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F 106 Pilot
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F 106 Pilot

I was very pleased to add these to my collection. They were a donation to my collection by a retired B 1B pilot. I have a fond place in my heart for the B-1 as I chased many in my career.

Ben

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post-4101-0-03339400-1497205493.jpg

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Nice patches. I didn't know they used ANG F-106s for company chasing duties. When did that occur, as I have not seen any reference to it. The F-106 started dedicated chase flying in 1986-1990 with a mix of AD and civilian crews. Prior to that they used F-4s, F-111s, and T-38s. Please post any info, thanks!

 

Randy

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F 106 Pilot

I sat a lot of alert in the early 1980's at the 144th's alert DET at George AFB. I fortunate enough to be scrambled out on some of the early tests for the B-1. I was not a actual part of the Chase Program but a lucky pilot in the right place at the right time. Ben

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I sat a lot of alert in the early 1980's at the 144th's alert DET at George AFB. I fortunate enough to be scrambled out on some of the early tests for the B-1. I was not a actual part of the Chase Program but a lucky pilot in the right place at the right time. Ben

Those would have been the last few tests for the B-1A. Those ended in April 81, with most of the 70 total test missions flown in the 70s. In October Regan restarted the program and they later started flying the A models again, as the first B-1B didn't fly until 84. So I guess seeing any of those in the early 80s would have been pretty rare. Was it common to scramble on aircraft doing test runs? Again, just trying to find out new things!

 

Randy

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F 106 Pilot

We would see various kinds of test flights in progress in our flights from Fresno to the Det at George and back. I was scrambled out one time on a B 1 flight. It is rare to be scrambled on a test flight. Someone was not doing their job. So we had to do ours. I guess it breaks the monotony of setting alert. Some times it ruins a perfectly good ping pong game which could get intense.

Ben

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F 106 Pilot

Ski

I flew the F 4 a total of one sortie at Fresno. I was leaving the Squadron as it was coming in. Several of the F 106 pilots did not make the change to the F 4. I was one of those that did not. I remember the first one that came in. All of the pilots went out and walked around it. A good friend of mine said that day, " This pig goes to prove that if you put a big enough engine on a brick it will fly". I do know that those that did make the change went on the love the Phantom. It was a great aircraft it had proven itself in combat. My biggest beef with it was the back seat as I had always been a single seat flyer. I also did not like that it was the smokiest aircraft you ever saw in the air. It visually gave your location away you could not miss that smokey J 79. The J 75 in the F 106 was a much cleaner burning engine almost no smoke. For our mission the F 106 was a better aircraft but it was getting hard to maintain. I sure hated to see it go the F 106 was a classic.

Ben

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  • 6 months later...

Congrats Ben!

It's has been some time since I have seen some good B-1 stuff.

I've been after one of those 42nd Air Division patches for a long time.

Let me know if you are willing to trade for it. (Interested in others.)

 

I am guessing that I have something good (B-1B) to replace it.

Congrats again, glad to see you are still at it!

Rick

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