Note to Jafo.
Friday, August 9, 2002 by Bangkokboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Jafo, I read the explanation of your nick with a wry smile. As an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) on Spectre gunships during the Vietnam war, I was affectionately referred to as "Extra Weight Onboard". Until we'd cross the border and enemy radars would start trying to track us. 
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Jafo
Reply #22 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 8:40 AM
Reply #22 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 8:40 AM
BKB...I've read that about Republic....[I have the odd book or ten]...
Now, just don't tell me you've seen the XB 70 in the flesh as well....
Now, just don't tell me you've seen the XB 70 in the flesh as well....
Bangkokboy
Reply #23 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 12:43 PM
Reply #23 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 12:43 PM
Negative on the XB70. We have a radically modified Gulfstream II jet with Space Shuttle Controls and flight instruments in the left half of the cockpit. All of the flight controls and the engine throttles are controlled by computers onboard, and the student shuttle pilot is in effect playing a video game while the computers fly the plane. The computers make the Gulfsteam do exactly what the Shuttle would do with the given control inputs. The Shuttle is a 200,000 lb glider with nasty handling characteristics, and a shuttle pilot will often fly several hundred penetrations and landings in our plane before he/she gets to land the real thing. Mission Control, and our shop are the only ones outside the astronaut office who get crew mission patches for each mission. Fun job most of the time. 
MichaelO
Reply #24 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 3:57 PM
Reply #24 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 3:57 PM
What Jafo would probably really enjoy is a trip to the museum (Air Force) at Wright-Patterson. Makes the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum look small. I remember driving by as a kid (Dark ages) and there was a burned out B-52 sitting at the end of a runway you could see from the road. Also they have a B-36 (talk about big) in all its glory amongst just about every other aircraft you can think of.
Bangkokboy
Reply #25 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 5:54 PM
Reply #25 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 5:54 PM
The museum at Wright-Patt really is a "must see".
Jafo
Reply #26 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 3:24 AM
Reply #26 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 3:24 AM
Jafo makes list of places to visit.....[one day]...
jcg
Reply #27 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 8:44 AM
Reply #27 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 8:44 AM
WiseOldMan - We were the lucky ones, I live on the Guadalupe but about 30 ft above it so the water didn't reach the house, and I haven't invested in a boat yet. I've seen to many disappear.
JollyFE
Reply #28 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:04 PM
Reply #28 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:04 PM
It is one of the (if not the) best aviation museums in the world. This past spring they started construction on the new hanger. It will be completed in early spring of 2003. Just in time for the 100th anniversary of flight celebrations being held here in Dayton all next year.
Also, in relation to what got this thread going:
Jolly Green Flight Engineer
8 months at Rocket City
4 months at Naked Fanny
1 year at Homestead
1 year at Patrick
11 years at the 'Fridge in the Reserves on Jolly's
Past 10 years as a CAP Liaison
JollyFE
Also, in relation to what got this thread going:
Jolly Green Flight Engineer
8 months at Rocket City
4 months at Naked Fanny
1 year at Homestead
1 year at Patrick
11 years at the 'Fridge in the Reserves on Jolly's
Past 10 years as a CAP Liaison
JollyFE
Kinrik
Reply #29 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:14 PM
Reply #29 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:14 PM
Kinda related...I grew up as an Air Force brat...
2 Years in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal
6 Years Spangdahlem AFB, West Germany
3 Years March AFB, CA
4 Years Wurtsmith AFB, MI
Dad was a weapons loader...the heavies, nose guns, cruise missles, etc. on everything from F-104's to B-52's and a bunch in between.
And I joined the Corps...heh...and blew stuff up up colse and personal as a Combat Engineer with Division
None of the "I'm cooler because I'm so far far up when I drop my computer-guided payloads that you can't see me without a telescope" crap like they do now-a-days.
2 Years in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal
6 Years Spangdahlem AFB, West Germany
3 Years March AFB, CA
4 Years Wurtsmith AFB, MI
Dad was a weapons loader...the heavies, nose guns, cruise missles, etc. on everything from F-104's to B-52's and a bunch in between.
And I joined the Corps...heh...and blew stuff up up colse and personal as a Combat Engineer with Division
None of the "I'm cooler because I'm so far far up when I drop my computer-guided payloads that you can't see me without a telescope" crap like they do now-a-days.
Kinrik
Reply #30 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:14 PM
Reply #30 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:14 PM
Kinda related...I grew up as an Air Force brat...
2 Years in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal
6 Years Spangdahlem AFB, West Germany
3 Years March AFB, CA
4 Years Wurtsmith AFB, MI
Dad was a weapons loader...the heavies, nose guns, cruise missles, etc. on everything from F-104's to B-52's and a bunch in between.
And I joined the Corps...heh...and blew stuff up up close and personal as a Combat Engineer with Division
None of the "I'm cooler because I'm so far far up when I drop my computer-guided payloads that you can't see me without a telescope" crap like they do now-a-days.
2 Years in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal
6 Years Spangdahlem AFB, West Germany
3 Years March AFB, CA
4 Years Wurtsmith AFB, MI
Dad was a weapons loader...the heavies, nose guns, cruise missles, etc. on everything from F-104's to B-52's and a bunch in between.
And I joined the Corps...heh...and blew stuff up up close and personal as a Combat Engineer with Division
None of the "I'm cooler because I'm so far far up when I drop my computer-guided payloads that you can't see me without a telescope" crap like they do now-a-days.
Kinrik
Reply #31 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:17 PM
Reply #31 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:17 PM
crap! i HATE the fact that this site takes so long to load that you think you can click the cancel button for the browser and catch your spelling mistakes in time to fixx them and resubmit and half the time it works, while the other half you look like you just enjoy double posting... 
Kinrik
Reply #32 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:19 PM
Reply #32 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:19 PM
fixx?...FIXX...AAAAAARGH...CRAP....where did I put the det cord...
F...I...X...fix
F...I...X...fix
WOM
Reply #34 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:28 PM
Reply #34 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:28 PM
I guess c-4 is better a cooking c-rats, but you make due with what you have.
Bangkokboy
Reply #35 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:35 PM
Reply #35 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 1:35 PM
JollyFE - we got called on in the AC-130s several times to "mow the lawn" around an aircrew extraction point with the 20mm guns right after Jolly would clear off. Our hope was to convince the enemy that interfering with aircrew rescues was a bad idea. We never got any feedback as to whether this strategy did anything to lessen the fire that the Jolly Greens were drawing. So I don't know if we helped you guys at all, but we sure wanted to!
JollyFE
Reply #37 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 4:22 PM
Reply #37 Wednesday, August 14, 2002 4:22 PM
Bangkokboy,
The only time I worked with Spectre was in Jan '73. Night extraction of some Lao general at a LS about to be overrun by the Pathet Lao. They took out some 37/57 stuff for us along our run-in path. Don't recall any of the other crews using them on missions. Could be Moonbeam or someone else had you guys babysit survivors for us till first light.
JollyFE
The only time I worked with Spectre was in Jan '73. Night extraction of some Lao general at a LS about to be overrun by the Pathet Lao. They took out some 37/57 stuff for us along our run-in path. Don't recall any of the other crews using them on missions. Could be Moonbeam or someone else had you guys babysit survivors for us till first light.
JollyFE
Bangkokboy
Reply #38 Thursday, August 15, 2002 3:48 AM
Reply #38 Thursday, August 15, 2002 3:48 AM
We were leary of shooting too close to good guys most of the time. The 20s were wobulated to produce a 40 foot circle on the ground. Just a couple of off-nominal rounds in an ammo batch could wind up killing friendlies. Firebases that were being overrun were usually willing to take the risk.
Good on ya, Kinrik! "Up close and personal" is almost never boring!
Good on ya, Kinrik! "Up close and personal" is almost never boring!
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Reply #21 Tuesday, August 13, 2002 7:12 AM