 041 0 1 1 0 F B W a t TAM
7 6 . (Michal C. Kiner and Gunter
G r o n d t t e l n)
 F · l02A 01 1 78 1 h FIS, W l ltonlln A N G '5 II .ppe.red .t
W i l l i a m T e l l C o m peUtlon. Tynd.1I AFB, Fl •. , 1 97 2 .

F · , 02A oj ' 1 2t h F t g h t . r i n t 'rCeptor G r o u p .

P e n n 5ytvlnl. A N G , 1 9 1 8 .

U. S. AIR F:�O�RC�E��1L�" . . . . . .. _

F · I02A " 8 t h F1S. Conn-c l l c u l A N G .

Air National
G u ard I n s i g n i a

F · t 0 2A 0 1 t h l t 9 0 t h F I S , ' 2 4 t h F I G . Ideho
ANG. B o i s e . 1 9 75.
 Norway has operated ooe squadron
01 S t a r1 lghterl. No. 331 It Bodo,
Ca m o u l laga sehames hava rlngad
from dark olivlI oVlrall to p4Ilnlad
a l u m i n u m I n raeant YIA". (Michal C.
Klavar and G u n l a r G ,o n d . l e l n)

F O i m a l i o n 0 / S t a rllgh ters 0 1 EJarcHo

Oal AI,e. Squad/on 104. operating
Itom TorreJon AB. Spain. (Salvador
M a f e · H uertas)

F·1 04 A i rcraft M a r k i n g Sta n d a rd

Spec i f ication U S A F C a m o u f l age
JoI..4A1>(foIO lOC...TIOfol
...-u":"s.... rll 'OIlC! eto1h .ro. . ...
h...to.g.o
lMl .. . U- hlglr=-�c== ­
,-...:odiI 0;.",,_ 1tii iiro. ... ..._ � 1 _ """"- -----'1� - ­
rlol' . ...cfl Sltt •...:r '-'Oe t>on l - hIvl'-
, .... R.q.,k........
C -N.r�T 'IOI
The firs I Y I=" · 1 05A Is
tuled out for lis IIrst
"�hI by Re p u bU c's
chlel leSI pilot.
Russell M . " R u s l y "
Roth, on October 2 2 .
1&55. On 1 1'1 1 , ! U g l'l t h e
pushed Ihe 't' F· I OSA
Ihrough the sound
ba rri e, . 10 Mach 1.2.
(USAF)

u p and look n o t i c e . ThIngs looked p r e t t y good agaln . . . . for the

F· 1 0 5
moment.
t n February 1 954 I h e b o t l o m l e i I o u t . aga i n . DO D cut ils order from
37 to 1 5 alrplanfls. N u merous vacillations followed. Prall & W h l l ney
J.75s were spec i f i ed I n place ol l h a J·57s. l n September I h e Ofder was

Th u n d e rc h i e f
cut t o 3 airplanes. In October I, was InCleased t o 6. In February 1955.
I h e order was again 561 at 1 5 . wHh allowance lor t h e original 37 I ncor·
porated i n the f iscal '56 budge\ . But belOl6 R e p u b l i c was allowed to
go ahead w i t h the lull order. they were told t h a t the F·IOS would have
Of aH IM Cent r u y Series. t h e F · I 05 ls the airplane thai I regard as to win a compet i t ive eval uation against the North American F· I 07.
bejng Ihe most hero i c. In I t s early career. the Thunderchlel s u l t ered The Y F - l 0 S A , w h I c h had l i lst flown o n Oct ober 22. 1 955. won t he com­
II'M late 01 mo st al rcral t which carry the " F" designator but do not petitive evaluations h a n d i l y . S t 1 1 1 DOD procras!lnated and the decl·
live up the tha Image of the f i ghter es conceived by most f l g h l e r sion to put t h e T h u nderchlef Into prod ucllon was delayed u n t i l
pilots. (II h a s b e e n my e�perlence that l i g h t e r p i l o t s t h in k o f January 1 957.
themsetves a s clear a i r mass. G · p u i l i n g . one-on·one dog llg hlers I l r s t . The f i rst operational lOSs were del ivered t o t h e 335th Tactical
..
WId "mud movers . . . . bo m b d r o p p e r s. . . . second.) The F-I05 w a s Fighter Squadron o n May 26 . 1958. They were F· 1 0S B mooels. The
designed a s a l o n g r a n g e- s t r I k e Hghter. H a d t h e A i r F o r c e adopteo 335 t h got 1 8 01 them. The 33Sth would do a large share o r the
the '"A." (AU ack) designator 20 years sooner. i t m l g hl have become weapons sySlem t e s t i n g while s t a t ioned at Eglin AFB. FlorIda. which
lhe Hrst of the " A " series. A s It was. t h e f ig hter appel lation only servo had the largest range complex 0 1 a n y US air base. The balance 01 the
ed to gamer the 1 05 some uncomp l i m entary nicknames. s u c h as 4th TFW. the 334th,336lh and 333rd TFSs were s t a t ioned at Seymour­
"Lead Sled". " U l t ra HOO" (the F·84 series had been named "Hog" and Johnson A F B . The 334th a n d 336lh also gOI Bs. while t h e 333rd
" Super Hog" and "ThunderThud". I t took a real war t o demonstrate became the f i r s t to get t h e newer F · 1 0 S D model The entire 4th TFW
the "Thud". as It became known. was perhaps the most successful 0 1 even t u a l l y got the D model . ano the Bs went t o the New Jorsey Air
Ille Century Series In combat. Guard.
The F·I05 was born on tha drawing boards al Farmingdale as a With t h e advent 01 t h e 0 mOdel. TAC could nearly claim a measure
rawll 01 a desire to Improve u p o n the performance 01 the F-84. The 0 1 parity with SAC. They had a long range strike bomber. w h i c h was
Imp!'oVilment program developed Into a completely new d e s i g n . a u n q u e s t ionably faster and more manueverable than a n y t h i n g SAC
design whose mer lis convinced Republic Avia t i o n t hat they had had. I I was equIpped with a Doppler NavIgation System, the
aomethlng worth pursuing as a private venture. The embryo design. T h u n d e r s t l c k Fire Control System w h ic h I n c l uded radM and tO$5
lIlen known In company parlance as Advanced Project 63. was sut>­ bomb computer and the moro powerl u l dash 1 9 version of the J · 75
mltted to the Department 01 Oefense In March 1952. 000 l i k.ed what II which developed 26.000 Ibs. of t h r u s t In afterburner. The ptan was to
Sii � and six months laler a contract for tooling and engIneering was e q u i p 14 W i n g s w i t h the T h u n derchlel. which w o u l d have meant a
f"HJfded. production r u n of al lsasl 1 .500 airplanes.
li the I n i l lal favorable reacHon 01 DOD had encouraged R e p u b l i c 1 0 U n lortunately. the new Kennedy AdminIstration saw things I n a d ll·
think thaI Ihey h a d a relatively smooth road ahead f o r theIr new l erent I l g h t than had the Elsenhowel A d m i n i s t ration. O n e can onty
design. subsequent even" would chanlile their o u t look considerably. guess at t h e motivation 01 these men w h e n t h e Y ' declded mat the
A month after contrac t award, the e n g i n e specll lcaUon was changed American armed forces must be equipped 1 0 flghl Korean Iype wars
from the A l l ison J·71 to t h e t h e n red-hOI Pratt &. W h i tney J·57. In Instead 01 o n e ca taclysm i c . decIsive. and probably final war. I t could
March 1953, Republic was given a n order f o r 37 X F · t 05AO •. When the be t h a i t h e young President f e l t ho m u s t 00 able to demonstrate
Ifflll s i lce was sig ned In Korea In J u l y . t he predictable r u s h to d i sarm some w i l l i ngness t o u s e American arms. short of n u c lear holocaust.
c\almed the 105 progr am as a probable vlcllm .... u n fess. 01 c o u rM. t h e o r t h a t the Russsians would chat/enge democracies w i t h b r u s h l l re
lOS could be I nlegrated I n t o t h e f u t u re st rategic p i c t u re somehow. wars w h i c h w o u l d have to be put out as they erupled. Whatever t h e
Small. Inco nclusive wars such as Korea J u s t would not be popular In reason, the d l rectJon 01 A m e r i c a n strategy underwent a n abrupt
11'18 future. everyone t h o u g h t . I t was far beller t o heed the sage advIce swerve In t h e d lreel lon 01 conve n t i o nal warlare I n t h e early t 960s. The
01 Teddy Roosevelt. A n d our nuclear strIke f orces would be the big long lange strike f i g h le r that had u ndergone t h e metamorphosis t o a
stick Ihat went along w i t h t h e 50ft telk o l l h e Eisenhower years. strategIc weapon (and was o n l y !)&gI n n ing to be appreciated lor lis
The folks at Farmingdale got Ihe message. The F·I05 became I h e potential) was n o w thought t o b e too restricted I n l i s ability to adapt
mo s t powerful s lngle·eng lne. s i n g l e pilot a i rplane t h e world had ever t o this new s t rategy. This assessmen t could not have been farther
seen. The mock·up. which was u nveiled In October 1 953 revealed a f rom the t r u l h . but that dId not become apDarant u n t i l after t h o pro·
long range. high speed bomber Ihat c o u l d carry I t s nuctear payload I n d u c t l o n l i nes had s h u t d o w n In 1964. afler hav i n g produced 833
I bom b bay t ha, was larger t han that 01 a B· 1 7. Once again 000 sal F· I DSs .

.7
 F· 1 04 Starf i g h ter
F · l 04 A 01 t h e 1 5 1 5 1 F I S , 1 34 1 h F I G , Tlo·
nessee A i r 1'11 , 1 1 0 1'"1 /1 1 G uerCl.

O F· 1 04A· ' · L O Drone, opeliled bV A i r Force

5 y 5 1 ems C o m m a n d I n I h e eerly 1 9 601.

F u l l preSSure 5 u l l . ItS worn I n I,I. I I I ·

, 1 ' 5 . ... p.clli l l y l o r p u b l i c i t y I h o t 0 1
the "M lnHIt w i t h . M a n I n 1,," I F · t 04j

F · 1 04 O p t i c a l G u n s i g h t

F · l 0 4 G 01 M FG · 2 . B u ndesmartne.
 "Red B a ron" I lum F 1 4.
· 0 In which Darryl
Graan"mv,r lal an unoltltlal tloSlo t o u r S" e speao
liming
pr ven ed
record 01 1 , 0 1 0 M P H . t 300ACll. M ll i l u n t l loning
equipment e l olUcl.1 c a rt l l l C l t t o n .nd the
A8·104 was d U I royad before a n o l her ,, " e m p t c o u l d be
made.

F-1 04J Air I n t a k e

i-

T F · 1 04G 01 4 1 a l h T F T S , w i t h Blcenten·
n l , 1 m a r k i n g s carried In 1 976.

, .,
71
 The Ihlrel at lour F · I 0 5 8· 1 · R E s tI Edw.rels ln
J une 1958. N o l e I h . 1 Ihe " s l r " gM" Inl.k ..
have been repillced w it h the lorw.rc! Iw.pl
Intake l i p• • nd th.t I h e window behind 'hi
canopy Ie r e,.lned. (USAF)
The las! 0 1 "5 F · l 05D·6· R E s .t Eglin A F B lor
ordnllnce 'estl. Clrclts o n l u sel 'gll llnd �II�'
.Icsl l i n .rll l or chi" pl an e carner. c.U b ,.·
t l o n . Ord n.nce ca rried la B L U · I I I B Flra
B o m b s (Napalm). (Rllpubllc)

(Below Lell) F · l 0SB· l 0· R E 10lldlld with prac·

tlce bomb,. The window behind the cockpit
he . been a b a n d o n e d . T h I s 's typlc.1
pr. 1 9&1a manci ngl schemll 01 nat u ral
met,l overall, w i l l'. derk green (37038) ,nl�
gla,e penel, TAC b.dge on I , l l . (Republic)

e a r l y F · I OS D 0 1 Ihe 411'0 TFW c.rrled Indl,n

he.d I n a l g n l . on n o a•. • Iong with whit.
edgod groen b o n d . ( U S A F)

70
 F· 1 05 T h u n d e rc h i e f
F·t 05D 0 1 11'1& 3351h TFS, 4 t h TFW.

F · l 0 S D R e f u e l i n g P robe

F·1050 01 t l'1 e S 6 2 n d T F S , 23rd T F W , •• fly

1 9 6CJ s .
 M u i l i ple EJec lor Rack loaded w U h sll! M·1l7
7SOlb. bombs,as Clrfled b y F · I 0 5 D . l e Inch
fusa e.llanders I I t t e d 1 0 Iwo bombs enSUfa
that bomb.!! el!ploda abova le",ln.

F · I O S D 0 1 561rd T F S , Zlrd TFW modWad

w i t h T·5tlell I I lira eonllol systam, Ie·
eomOdllad In Inlarvad siddiabaell.

F·I05D 0 1 44\1'1 TFS, h il i'l l ! RTAB, 1969, !lown

by Capl. J o h n HoUmln.
 · 0

. r ..
Ona 0 1 Iha morl no labIa u n l l s 1 0 r.eelve Ih,
F· I OS WIS t h e U S A F Thunderblrda Aarla l
Oamol'l$IIallon T.. m . whIch l e w ah s how,

,
early In the 1 984 ahow a.on In I h a F · l 0S8. An
ac c l da n l groundad I h a 10Sa and Iha ,ubse­
quant Inv .. ,JgaUon ra vea lad t h e need for a�·

p . ln
t e n alva modlllcaUonl 1 0 Ih, 105 balote t t could
rljo[n t h ' taam. TAC H O made t h , decisIon t o
h,y, Ih. t" m Iran. IrIon to tha F · l 00 D lor thl
balance 0 1 thll 1914 .eaton. ThlY wIre 1 0 gat
I h el r modllled Thud, back lor the 1965 .... on,
howeyer o t h e r 0 'JI U o a l con, l derat lo n, lofc·
ad tha AIr Force 10 "thInk that decl,lon. The
lOS, thal lhe T·bl,d, hAid Ilown warl Irln,tarad
10 Ihe 141s1 TFS 01 I h New J e r s e y AIr Ouard..
(Republic and Geer/Plck,1I Col iecUon)

C ly
F· I 0 5 0·25- R E al SlouJl l . l ow a alrshow. 1 964, In the aa rl y

G .
'60s overall al u m l n u m·pa l n l ed Hnlsh. (Paul Slevlns)

F · 1 0 5 0 · 1 5 · R E 01 the 491h TFW during a s l o p a l P "s twlck.

ScoUand anrout_ 1 0 I h l Wlng'a base . t SpanlOldah lem A B ,
Wa st er many 1 984. (Gler)

lomo
F,'05F, ' · R E o f the 8th T F W , a t Kadena AB, Okinawa In
1964. Band on l a l l Is yel low. edged b l ack. PACAF bltdga
on lall. (Geer)

The lhlrd trom the e nd 0 1 t h e llna,an F" 05 F, lea¥el Far ·

mlll9dale on J e n uary 9. 1985. IRepubl lc)

F · \ 0501 o f Iha 23rd T F W , l m med l a l ely prior

to their deploymenl l o O il Nang. A V N, '985.
(USAF via Menard)

F·I050s o t t he 38 t h TFW, beud a l B U burg

AB. Wast Garmany. In t he early '60s
(Republic)

F·t050s wllh ' hair spaed

!)fakes daployad. When
the landing ge.r Is down,
lOp Ind b o t t o m petals d o
n o l opareto, s i n c e t h e y
would Inlerlero w i t h
d e p l o y m e n t 0 1 d r ll g
chu!e a n d norm!!1 nos.
high landing a l t i t u d e .
(Republic)

75
 M · I ' 20mm Yulc.n C.nnon " In ll,lI..:I I n
F·105D.

Typical Slenc i l i n g

A rt w o r k Clmled by F·tOSO, 82·4270. 0 1 ' h e

36 8 1 h TFW, Koret RIAFB, 1 968. Letln
I I , n s t . , l o n ; " Oon'l lei Iha Butalds weilr
you down."

F·,05 pilot, S o u l h e u . t Alia. &lrly 1 9 70,.

U niform Includll sUNlwal � l!I s t , G·sull,
ptr.chute, a n d sld'lIm.

F- 1 0 5 D Ej ection Seat
 F · 1 06 D e l ta D a rt

F · 1 0 6 Speed B rake a n d Dr a g C h u t e
Assembly

AIM·21S8 Nucl .ear Falcon c.rrl&d by

F.I02, F.l015 .

U. S. A I R F O R C E
 Miss Universe, en
F · I OSD·5· R E I ' O a
Nlng, 1 968. INul
S c h n l l d e r vi' R . M .
H I l i)

In 1966 the 'lWer took on . m u c h more 18110 UI IIpeel, I h . l n l roductlon

of camou f lag. and Iproullng of E C M "lump, .nd bump." o n mOil
a l rcreft at te. l l n g 1 0 the " lecllvenel8 of Norlh V I . l ram', , n l l · e l rer" 1
d.r.n .... Th ... 1 051 are Iho'IWn 'lW l l h the f.vorl t e loed tor h.rdened
or I n d u . l rlel " rt;jet l, I h e 750 lb. G P bombl, II they lui out h o m tl'letr
baSI In Thell.n d. t n s p l l e 01 the 1018 01 80 1 051 I n 1 965 ,nd 65 In 1 9�
tha Thud Ploved I t s a l f the most ," acllya long· range bomb.r tn USAF
service. (Republic)

The Ripper ( l e U ) and Commie

Siomper (Below) w.re F· l 0 S 0.
01 lhe 3541h TFS, 35 S l h T FW,
Ind Hying t h e l l m l . . l o n l
.galn.t North Vletn.m Irom
Takhll RTAS. E.rly In the w.r
there w•• • enoul concern Ihll
Ihl lOS would bec oml I_tinct
bel ore t h e wtr could be won,
I i n c e N V A delen.e. weTe lak·
t n g I !lluy t o l l and the ploduc·
I t o n l i n e s hid s h u t down In
1 96 4 . The I n t ro d u c tlon 01 WUd
I
WIIIII I I l g h t s end I n l ,g U lion
01 IInkG 10lces gllatly cuI
10UII. /USAF)
F·l05F 01 Ihe 44 t h TFS, 3551h TFW.
The 44 1 h wa s t h e W i l d W e a s e l
squldron lor the 3551h, Ind Its F
mod,l. conl,'nod epee'" equipment
In lhl ,"r coc k p i t 1 0 f dltectlon Ind
IrlCklng NVA S A M rid ... . The
01
EWO IEleclronlc W.rI.re O f l l cer) who
m.nnad Ihe lI.r s e a l w e s m o re
I.mmarly known I I • "Be.r". ( U S A F)

441h T F S Vampires F · l 0 S 0 . b o u l 1 0
hll the I . n k e r , pall s l r l kl. Tan kers
wele . m u s l lor t he 1 0 5., IInee Itta
high density e lU l u d u III n countered I n
501l1he.st A s i . o l t e n mea n l I h e ., h . d
10 I.ka ol! w i t h IlIII s Ihen . l u i l lo.d at
tuel. thilln IIlual enroul. 10 t h . '''g'1.
Fllel con. um p t l o n wn gre.'asl 111 1
low a l l l l ude ,nd ,I the high spaed.
nece.. . ry lor , u nl l v , ' o"el Ihe Norlh,
which ma,n t Ihey neaded t h e t.nker.
outoound IOO. t U S A F)

F·t05F o . Ihe 4 4 t h TFS carries th,

n.ma. gl "en It by two dllle"nl crews,
JeHer.on A l replan e, .nd Hall a yard.
II Is conllgured l o r I long m l u l o n ,
with 650 g.lIon c e n t erline I.nk, �
9.lIon wIng t . n k l .nd Intern.1 tU11
101.lIng 1450 galton •. I l l s e r me d w l l h
SMke A R M s on oulbo.rel p y l o n s , I h e
Iland.rd welpon lor USI Igllnsl
SAM .1 , ... (Cot Don K u l ynl)

(Selow Rlgh') Gooa VlbraHon • • 0 01

I11e441h TFS. (Col. Don Kul.,naj

Sweet Caroli ne , another F o l \h, 44th

TFS. a r m e d with a n t i · p e r s o n n e l l o . d
01 M k 82 500 lb. bambi. p,rt i c u tlll r ty
.ttlC"�e .g,ln. t SAM end rader
dlracl.a gun s ll e s . (Col. Don Kulyne)
F · 1 06, 49111 F I S , G r i l l i . , A F B , N Y .
491h FIS

"' U. S. AIR F- O R C E
-- L

F · 1 0 6 B o l 1he 460 1 11 F I S . MtCl10rd AFB,

1972.
The Polish Glld8r WIS I n a
F·l05D flown by Col. Don
K u l y n.. on h I s c:: o mbal lour wltn
lhe 44lh TFS. Tha n l m e alJuda,
10 b o t h the g l i d i n g proplnle,
0 1 11'1. Thud li n d 1 0 Col.
K u tynl's hlr118ge. B !l d g l u n de r
tlKkptt Is II g old outlined rid
.hlltd, with .. .Jlwlr Poll'"
..gl .. . Sc:: r oll u n d e r bldgl reads
YANKEE AIR POL A CK. (Cot,
D o n K u t 'fl'la)

8Jllle Fern, .. n F · , 0 5 · 3 1 · R E 01
till 354lh TRS, 3551h TFW, out
01 hkhll A l A B on t h e t !ll n ke,
(Cot. Don
ower LiaS. pre· s t r l k e .
Kulynej
 Thl mllnllnlncl Iroops
01 Ihl lOS Wings In
Thellend hI d anI 0 1 Ihl
mosl dlmlndlng Job, of
Ihl weI, IS I h ll i l
Ilrplln .. Wlrl opel1llad
lor long hours In eor·
roslvl welther end tl lhe
l im its 01 Ihllr IMrior·
mlnel muc h o l lhe tina.
(Col. Don Kulyn.)

M emph is gella II, In

F·IOSD·IO·AE 01 th.
3571h T F S , 3S5lh T FW
carr'ld I h e u rn . p l n ·u p
IS II", a· 1 1 prldlcessor,
e n d II WI5 cflldltld willi
two M I G k i lls. (SII,.. "'
Ju.1 .boYI Presldentl,l
Unll Cllillon, b.low
w indscreen 1 1"1 thl.
p h o l o . ) (Col. Don Kulyn.)

Armlmenl crew IOldlng I Shrike A n l l · R.dlaUon

Missile on the oulbolfd p)'lon 01 a Wild WillI,1
F · 1 0 5 F 0 1 lhll 441h TFS. (Col. Don KutyM)

F·I05D fldome opened 1 0 f&'I1I11 NASAAR R·14

Radar. (Col. Don K u tyne)

52
Four pholol Ihflt pro.,. Ihfl IbIUt'1 01 1 1'1 . Thud 10 I fl k l II III wflil fli It
dl,h It out. Thud In boltom pho\o Ilew 300 mil" blck t o ltl bUfi
,tllf to,lng III rlg h l !llbHalor 10 grou n d l l r l . In othl, CfI ... , o n .
I I N t ·. . .k l n g m l s sle WIS a l l a n nol ..noughto bring II 1 0 5 d o w n am::!
III. Thud WIS capeble 0 1 . u l t a l n l n g meJor demegfl to lis elrlrflm. li n d
contlnul to 11'1, III l o n g II thfl,.. we. no I n · l 1 I g h l lllll to compou n d I h e
problfl"'- (USA F)
The c o m p l e l l o n 01 I combll lour (100 m i n i o n s
over N o r l h VIetnam) W I S occulon l o r celebrallon.
This s.quence o l l o u r pholos lila ... , I h e · · parada".
a n Impromp l u procenlon made up of I I I g h l l i n a
"' e h l c l e l , l e l low pliO Is on I h e M o p e d s I h e y u s e d 10
gat eround Ihe bue, wllh the Squldron C.O:s car
leading. Jim Ryder, In the Iron Duke hed JUII
I I n l shed his t OOth. The extended relueiling probe,
I n ellborlte vlrlilion on Ihe Ulended mlddl .
d i g i t , W I I d l s p l l y e d 1 0 ' a l i a... p i l o t s I n rude
greellng. When the pilot climbed d o... n Irom his
,I'plene, the l i r e truck ... ould be S i anding by 10 ... . 1
him down. This would "enafally be l o l l owed b�
clulmpigne I n d e flip to t h e c l u b , ...he,e I h e
c e l . b r a n t was ceremoniously t h rown I n t o t h .
s w i m m i n g p o o l . (C o l . Don K u t y n a )
F ' 1 0 5 F 01 Ihe 1 2 1 &1 TFS, D . C . A I r Guard, I I Andrews A F 8 , Md.
Apri l 1973. (JIm S u I llV&o)

Suryl�o.. . 0 1 Ih. VI.'olm W . , I.'vrn.d to t h . U n t i e d S l a ' " to

• .,.., 1 wUh •• �"., A l l N.Uon.1 O U lrd U n i t • . T h I s F · , 05D·25·AE
had lervld w t l h Ih. 3571h T F S , 3 5 5 1 h TFW & 1 T l k h t l U Jeanie
II, In 1 970. It I s II h o w o helG 1 £ " appellred In A p r t 1 1 9 76 a l 8Yfd
Field, VA, whllll luignlld 10 1 M 1 4 9 1 h T F S . VAA N G . (JIm
Sulllv.n.)

F · l 0 5 B · 1 0 · R E o t I h e 1�1"S1 T FS,
N.J. ANO, as I I Ippelred In
Apr11 ' 9 7 1 . ( J I m SutitYan)

F·l05D ot I h e 4511h T F S . lO t s l
TFW, . A F R E S u n t l 01 thl 1 0lh
Air ForCI was & l lI t loned It
ClrlWl1i AF8, T I � /l li . II Is
shown h.r, d U f l n g I visit 10
G,rm.f1Y. 3D 0 4 were r & t r o l ' "
lild with 'he ThU fl d ll f s t l c k I t I t r e
con'lOl 'yat,m w h I c h Improvld
.!I·w .. ,h.r bombIng eccufac'f
up 10 ..ven tlmlS. (Gunter
Grondll.!n)
 I - �-- - -- - - -- - - - . - -� ----- ---

F · ' OSG ol lho 3 5 t h T F W , George A F B , C a l l f o rn l l . faperlonco In tho Vietnam War domonstrated ' h e
n e e d lor W i l d Weasel dodlcaled squ.drons and I h e 105G W86 8 p &e l eo l l ), equ1pptld to c a f r y 001 t h l �
m l S l l o n . I t I . b e i n g replaced w i t h t h a F·4G Wild Wenel Ph.ntom. (Shlnlchl O h l a k l) (Below RighI)
O R C · :180 E C M b l l slers o n the fuselage 0 1 the F·IOSG 8141 en I n lograt pert 01 tho W i l d WO.le' mission
equtpmont (Ropubl lc) (Below) Gun camera tar tho F · l 0 S D baing loaded prior to mission OVIH Vlotn.m.
(USAF)

F - 1 05 A i rcraft M a rk i ng
Spec i f i c a t i o n
A u.s. Alr rOlU

�::. Gf fu_
.... ".,. 01 r1gh1
�?�Z�.�
:���. ..
S"'Ptt ,

;;C·;;,::;i.:.�:�, '=·""'- "''-'.,

£-t.iW'---T.;; '"'="-=--­
��wl�:�':O'
"1l _1nf!

86
 titanium alloy developed lor the 103 was used I n t h e w i n g bo x 01 t h o

T h ose T h a t F· 1 4 , t he mIssiles that H u g hes had b e e n working o n f o r u s e by I h e

IOJ I It d to s i m i l a r developments l o r the XB·70 a n d F · I I I a n d , o f
course, t h e d evel o pment o f heat·res l s t a n t m e l a l s c e r t a i n l y helped
the lolks In t h a lockheed Skunk Works get t tle Y F · 1 2 l n t o the air. Ttle

D i d n ' t M a ke I t problems and I ron t lers laced by t h e 103 were Just too n u merous lor
any one project 10 handle, gIven exlsllno s t a t e 01 the alr technolog y.
Add to t h a t t h e I n e v i t ab l e seNice pol i t ics, and 1 1 1$ not s u r p r i s i n g thaI
I h e remarkable 1 03 never lIew.
The Nort n Amorlcan F·I 07A came t h e closest o f all 0 1 those that
dldn'I make I t . Three F · t 07As were produced a n d t h e i r de�elopment
I t doesn't lake a brilliant mathematician to realize t h a t w e have and Inilial I I I g h l testing was so succes s f u l t h a t on l y p o l i t ic s could
:!.kipped iii lew digits in o u r CoInlury Sorles coverage. So, what abou t have k i l led the projec t .
those missing n u m bers? Was thero an F · \ O J , 107, 108. 109, 1 1 0? Yes, The 1 0 7 began l I I e a s a progression 01 t h e basic F · t QO . B u t 3 S t h o
VlIglnla, lhere was, but nono 01 t h e m roached operational stat us w l l h 106 w a s t o o advanCed to become a n o l h e r ver910n of t h e 102, so t h e
t h e exception ol l h e F· t t o . w n l c h w a s really t h e F·ote. T h e P h a n t o m I I 107 w a s too advanced 10 be an o t her F · l 00. One 0 1 the b l g \i e s t a d ·
held tho F· t 1 0 des ig nat io n very brleliy, probab l y o n l y a s a salve t o Air vances o f t h e d a y w a s I n powerplants. T h e J·75 engine gave the 1 0 7
Force p r i d e l o r h a v i n g t o a c c a p t iii Navy airp lan e. When D O D rul&d 50 % more t h r u s t I ha(1 any F · 1 QO. TacUcat A i r Comman d ' S require·
thai the same airplane could nol hold dif ferent des I g nat i on s, I t men t 101 an advanced radar created the uniQue engine I n le t con,
Decame Ihe F ·ote. I s u ppose a c a s e c o u l d b e m a d e t o r I n c l u d i n g I n e f igu ra t i o n 01 the F·IQ7. As I t evolved, I t beCame mom and more evl,
F·l l l i n lho C&nlury Series, bUI l t really d i d not ge:stalo I n I h e same dent to North American thaI the t07 should be treated as a complete·
period as the fesl 0 1 t hem . II Just doesn't seem like "one of l h e gang", Iy n e w desi g n , Their decision t o compete for a c o n t ract I n response
The one thing that those Ihal did make I t have I n c o m m o n w i t h to ttla A i r Force WS·306A weapons syslem specillcation ensured the
those t h a t did n 't I s t h e lact tlla! t h e y were all bOrn as a res u l t 01 t he 1 0 7 a Ilte ol l I S own. North American received a co n t raCI for nine pre·
tri!lfTlendous explosion 0 1 av,aUon knowledge, and res u l t i n g design production tesl alrc/alt I n August 1954. The con trac t was amended to
conllc:l&nce, 1 0 come o u t 01 Wor l d War I I . Some 01 those that did n' t Include Ihree aircraft only In January t 95 7 . F i rs t f l i g h t 01 ttle 107 was
make I t wele cancelled because t hei r designers were reaching IUSI a made on September 10, 1956. with North Amedcan Tesl Pl I oI Bob
lil l i e too much lor t hei r time, The X F , t 03 1 s a case In poi n t . Bakel flyIng 55·5 I t 8.
T h e XF· l 03 w a s conceived a s a le s u lt o f an A i r F orce request fo r Tile second and t hi rd F · 1 0 7 s made t h e l f malden I I l g h l s In
proposals. embodied In MX· 1554, "the 1954 I n lercept or". This re­ November 1956 and February 1957 respec t ivel y. Phase I t a s t i n g had
quest came about as a resu l t ot t h e research done In projec t M X , ' 1 87. been completed, pracl lcal l y w l 1 h o u t a hitch, by Novembef 1 7 , 1956,
which was a n Malysls o f air detense Capab i l i t ies aM Meds. Phase II t e s t i n g was launched I m mediately, but Inllamural politicking
Republic submitted three desig n s lor considera t i o n , The X F · I 03 was had already sealed t h e late o t the F· 1 0 7 A . A l t ho u g h I t was an o u t s t an·
Ihe most radical o l l h e three, e m p loying a t u rbojet a nd ramJel engine ding al rcra lt , capable 01 a wide range of mission pro l ltes , there was
and. lheorellcally, bei n g capable 01 Mach 3. T h i s was I n 195 1 , IwO one l h l n g I t coutd not d o as well as lis chlel compet l t l o n .... the F · I 05,
years belore any Cen t u ry Series lighter was 10 fry. I t was perhaps too II you remember anylhlng at all aboot the ' f i f t ies, you femember tha
radical a concept lor t h e A i r Force to consider a s an operatlOM! o ...erwhelmlng pu bl ic i t y heapod upon SAC. A long wIth a l l 01 I h l s
possibi l i t y within t h ree ye a rs. For whatever the reason , the Convair p u b l i c i t y (99 % lavorabte) went the big budgets so necessary 10
F · I 02 won the design compet i t i o n , B u l t il e A i r Force was Impressed develop new systems and ensure SAC dominance i n tile U S A F , TAC
enough w i t h t h e 10J 10 co nt i n u e f u n d i n g develo pme n t costs. was l i t erally l i g h t i n g l o r Its l i fe. There was no glamOr I n conventional
How radical was the X F · t 03? The phOto atop t h i s col u m n wl l l t 911 warfare, especially during and ri g h t a l t e r lhe Korean Wal. What TAC
you som et hi n g . I t really lookoo more l i k e a m l s sl te, o r perhaps what I s needed f o r lis Image was the capab i l i t y t o perform Ihe nuclear m l s ·
known t od a y as an R P IJ . I I w a s 74 t e e t l o n g , t 9 leet tall a n d I t s d e l t a s i a n . The F · I Q5 had an I n lOlnal b o m b bay w tl l c h would carry a n u k e
w i n g s spanned 36 leel. It w a s t o h a v e b e e n capable o t Mach 3 at and t h e 1 0 5 would go r e a l l a s t down tow, under t tl e en em y lad8 1. I t
60.000 leet . w i t h a service ceiling 01 70,000 teel. I t wou ld weigh In a\ was bigger t han a B · t 7 . bU I was f l o w n by one man. I I was J u s t w h a t
43,000 Ibs. fOI tak eof l . The leas t Impr essiv e ttllng about Ihe t 03 was TAC needed lead i n g I n e a r l y t 957 t o t h e d e c i s i o n to k l l l i h e F· I 07
Its range. 11 really was a point delen se I n terceptor, with 8 combal program.
radius of only 375 m iles . One of tha m o s t radical things about l he 103 Ttle F · l 08 was a North A. merl can project whose beg i n n i n g alm ost
was Its skin. I t woold have been tlla fIrst alrcrall largety constructed exac tfy coincided with cancellatlor: 01 t h e F · I 0 7. U n l i ke the m u l l 1-
01 titanium planned lor prod u c t i o n . m i s s i o n F · I 0 7 , Ihe F · l 08 was conceived 60le ly tor escort 01 I tl e X B · 70
Republlc realized I h a t t h e r e w e r e other barriers t o c o n q u e r besides Valkyrie, another North American airplane that d i d n ' t Q u i t e make II in­
t he sonic barrier, AI Mach 3 the s k i n o f a n y airplane Is going to get to t h e operational Inventory. The F · 1 Q8 resembled t h e XB·70, I n Ihat I t
awfully hot. The answer to t h is problem was t itan i u m. But the use of h a d a d e l l a w i n g 3('1 0' canards. A n d It w a s big, w i t h a proposed com bal
t itani um created Its own problems, T U a(1 l u m Is hard to work w i t h , So weight of over 73,000 p o u n d s . II was t o have been a Mach 3 airplane,
the 103 design team went 0 1 1 o n ono 01 many tlln gents I n search 01 with a 1 ,000 nm comba t rad l u s. llle program was cancelled I n 1959. In
Ihe answers t o th.I probtem. There were ot her problems, at coorse. relrospec t , t h e raasons lor cancellation probably rovolved around t h e
The X F · I03 was truly pIoneering. T h e story 01 Its d evelopment , s u per'secrat '( F · 1 2 , w tl l c h w a s t h e n being brought to f ru i ti o n In the
t hro ug h she long and hard y ears, I s one o t perseverance and dedlca· S k u n k Works ot Lockheed.
t lon that was IJnally rewarded w i t h canc ellation o f t h e project In T h e F · t09 was a Joint Air Force/Navy/Bell Alrcrafl ven t u r e 1 0
Aug u s t 1957. But lest anyone t h i n k t hat a l l t h e time and ettort ex, d e s i g n e Mach 2 V · S t o l lnt e rcapt or. 1 t onl y reac hed I tl e m oc k u p s t a g e
pended on t h e projec t was I n vai n , consider t h e l o l l o w l n g : Tho b e f o r e being cancelled,

B7
', -
.:

D l t l l n c t lve unled I n l .kes Ira one 0 1 tha principle dlUerlnCII b ol l ·

F · 1 06 D e l ta D a rt w e . n t h e 1 � and I h e 1 0 2 .
lu •• rage I s .r.a·ruled.
Anolher m aj or dll l,renc. t, Ihe wily t h ,
The 1 0 2 ar.a·rul, WtS achlawed by eddlng on
Though produced In lawaI n u mbers t h an any 01 the other Century " b u m ps" 10 Ih, re., 01 Ih. lutelagll, w h i le the 106 luul.ge looka 011
Serles llghlers, t h e F·l06 could be considered t he most success f u l . Ihough II WII blll d with Ihe erea·'ule. ( S h l nlchl Ohlakl)
A l t o r all, It 's a pUle air d e f e n s e m a c h i n e w h o s o capa b i l i t i e s have
w i t h stood Ihe test al i l m e . The basic F·l06 airframe has proven adap· The F·t06 has overcome lis early prod u C l l o n problems and
table 1 0 all the demands 01 a changing air defenso env ironment , 110m developed Inlo Ihe premier all· w e a t h e r I l g h l e r · l n te r c e p t o r .
sophist icated ECM 10 D i s s i m i l a r Air Combat Maneuve r i ng . T h r o u g h o u t lis t i l e t h e tOO has received n u m e r o u s changes 10 the lire
1\ w i l l be read i l y apps/enl l O even t h e casual obs8Nar t h ll t t h e F · l 0 2 c o n l r o l syStem and av i on ic s. R.ecent changes h a v e InclUded Improv·
a n d t h e F·t ()6 are c l o s e l y related. I n t a c t . t h e t w o w e r a t o h a v e been ed radar syslems, sond state TACAN a n d UHF radio, a one piece bub­
developed concurrenl t y . t he 1 06 orl{l l nal l y having been designat ed ble canopy, and mod i f ications t o I n c l u d e a 20mm Vulcan cannon and
F · l 02 B . The problems associated w i t h the F · l 0 2 program are covered · 'snap shoo!"> g u n s l g h l . The addi t io n 0 1 solid stale componenlS has
In t h a i chapter. those problems event u a l l y leading \ 0 the separation eased malnlenance and resulted In some weight sewings In I he
ol lhe 102 and 106 programs. The F · I 02. l n l l la l l y planned as an Interim '·b lack b o x e s · ' 0 1 I he " S I � " . Olher s i g n i f icant c h a n g e s t o t h e Dart
step t o t h e 1 06 , assumed a. p r i o r l l y that led 1 0 l I s being produced I n hawe I n c l uded an I nl rared seeker s y s t em and various electronic
t h r e e t i mes t h e n u m bers of l i s more sophist icated o l l s p r l n g . countermeasures features 1 0 the radar.
D e l a y s i n I h e F · l 06 p r o g r a m were caused by t h e J·75 eng i n e a n d Since the t961 mod l l icallon 10 perml1 aerial r e l u e l l n g 0 1 the \06, I t
Ihe revolullona,y M A · I l i r e conlrol system. so thal l h e ilrst l l t g h t ot has been deployed 10 K o r e a and labra.dor I n s u pport 01 w o r l d w i d e a i r
Ihe F·I06 did not lake place untH December 1 956. The f l r s l production d e l e n s e requirements. W h e n t h e Dart g o t aeriai rel u e i l i n g capability.
airplane lacked most 0 1 Ihe produc t i o n avionics (which In Ihe case 01 I he AOC reallz.ed that t OO pllols would have t o be prepared to take on
the MA· ! . amounled t o II w h o p p i n g 2,800 Ibs) b u t Ihal Ilrst f 1 l g h l lell poten t i a l enemy fighters as well as bombers. Accordi ngl y, I n t he lete
no d o u b l that t h e 1 06 was nOl l n t h e leasl lacking I n pellormance. It '60s, a program t o t r a i n 1 06 p i l o t s I n air combat lactics was I nst i t u ted .
atta.lned an a l t i t U d e 01 5 7 .000 leet and a speed of Mach 1.91 B r i n g i n g The F · l 06 prowed t o have e)(cellenl capabimy as an air combat
the F · I 06 u p t o operallonaJ s t a l u s required a n O l h e r 2 1<' 2 years o f l i g hter. Its large wing and high thrust anabled t h e 108 10 outperfCNm
t e s t i n g and m od i f ications. Tho t l rs t complete l y operational F · I 06 almost a n y airplane In t h e operational Inventory. until Ihe new
squadron was t h e 498\h F I S . s t a l l o n e<:! al Geiger F i e l d near Spokane. generat io n 01 lighters (F·1 4 , F · 1 5 , F·16. F·t8) came along. A i r Comba t
Wa8 h l n g t o n . The ·'Geiger T igers · · became operational w i t h t h e Dart Trai n i n g pointed up the need lor t he 1 06 10 m o u n t a g u n 10 back u p I t s
I n May 1959. T h e Six had boon proclaimed operational. but I n the m i s sl i e s . the "I, Delense Weapons Center t es t I n g a n d approving a
'ollowlng year t here weu! no less than 63 changes 1 0 Ihe control mod i l i c a t i o n Ihal allows l06s to m o u n t a 20mm gun In Ihe weapons
system and 67 changes 1 0 t h e alrframel ba·f ·

(Below Lall) T h e 16th F · I 06A as 1 1

appflll led during the t e s t program
al Edw8fds AFB In 1 956. Note Ihe
wing fances w h i c h wera ewanlual·
Iy ra mowe d !rom a l l production
t 06s. ( S u l l iYll n )
60467

88
Lele p(l)d u c l l o n conllgurlll on,
which Included Ilr·lo·alr
r e f Ll e l l ing door Ion eplnG, lbovi
"S" I n " U S A F " and l ee d l n g
edge ,l o t I n piece of wing
lenc... (USAF)

F·I06S wlth t h e wllponl blY

doors opln Ind 01'11 Falcon
Wlap o n , S y s t l m E' I I Ll e f o r
M lulll 1 � l l n d e d . This m i s s i l e
1 ' 1 d u m m y w h i c h will I r i c k 1 1'1 1
I l r g l l end provide 1 I I I m e t r y o n
t h e I c c u r l C y 0 1 the p l l o l ' , I n ·
tllcepl Ind 'ImuIII&d I I n n g.
( U S A F)

This 106 wes O P l l l l l d by A i r

Forci S Y l l e m l C o m mlnd l o r
SPlCl!! lell s l i Ll II I Jonl. Notl
eddlllon 10 l e l d l n g Idgl 01
wing II fOOL.whlch c o n t l l n, •
pllc. 01 equlpmenl thet re·
m i l l'l l a m y S I e r y 10 U I .
Wh,tevOl I I W II , It W I S ob·
v l o Ll s l y e " e c l l v e , a s t h l
tcor,bolrd LI n d e r I h e cockpit
Iltlllil to thl e l llctl"nl5S 01
t h i s I l r p l ll n l I n " k l l i l n g "
drone'. {Glnl,,1 DYnlmln)

(Right) Oelt. Oltls 01 th. Ilmld Hat In The Ring 9411'1 Alia SqUldron, herl o p e r a l l n g .. Ihe
941h f i S . lorne 43 y.lrl a t t l r Eddie R l c k e n b a c k l t Inaurld lVI/luting lime lor the squldron.
(USAF)

F · \ 06Io.·' OO-CO o f t h & 460 1 1'1 FIS, I I McChord AFB, 1972. Mlr1dngl Irl y e l l o w · g o l d and bllck.
F · l 06A·7S-CO 0 1 the 4SSl" F I S . 1 983. ",•• k·
InOt Ire yeUo .... end bllc:k . .... lth (Irom top)
red . .... hll •. btul I l rl p e . 1 bin 01 �erUcel l l n .

(Abo .... R I g h I) F · l 06A·8Q.. C O o l l h l s:J.9lh FIS

., L a . H.n.com Ft.,d, M .... Octoblr 1 985 .
(Thorn .. S. Cuddy I I 'I" P l u l SI.vln,)

F · l ()6A·1 I0·CO 01 t h e ::nlh F t S .I Ott. A F B .

M i l ' , M . y 1 9 f1 S . Color. Ire y . l l o w end
bllek..
Aldom. hI. feelflily bti.n repllNd
.nd II.. y.t 1 0 bti palnl.d. (Tho-mea S.
Cuddy II 'I I I P l u l St.'I.n.)

F·l06A· l zo.CO 01 Ihe 49th FIS e.rrled •

m .... g. lor th. A r m y IOQlb. 1 I ISlIm (" BIII
N.vy·, on It, w I n g link,. AI Nellis AFB.
April 1972. (Pete' Mineul 'I I I J I m Sulllven)

(RIght Ind Abo'la R i g h t) F · I OS! 01 Ihe 84th

F I S elrned colorlul redlwhltllb l u e lin
lI .. h., Ind wing Iflnk m.,1<!ngs. Th.y were
b... d . 1 Hlmllton A F B . C.lliomi. In t h e
•• ny ' 7 0•. (Shlnlehl Ohl.1(1)
 F · l 06A of Ihe 48 lh F I S . Daillchmllnt I.
leklng o f t trom Wilming ton. N . C . A p r i l
1 970. T h e vory notlce.bll hump In
front o l l h a cockpit Is tha housing f o r
Ihe relrlct� I n h a · t e d unsor. (Jim
S u l l ivan)

(Below L.tt) Flight o t four loea of thl

48th on I n l l l . 1 lor I.ndln g .1 W l l m·
I n g t on. N.C .• 1 9 7 0 . The clean I In ls of
11'11 Silt .r. mo,l evident In plen vllw.
I t I , not I U rllfl ,lng Iha' the Ipled
rkord 0 1 t . 525mph III by Iha t06 In
1 959 slood for no,rly three '1''''11
before falllng t o the mighty Phantom
II. ( J l m Sulllun)

Six 0 1 Ihe 481h beolonlng h i s brett..

lor I,odlng a l WUmlngton. (Sulllnn)

OVlr 11'11 number• • I \he end of the runway. t h e dr.g chute Is b . g ln ·

nlng 10 dlplov. I S u l l l � . n )

Aeroovn,mlc brlklng I e amployelS I n conluncllon with the drllg c h u t e .

II t h e S i x k o e p e I I I no• • high d u rl n g rolloul. , S u l l l v lIl'I)
 - ..
-90157

Shorl ru n w a y s requlr. t h e techniqu e. 1 1 1 u I " 81ed o n t h e prav i o u l page p lu s h.lY)' braking,

l e ll d lng l o h•• �y Wfill o n I h e Ihe •. The F· 1Q68 mlde l l a tlrsl t I Ighl l n AprlI 1 9 58. 63 were built. II
d i l i e r s I rom II'll A model o n ly I n the e dd i l i on 0 1 I h e second se.t. • t 1M •• pfH1S8 a/ l n t ern.l tu.'
capac i t y . {Jim S u U I ... ,n)

Tha l.rlUe mind and artistic ' 1 l a n l 01 Captain Dick S t ul t z , 0 1 the 48th FIS ""ere much In
eyldence a t William T e U ' 78, IS h i s creat l Ol1 s gr.c.-cl uvlr.J buildings. Stultz, tarmedy w l l h Iha
8 7 t h F I S , WIS t he creator of t h e m o,
e m r bl e .,twork c r a ne
d by t h a l r 106,
In the rly •• '10s.
"Ttl" I s tha TIlI. nglien Oayltperson i l i c a t i o n01
t h e 48th splrl!. w h i c h r o l l t s
th e Devll's
Tnlngle I n detan,. 01 the U.S. e.stam .hor ••. "TI:!" I s s o ma.n h I looks l o rvu r d to being cor ·
nfl/edt Howe""f. tlle U.S. Navy, fepf&S6nlec! b y \/ F ·2 T , Wit ob.,lou$ly nol l m prenad. using one
of Illal, Ilncos 10 S I / l h a low blow II "Tat". ( P a u l Sta�ens)

Mlrklng. variltlons Clf'

fled by Iha I t t h FIS, !alaf
tllo 871h FIS. Saan In
1 962 (abo.,e) with fed and
�nlle strlpIS, blue
chevron o n lne laU. I n
1989 they carried e fed
della with black oulilna
(A bo.,e Rlgnl) Most f&­
cent marking r e l l a c t . the
Squedron n.ml, the
"Rod B u l ls". (Cnldes B .
Mayer)
 F·IOS" 01 !he 120th Flgtllllif Intercep'
tor Group, Or.. t Felle, Mo"l"nll Clr·
rlu blue .. "d while me,I!llIgl. It lIon.
0111'1. Air GuerCll.lnlls cl.lfTenlly 1I.,lng
the ,06.lvl.t P.tul Stoven.;

F·IOSA 01 thl lD2nd Fighter InI8(c,�

torWing, Oils AFB, MA

SIx 01 the 1·44lh Flghlor Interceplor

Win;, Cellfomla Air Guard . .. It .p.
PNred a' William Te ll '18, TVnda/i
AFB. Florida. MlrIIlnga ."elude .I
goldln b • ., on I whlll taU, rid .I'
ba.. 01 tin, with blld lettering. [Paul
Sle�lInl!l)

••
F · I 06 , 01 the 125th Flghler I n lerceptor Gtoup, Jack,on"IIII, Florldl,
Florldl A i r Guard. F · I 0 6 wing lanks IHI dnlgnld lor lupar,onlc
IUght, b.'ng I n . ! l I g h t r.tuoUlble o r J I I I I ,onabl,. (Shlnlchl Ontlkll

TIM! clllr·lop c.nop� lit·

led 10 aU l oe , a111r 1972
I, 1"ldlnt h.rl, I. I. Ihl
Immac u l l t ' I I n l , h 01
t h... Flondl Air GUlrd
1061, which look a, 'r" h
.. thl dly Ih,y I" l th.
'Iclory. (Shlnlchl Ohllkij
 V"ll t l o nl on the mlr)(·
Ingl carried by AOWC
1 0 6 !O . Elrly . 7 0 s scham'
I s I I l u S l r. l e d a b o n ,
while the cu",nl
schorne I s s h o w n 1 0 t h e
1111. COIOfS I n both .. I
r.d, whIte Ind b l u e. ,oe
II top cerrles clm.ra
pods o n underwlng III·
lions. Du.1 ' 1'1 1 1 1'1 1'1 "
undef f l l r ! u selagl '111
l o r t h ' d'18· l I n k system.
(Shlnlchl Ohlakl li n d
USAF)

F· 1 06 Aircraft Marking Spec· Sta n d a rd U S A F C a m o u f l age

ification
A U.S--:A/II IOACI!

.M_ DeI�
!lon. ,t.cll Stfol _
, ..... A«IuIt_,
c H.l!OOiii st..-

96