Vietnam War Aircraft

[JohnB]

I love the early war gloss OD H-21s.

[Maverick]

The plates are called variable inlet ramps and are used at supersonic speeds to control and prevent the supersonic shock wave from entering the engine compressor section. Swallowing the shock wave will cause the compressor blades to stall resulting in a compressor stall and potential engine over temp and possible engine failure. It also scares the 'Hell" out of you.

[L-4Pilot]

Cessna T-41B

[ZRX61]

That Chinook was a 228th bird:

Information on U.S. Army helicopter CH-47A tail number 66-19064
Date: 09/12/1970
Incident number: 700912141ACD Accident case number: 700912141 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: B/228 AVN
The station for this helicopter was Bear Cat in
Number killed in accident = 5 . . Injured = 0 . . Passengers = 0
costing 1247317
Source(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Army Aviation Safety Center database.

Crew Members:
P WO1 KOWALSKI LEONARD J JR KIA
P MAJ LANG CHARLES VANDERBILT KIA
FE SGT NAHER STEPHEN CHARLES KIA
G CPL GENES LUTHER ALLEN KIA
CE SP4 ENMAN DEVON MARDIC KIA

Accident Summary:

AIRCRAFT 66-19064 LEFT SONG BE AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS WITH A SLING LOAD OF FOUR CONEXES. THE CONEXES WERE EMPTY EXCEPT FOR APPROXIMATELY 500 POUNDS OF LUMBER IN ONE OF THEM. THERE WAS NO INTERNAL LOAD. THE MISSION WAS A BACKHAUL FROM SONG BE TO BIEN HOA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN TO CONTINUE SOUTH TO BEARCAT AND SHUT DOWN FOR AN INTERMEDIATE INSPECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO HOME STATION EARLY IN THE DAY BECAUSE A REQUESTED FIVE HOUR TIME EXTENSION HAD BEEN REFUSED. AIRCRAFT 064 WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3000 FEET AND WAS EAST OF PHUOC VINH WHEN HE APPARENTLY HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT TRANSMITTED A MAYDAY CALL AT 1535 HOURS WHICH WAS TAPED BY PHU LOI TOWER. WITNESSES STATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL WITH VARYING DEGREES OF ATTITUDE AND HEADING DIFFICULTY. THE LOAD OF FOUR CONEXES WAS NEVER RELEASED. THE LOAD APPARENTLY CONTACTED THE AIRCRAFT AT LESS THAN 1000 FEET OF ALTITUDE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES AND CONTINUED INTO THE TREES. WITNESSES ARE NOT CONSISTENT REGARDING THE ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT ENTERED THE TREES.\\

[norman malayney]

The F-4C in a revetment is either 558 TFS or 391 TFS depending on the date the photo was taken.

On 3 February 1968, following the seizure of the USS Pueblo by North Korea, 7AF was called upon to assist in the buildup of US Forces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Combat Fox was the nickname of the TDY movement of the 558th Tactical Fighter Squadron, tail code XD, from Cam Ranh Bay to Kunsan, ROK. Concurrent with this move was the movement of the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-100 Super Sabres from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina, to Phu Cat AB.

On 15 April 1969, 7th AF commented to PACAF on Joint Chiefs of Staff proposal to PCS the Cam Ranh Bay F-4 squadron to the 5th AF (Korea), PCS a TDY F-100D squadron to Phu Cat, and deploy two F-100C squadrons from the USA. 7th AF recommended retention of the TDY F-100 squadron at Phu Cat AB, but did not concur with the PCS of 558 TFS to 5th AF. The decision was made later by higher headquarters to convert the units to PCS status at their deployed locations and to support this conversion through intra-command reassignment.

In July 1968, PACAF decided to return the 558 TFS designation to Cam Ranh to take over 391 TFS assets. The 391 TFS designation only transferred to Korea in exchange. Some 558 TFS ground crew from Korea returned to Cam Ranh and maintained F-4Cs that flew with XT tail code and Hammer insignia at least until April 1969. According to them, the 558 TFS “Flying Nun” insignia never returned to Cam Ranh and XD tail code never returned to Cam Ranh and applied to the F-4Cs. I have not been successful in locating 558 TFS aircraft photos at Cam Ranh for 1969/70 period to determine the markings and insignia on these aircraft. Confused?

If the photo was taken before July 1968 the aircraft is 391 TFS; if the picture is July 1968 or after, it is 558 TFS.

[apapagos]

I love the early war gloss OD H-21s.

the flying banana

[Ken]

[John Dupre]

In the photo from the tail of the T-28 it looks like the insignia are painted on panels that slide into brackets for easy removal. I remember reading about this in a book on the Ravens. Great to see confirmation.

[L-4Pilot]

In the photo from the tail of the T-28 it looks like the insignia are painted on panels that slide into brackets for easy removal. I remember reading about this in a book on the Ravens. Great to see confirmation.