Author Topic: Memories of an old F-4 crew chief (Thanks Puma! <S>)  (Read 343 times)

Offline Sundowner

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1005
Memories of an old F-4 crew chief (Thanks Puma! <S>)
« on: April 05, 2020, 09:44:42 PM »
First,I wanted to say thank you to Puma44 for his posts relating his experiences as a fighter pilot. Your post about your Maple Flag flight at Cold Lake sparked a memory from the past. Also thanks for your service! <S>
And thanks for the great posts, sir!

In 1985 I was a crew chief stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB 337th TFS (Falcons) crewing F4-E 67-0297.
1985 turned out to be an eventful year for both my wife and I relating to jets and our life in the USAF.

During the Maple Leaf deployment to Cold Lake Canada that year I was fortunate to get an incentive ride in the jet I crewed in the "Dedicated Crew Chief" program.

Capt Lucier was in the front seat that day and he was very gracious and merciful to me as a newb in the jet. (Didnt try to get me sick and frequently asked on the intercom about how I was doing in the back seat.)

These pics were taken with 35 year old slimline pocket camera technology :)

Checking out the Acft Forms





Taken from the backseat: Wingman passes over us to form on left wing (Note engine nozzle position, throttles set for cruise.)


Wingman barely visible in the distance.


Somewhere between Cold Lake and the range.

================================================================

That same year SJAFB hosted a "Spouse Appreciation Day" and took 1 Saturday to allow Maintenance and Aircrew Spouses a chance to take a high speed taxi ride down the runway with brief AB then pop the drag chute at the end.

I remember working swing shift the night before helping prep the jets for the next day. Someone realized that the jets had been fully refueled after the last flight that day and wondered if they might be too heavy to safely stop after the high speed run down the runway.

A call to ops revealed that the gross weight with a full load of fuel was too much for the run, risking a loud expensive noise at the end of the runway. We called defuel trucks and removed enough fuel from the taxi jets to allow a safe gross weight for the run.

I presume the aircrew the next day were briefed to double check the fuel quantity at startup.

I still don't know how I talked her into doing it, but she did.
She had to go through the same egress training as incentive riders since they did the taxi run in a "hot" seat.


After strapping her in,you can barely make out the Martin-Baker seat face curtain safety pin in my hand.
My last words to her before climbing down were "Don't touch ANYTHING!"
I was 23 and she was 24. That day seems a whole lifetime ago.
We've been together 43 years now and this is one of a million memories of our life together.
Some good days, some bad days.
This was a good day.

=================================================================


As my first enlistment drew to a close, I wanted an aircrew officer to administer my re-enlistment oath.
I don't remember how I found out, but Col Charles B. "Chuck" DeBellevue was stationed at SJAFB at the time. Col DeBellevue was credited with 6 MIG kills in the Vietnam war.

I think he was Deputy commander for maintenance (DCM) at the time and when I visited his office with my request he joked
"Why, I didn't think anybody remembered those days."
"We remember!" I said.

I was 10 years old on the day of his 5th and 6th MIG kill in 1972.


Charles B. DeBellevue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colonel Charles Barbin DeBellevue (born August 15, 1945) is a retired officer in the United States Air Force. In 1972, DeBellevue became one of only five Americans to achieve flying ace status during the Vietnam War, and the first as an Air Force weapon systems officer, an integral part of two-man aircrews with the emergence of air-to-air missiles as the primary weapons during aerial combat. He was credited with a total of six MiG kills, the most earned by any U.S. aviator during the Vietnam War, and is a recipient of the Air Force Cross.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._DeBellevue


Captains Steve Ritchie (left) and Charles DeBellevue prepare for a mission in their F-4 Phantom. They are two of the three Air Force aces from the Vietnam War and each received a full credit for four of the same kills.


Colonel DeBellevue was very cordial and nice to my wife and I the day of my re-enlistment and I was very honored that he did it. These guys were our heroes among the crew chiefs. (All the F4 aircrew.)
We were proud to serve with them.

I still remember a huge sign posted in one of the hangers at Seymour Johnson:

"Jet noise. The sound of freedom!"
"Keep 'em flying!"

Regards,
Sun




Freedom implies risk. Less freedom implies more risk.

Offline Arlo

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 24759
Re: Memories of an old F-4 crew chief (Thanks Puma! <S>)
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2020, 09:51:11 PM »
Great story, Sun! Thanks!  :salute :cheers:

Offline Busher

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2042
Re: Memories of an old F-4 crew chief (Thanks Puma! <S>)
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2020, 09:52:02 PM »
Thank you for posting that Sun :salute
Being male, an accident of birth. Being a man, a matter of age. Being a gentleman, a matter of choice.

Offline Shuffler

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 26765
Re: Memories of an old F-4 crew chief (Thanks Puma! <S>)
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2020, 12:44:54 AM »
Good read Sun. Thanks for posting!!
80th FS "Headhunters"

S.A.P.P.- Secret Association Of P-38 Pilots (Lightning In A Bottle)

Offline Puma44

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6665
Re: Memories of an old F-4 crew chief (Thanks Puma! <S>)
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2020, 01:12:53 AM »
Oh wow!  Another Rhino guy!  Great write up and pictures Sundowner.  Glad you got a ride.  Well deserved, I’m sure.

You sparked a couple of story ideas for me.  One, a Spouse taxi ride at Moody.  Two, re-enlisting our T-33 line chief at Pete Field, while flying him on an incentive ride.  Thanks for prodding my memory.  :aok

Thanks for your service, sir!  :salute



All gave some, Some gave all