Zane Adams wrote:
A scene never to be seen again.
The Fort Worth Spads of the 301st have moved on from the F-16 and F-35s are on the way, sometime next year.
As much as some of us locals have grown tired of the same old F-16s buzzing around, suddenly I feel a longing for the good old days. And I'm old enough now to remember the same feeling when the F-4s left town. (I don't really have a memory of the F-105s leaving, but I do remember when they were here )
I won't say the F-4 is the best fighter I ever worked on, but it sure was the sexiest. I remember a 4 ship of F-4s from the 149th flew over our heads at Lackland AFB during basic training. All of us looked up, I had chill bumps. Our TI said "If you are lucky enough, you will get to work on those." It took me 12 years, but I finally got my dream of being an F-4 crew chief.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
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Jim thanks for the memories! The F4 was my most available close air support. Most out of Udorn or Ubom AB's in Thailand.
A close childhood friend flew them out of Udorn in 1972.
They were screamers fer sur! I have a few recon photos of 1 laying waste to the Ho Chin Minh trail after the NVA was moving Russian tanks to the Khe Sanh area against the 1st/3rd Marines.
The jocks that flew them were our heroes!
Thanks again!
Dan
Ray Swindle wrote:
I won't say the F-4 is the best fighter I ever worked on, but it sure was the sexiest. I remember a 4 ship of F-4s from the 149th flew over our heads at Lackland AFB during basic training. All of us looked up, I had chill bumps. Our TI said "If you are lucky enough, you will get to work on those." It took me 12 years, but I finally got my dream of being an F-4 crew chief.
Many thanks to you and your crew Ray. You kept these warriors in shape and covering our "six" for my 2 years "in Country".
I never got to thanks the pilots I communicated with while they were dropping their load or providing close air support in my AO. With out them many more of the men I served with would be on the VVMemorial Wall! To many on it now!
As I stated to Jim, a very close friend flew F4's out of Udorn AB in Thailand and I thank him every chance I see him! He retired as a full bird colonel!
Dan
I've only seen the Collings bird fly one time...and I was on the wrong side of the sun.
I'm guessing it will fly at least once more? Maybe when they move it to Massachusetts? Who knows.
Zane Adams wrote:
I've only seen the Collings bird fly one time...and I was on the wrong side of the sun.
I'm guessing it will fly at least once more? Maybe when they move it to Massachusetts? Who knows.
Oh man Zane these are fantastic!!!!! I had no idea that the F4 was still around. When I worked for the govt, I had an office at JB Andrews and I only saw a few in my 40 years there and in DC. The last 15-20 years(retired in 2009) I saw none!
THANK YOU! The memories are still very fresh of that time in my life!
Dan
