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Collection from Italy: #7 RF-101 "Voodoo", Vietnam War


BlueBookGuy
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BlueBookGuy

Hello again, will post here some pics of a RF-101 Voodoo pilot, about 1969, Vietnam War.

 

Rightly, somehow a counterpart to the USN/USMC "Phantom" pilot already posted.

Thanks!!

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BlueBookGuy

U.S. Air Force RF-101 "Voodoo" pilot, RTAB Udorn, 1968-69.

 

The flight suit is still the cotton K-2B, but in 1969 the new fire-resistant CWU-27/P made in Nomex will make their appearance at some units. This one is dated January 1969.

SRU-21/P Survival Vest is dated 1967. The "underarm-style" Life Preserver is the LPU-2/P, virtually identical to the LPU-10/P.

Anti-G suit is the 2nd variant of the CSU-3/P, this one dated 1968.

 

post-151851-0-28909900-1394198796.jpg

 

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BlueBookGuy

HGU-2A/P helmet is dated 1968, by GenTex Co. Do not know what the "ace of spade" emblem in reflective adhesive paper.

MBU-5/P mask has cloth-covered mike cable.

 

post-151851-0-37876400-1394198901.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

Back style parachute should still be the BA-18 model, here with a modified "Zero Delay Lanyard" system (perhaps a unit-made modification). An interesting one, never seen before - moreover, it retains the so-called "blast handle" instead of the more usual "T-handle" still at this period (pack marked 1970).

 

post-151851-0-74714000-1394199368.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

USAF summer gloves in soft leather are a pleasant grey color in this instance. Made in 1967 by "Steinberg Bros" and still are marked B-3A.

A somehow unusual variation from the classic brown or reddish-brown.

 

Revolver holster is USAF- marked and 1967-dated.

 

post-151851-0-91413700-1394199639.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

Kneeboard is the MXU-5/P, precursor of the MXU-163/P. Clipped is a month-girl from an original 1968 Playboy desk-calendar.

 

post-151851-0-61330600-1394199771.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

Details of CRU-60/P oxygen connector, with attached the rather long hose from a MD-1 Emergency Bottle stowed inside the bakpack.

 

post-151851-0-85371000-1394218802.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

A good close up of the rather unusual (in my opinion) modification given to the "Zero Delay System" of the BA-18 parachute. A second, virtually identical (but orange-colored) lanyard stowed in coiled shape, inside a second identical coiled spring.

This latter, ends up with the red hook for clipping to the opening handle.

 

post-151851-0-84088700-1394218988.jpg

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Well done. Getting a complete USAF pilot fro this era is not easy. Complete and well dated BA-18 or BA-21 parachutes are particulary difficult to find. You're right saying that the automatic opening device system is not usual. The second lanyard may be added to increase the opening open delay. I'm not sure that this pull-up handle model was still in use on fighters at this time. The anti-blast handle was figured out and replaced by the previous "T handle" some years ago before. However, jets era military pilots parachutes are always very difficult to identify without any doubt. And well difficult to get! But very interesting...

 

Franck

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BlueBookGuy

Hi Franck,

yes I first had some (small) uncertainties as for the 100% correct for a USAF pilot of that era. But my goal was to group some item in the same small timeframe:

 

* the K-2B flight suit, still issued in this period (and anyway, I absolutely didn't want a CWU-27/P).

* gloves were too much nice, and show up in many photos of 1967-69.

* SRU-21/P dated 1967 had some original items inside, as well as the waist-mounted medical pouch.

* RF-101 patch looked like period-sewn on; anyway, already on the suit and no reasons were for removing it (look is very good).

 

At this point the lucky finding of a BA-18 here in Italy (surprisingly at much, much less than I could expect) so I got this 'chute before some other collectors. But the final results should look good.

Thanks for the appreciation. Franco.

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....

 

At this point the lucky finding of a BA-18 here in Italy (surprisingly at much, much less than I could expect) so I got this 'chute before some other collectors. But the final results should look good.

Thanks for the appreciation. Franco.

 

Hi Franco,

 

You have well done getting this BA-18. I've looking for one complete for almost 10 years! French Air Force used many US aircrafts and gears. But not this type of parachute. Did ITAF used it when it had US aircrafts?

 

Franck

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BlueBookGuy

Thanks Frank,

 

Yes, the ITAF used the BA-18 on the F-104G pre-zero zero seat, the RF-84F, the F-86K. Of course, it's possible to see pics of pilots in previuos years, wearing on the same airplanes some subvariants of older 'chutes - say, the back-types of Korean War updated with the Auto-release fittings.

Franco.

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BlueBookGuy

Hi Franck,

if not wrong I remember the Belgian F-104G pilots and maybe the Danish as well (but not certain for these latter) wore EFA-made back-type parachutes, different in look as for many details from the US-made BA-18s. And, not even too small details.

Just missed many years ago the chance to obtain a almost brand-new EFA 'chute, owner was willing to bargain with a Russian GSH-6M high-altitude helmet!! That helmet I had just purchased, completed with its inner comm. helmet and I was going to complete my MiG-25 "stratospheric" pilot (I'd like very much to post it here, but it's not a US subject).

 

In knowing too well myself, perhaps that nice EFA 'chute would have been the tempting reason for starting one more pilot... cannot complain about my small "half-squadron"...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ciao Franco !

 

 

Long Bird driver = I love it !

 

 

Your collection seems to be very interesting, very cool stuff !

 

The as of spade makes me feel more "Phantom" unit...

 

The gold visor is quite unusual in the VN conflict ! More common during the late 70's ("Triple nickel" F-15 from Luke AFB by example).

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BlueBookGuy

hello Ultra Hog, glad you're appreciating!!

I do not remember where, but many years ago saw a photo of one F-4 Phantom crew (Navy, in that instance) in Vietnam 1971 or 1972 wearing helmets with gold-plated visors. I took the idea of replicating, reasoning that even just a single picture from then should be somehow a "proof" of a certain item existing in a certain timeframe.

In that instance they were Navy aircrews and aircraft was a Phantom, but this applied to a "Voodoo" driver could pretty well not to be a real error...

 

Thanks!! Franco.

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  • 5 weeks later...
BlueBookGuy

Thanks Pablo.

 

As said I made this guy as a RF-101C driver because of the K-2B suit carrying the 100 missions North Vietnam, large patch - should be original in my opinion. As for all the remaining stuff, it could have been pretty well a pilot of any other "Century Series" fighter-bomber in Vietnam, very late '60s.

Basic flight gear was the very same for all of them.

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  • 4 months later...
northcoastaero

Very nice RF-101C display! I have seen dual zero delay lanyards on the SA-20 seat automatic parachutes used in the

Martin B-57 Canberra aircraft and possibly the Lockheed T-33. The quick ejector snaps seem to be late war at the earliest-

usually used the ejector snaps with the solid webbing loop. Also, I believe the RF-101C used the BA-22 or BA-24 parachute

assemblies. The BA-24 was the same as the BA-22, but with an added automatic seat-survival kit opener. When the parachute

opened, the seat-survival kit was opened also. The ejection seat-survival kit for the RF-101C was probably the 14000-64?

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Thanks very much for your appreciation!

 

Think the correct 'chute should be the BA-18, as in this instance (and in my Italian F-104G pilot). In my opinion, seats of F-84F, F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105, F-106 all used the same basic back parachute (BA-18) as far as seat is involved. All what mattered was, seat's safety shoulder belts (having the classic "loop" at ends) and the lap belt (MA-1 or MA-2 wich accepted the "gold ring" from parachute's opening lanyard) were the same for seats of various airplanes.

 

In my opinion they sure were the same - BA-22 or BA-24 were in the end just a very, very slightly improved (not even modified/altered) BA-18 as for what does matter in this argument.

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