Project 1969

[Shay]

Hey Folks
I’m trying to come up with a list of all aircraft types flown by the USAF, Air Force Reserves or Air National Guard Units between January to December of 1969. I’m getting started on display for my father who was commissioned into the USAF in June of 1969. 1969 is a surprising year as many older types were still being flown. I’ve comprised a list of aircraft types so far. Not so much concerned with different model types with each aircraft types. I would welcome any help completing the list or any corrections. Thanks

Shay

Fighters
1. Republic F-84F ThunderStreak……………………………………………………Retired Early 70’s
2. NAA F-86 Saber………………………………………………………..Retired Jan 1972 NY ANG
3. Northrop F-89 Scorpion………………………………………………..Retired July 1969 Mass ANG
4. NAA F-100 Super Saber
5. McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
6. Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
7. Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
8. Republic F-105 ThunderCheif
9. Covair F-106 Delta Dart
10. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom
11. Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter

Trainers
1. NAA T-28 Trojan
2. Beech T-34 Mentor
3. Cessna T-37 Tweety / Dragonfly
4. Northrop T-38 Talon

Bombers
1. Douglas B-26K Counter Invader
2. Boeing B-47 StratoJet……………………………………………………………………Retired 1969
3. Boeing B-52 StratoFortress
4. Martin B-57 Canberra
5. Convair B-58 Hustler
6. Douglas B-66 Destroyer

Cargo / Tanker
1. Dehavilland C-7 Caribou
2. McDonnell Douglas C-9 Nightingale
3. Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Spooky
4. Boeing KC-97
5. Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar / Shadow / Stinger
6. Lockheed C-121 Constellation
7. Fairchild C-123 Provider
8. Douglas C-124 Globemaster
9. Lockheed C-130 Hercules / Specter
10. Convair C-131 Samaritan
11. Douglas C-133 Cargomaster
12. Boeing C-135
13. Lockheed C-140 JetStar
14. C-141 StarLifter
15. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
16. Dehavilland U-6 Beaver
17. Helio U-10 Super Courier


Observation
1. Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
2. Cessna O-2 Skymaster
3. NAA OV-10 Bronco
4. Beech QU-22

Search and Rescue
1. Sikorsky CH-3 Jolly Green Giant
2. Vertol CH-21 Workhorse
3. Bell UH-1 Iroquois
4. Kaman HH-43 Huskie
5. Grumman HU-16 Albatross

Reconnaissance
1. Lockheed U-2
2. Lockeed SR-71 Blackbird

Attack
1. Douglas A-1E Skyraider

[Chris Brame]

Weren't some T-33s still in use at that point? Also, the Navy had some C-118Bs into the seventies; was the USAF still using them as well?

[Shay]

Weren't some T-33s still in use at that point?

I had thought of this but have not been able to track down when the last of the T-Birds were retired. I wanted to say in the early 70's.

Shay

[Randy Haskin]

A Lt Col that I used to fly with at my last squadron was flying T-Birds in the USAF in the 80s...

[jcw]

true enough randy i flew them in the Mich Guard in 82

[RickH]

There was a spat between the Oregon ANG and the 147th here in Houston about who had the oldest T-33 still in service. Don't know if it was ever resolved. The Montana ANG guys flew their 1 owner birds into the 90's until they flew them south and handed them over to the Mexican Air Force.

[JohnH]

Yeah there was an article in Air Classics about some T-33's that flew into the late 80s and early 90s I think with the Florida ANG.

John

[CWBuff]

There were T-Birds flying with the NY ANG in Niagara Falls through the mid-late 80s.


Fade to Black...

[T J Johansen]

If I'm not mistaken the B-26K was retired in 1972. Five were given to the Vietnamese AF but didn't fly as such, instead being used as training aids at Nha Trang or Da Nang!

T J

[Shay]

TJ
Yes I believe the Counter invaders were withdrawn from action in 72'. But the USAF was operating them in 1969.

Thanks guys for helping on the T-33 question.

I think I have the the main characters accounted for. It's more of the smaller obscure types that I might be glossing over. Anyone else see any other types unaccounted for?

Thanks

Shay

_______________
Semper Fortis

[rkski]

Don't forget the U-3A and the T-39. I believe both were in the inventory during that period.

[rkski]

There were T-29s and C-118s in the inventory in the 70. We had a T-29 at McGuire AFB during the early 70s and a C-118 at Siagon in 1970 before I left.