TAC Attack

SfPT£mB£R 1973

Tac- Vietnam and Beyond Pg 4

URm I

AnO BfYOnO ... Pg 4

 fer effici11t tactical air ,ewer
COYER ART ..... .
GEN. Wm. W. MOMYER

TflC flllflCK Artist: Mr. STAN HARDISON

CURRENT INTEREST
TAC- VIETNAM, AND BEYOND 4
SEPTEMBER 1973
THE COST OF POULTRY 8
VOL. 13, NO. 9
THE GOOD OLDE DAYS 16

TOTAL FORCE CONCEPT 18

Tactical Air Command
TO THE RESCUE 21
USE HAZARD REPORTS 26
COMMANDER
GENERAL WILLIAM W. MOMYER DEPARTMENTS
Angle of Attack 3
VICE COMMANDER
Lessons That Live 11
LT GEN DALES. SWEAT
TAC Tips 12
Published by the Chief of Safety
Aircrewmen of Distinction 14
COLONEL E. HI LLDING
Emergency Situation Training 15
Chock Talk 22

SPO Corner 24
Letters to the Editor 28
TAC Men of the Month 30

TAC Tally 31

TACRP 127- 1
editor
Mal Joe Tillman Articles, accident briefs, and associated material in this magazine are
non-directive in nature. All suggestions and recommendations are intended
assistant editor to remain within the scope of e x isting directives. Information used to
brief accidents and incidents does not identify the persons, places, or units
Clpt Jim Young involved and may not be construed as incriminating under Article 31 of
the Uniform Cod e of Military Justice. Names, dates, and places used in
conjunction with accident stories are fictitious. Air Force units are
art editor encouraged to republish the material contained herein; however, contents
Stan Hardison are not for public release. Written permission must be obtained from HQ
TAC before material may be republished by other than Department of
Defense organizations.
managing editor Contributions of articles, photos, and items of interest from personnel
Marlena w. Andrews in the field are encouraged, as are comments and criticism. We reserve the
right to edit all manuscripts for clarity and readability. Direct
communication is authorized with: The Editor, TAC ATTACK , HQ TAC
layout production {SEPP), Langley AFB, Va. 23665. Autovon 432·2937
SSgt John Tomkowskl Distribution FX, Controlled bY SEPP.
 angle of attack

Symptoms and Diseases

It you have a headache the normal thing to do is take the proper checklists and tech data? Are your flight line
aspirin - a time-honored and effective cure ... but what supervisors effective in leading through example? Do your
are you curing? Let's say these headaches occur more and flying/maintenance schedules and manning levels allow
more frequently - aspirins continue to relieve the enough time to include proper quality control
headache but if you don't recognize these headaches as inspections? What are the working conditions? When was
only a symptom of a greater problem, you could be in real the last time you ate in the chow hall? Do the billets
trouble. insure proper rest?
If your unit has a "headache," FOD problems for I may be accused of being overly-analytical here -
example, your "aspirin" may be to increase your maybe the solution IS simply to increase personnel
personnel's awareness of the dangers of FOD - briefings, indoctrination. What I am really trying to get across to
posters, and threats just might reduce your unit's you - whether pilot, mechanic, or supervisor - is to
incidence of FOD problems - temporarily. On the other study all facets of the problem before you take action.
hand, FOD incidents just may be a symptom of another, Don't be accused of being one of those people who are all
more serious problem. Do your personnel have and use speed and no direction. Don't just relieve the symptom-
cure the disease.

'
~lE. HILLDING, olon
Chief of Safety
TACATTACK
 At the end of any period of time, it is both wise and
prudent to reflect on where you'w been, what you're
doing now, and what the future looks like. I know I did
this when'I left Vietnam in 1968 Pertieps this is the time
to (oak at what we have done in TAC in the past five
years and use the lessons of conflict to our advantage in
bedding a dynamic, flexible, ready force.
The lessons of Vietnam were many artc!
Certainly when w entered the conflict, we had many
ideas that had to be changed in the next few years if we
were to be successful. Tanker/strike force coordination,
methods of defeating the Surface to Air Missile threat,
and new tactics in countering enemy fighters were all
facets of the air war in Vietnam that evolved through
exprarieniXe We learned many new techniques and
applications of airlift. Techniques in deployment,
management, and command and control ail needed
imevommenc. But the lessons learned in solving problems
would have done little good if we had not applied them in
our training programs. Our experiences in Vietnam
nabled us to develop training programs which helped us
ta the war to the enemy. For example, we had to train
our htcr pilots to fly missile- threat formations. These
flights uired maintaining formation position during
high speed, igh G maneuvers. We soon realized that the
only way to rvive was to rely on a formation which gave
--reutuat prot ion against SAMs and MiG attacks. These
change in co' bat tactics placed a heavy demand on our
Hies, a challenge we met head -en.
The survival of our forces when employed during
linebacker It proved the value of TAC trawling. When you
must penetrate heavily de-ended areas at more than ten
miles a minute, and still hit the target with great pretision,
then the hours and months of training have been well
worthwhile.
Prior to Vietnam, few pilots had considered the need
TAc- Vietnam, and Beyond
for electronic countermeasures support, After facing radar
controlled AAA and SAMs, few pilots would ever again
deny the value of this support. Again, TAC was faced with
the challenge of developing the techniques and the
,reining to defeat the enemy in this electronic arena and
protect the lives of those flying the strike missions into
by GENERAL WILLIAM W. MOMYER the heartland of North Vietnam. When you consider that
the North Vietnamese doubled the number of SA-2
battalions they had between 1966 and the time we
resumed bombing the North in 1972, you can see the size
of the challenge we faced in trying to prepare men to

4 SEPTEMBER 1973
 defeat this highly sophisticated and effective system. The attained during all types of weather. Additionally, the
application of concepts tested in the early days of the drops were made from high altitude onto very small drop
Iron Hand flights, and techniques learned on Wild Weasel zones. At An Loc, for example, a soccer field was
missions paid off when our pilots and their "Bears" converted to a drop zone and the success of the drops
escorted the striking fighters and B-52s into the heart of there proved the effectiveness of A WADS. From Africa to
North Vietnam in 1972. The low loss rates of these An Loc, our airlift record stands as a testimonial to the
missions are testimony to the aggressiveness of our pilots ability ofT AC men to perform their jobs under the most
and the training they received. trying conditions.
In addition to changes in air-to-ground tactics, we soon Fighting a war in Southeast Asia while still maintaining
realized the need to modify our air combat procedures in forces for contingencies in Europe taxed our forces to the
Vietnam. In the early days of the conflict, we learned to limit. Our ability to rapidly deploy forces worldwide has
counter the slower moving MiG-17s and 19s, but when the been demonstrated repeatedly in the last five years. To
enemy · introduced the MiG-21, the threat changed attain the degree of flexibility necessary to fully support
dramatically. Using the stern attack and heat-seeking the commitments of general purpose forces worldwide, we
missiles, the North Vietnamese were in the position to needed to develop and test new concepts at the same time
inti ict great damage upon our strike forces without we were training the fighting air forces for the conflict.
putting themselves in much danger. In addition, few of In 1969, the first deployment of TAC fighters to
our pilots had a great deal of experience in air-to-air Europe under the NATO "dual-basing" concept began
combat against a highly maneuverable, small fighter like when 96 F-4s were deployed to Spangdahlem and Hahn
the MiG-21. Air Bases in Germany. We have repeated this move,
To give our fighter pilots this experience, we evolved Crested Cap II, each year since. In the same year, TAC
the concept of the Aggressor Squadron, a unit of T-38s flexibility was greatly enhanced through the testing of the
with the mission of providing realistic training to meet the Bare Base concept during the exercise, Coronet Bare.
need so clearly recognized in combat. This unit gives our Where an empty runway had been 54 hours previously, a
fighter pilots the chance to fly against an airplane having fully operational tactical fighter base emerged. As final
many of the same characteristics as the MiG -21 . In base development efforts were completed, an F-4 tactical
addition, the pilots flying in the aggressor role use MiG fighter squadron arrived to commence flying operations.
tactics, learned through interviews conducted with pi lots In 1970, this concept was tested more thoroughly in
who fought MiGs in Southeast Asia. By traveling to each "Heavy Bare." The nickname noted that this unit could
of the TAC bases throughout the year, the Aggressor deploy with a prepackaged air base to any austere airfield
Squadron provides the opportunity for the pilots to test in the Free World and become operatio_nal within hours. A
their aerial combat skills against the closest thing to the practical test of the ability of TAC forces to rapidly
enemy we have been able to produce. This is the kind of respond to conditions worldwide came in 1972, when we
realistic training that is the hallmark of TAC. This training sent fighters to Thailand in 72 hours, to meet the
insures victory in combat against a skilled enemy. challenge posed when North Vietnamese forces streamed
In 1968, I had the opportunity to see at first-hand the across the DMZ . Three Tactical Air Command fighter
value of accurate aerial resupply efforts. The place was squadrons from bases in North Carolina and Kansas were
Khe Sanh. This classic case of airlift employment to in place within three days. In succeeding days, additional
support ground forces saw our crews deliver more than T AC fighter and specialized units were deployed as the
twelve thousand tons of cargo during the 77-day siege. buildup continued. A significant example was the four.
Yet, even though this operation was highly successful, squadrons of F-4s that were deployed from the CONUS to
there were lessons to be learned, particularly the need to SEA in only six days. This was a remarkable
make accurate airdrops in the worst of weather demonstration of the flexibility of tactical air power and
conditions. The additions to our inventory of the is a graphic demonstration of the ability of TAC forces to
Station-keeping and Adverse Weather Air Delivery meet fast-breaking situations anywhere. Similar TAC
Systems were the result. deployments during 1972 continued to demonstrate the
Probably the clearest instance of T AC's preparing to efficiency maintained by units of the command. In
meet the needs of future combat was the example of September of that year, in order to improve the
airlift capability demonstrated by two of our airlift all-weather bombing and low altitude penetration
squadrons last year. Deployed from their home bases, the capabilities of our forces, two F-111 A squadrons were
units dropped more than 12 million pounds of cargo in 60 deployed to Thailand, and in October, three squadrons of
days, proving the validity and value of AWADS. They A-70s left for Korat, where they replaced four F-4
airdropped supplies at a remarkable 94 percent accuracy, squadrons.

TAC ATTACK 5
 it the single manager can command and control the total
TAC- VIETNAM, air effort: strike, air superiority, support, airlift,
reconnaissance, and interdiction.
So we've learned a great deal from the past. In the
AND BEYOND preceding five years we have demonstrated our ability to
put lessons into practice. Any improvements that we have
made in tactics and procedures, however, will be nullified
if we allow our hardware to become outdated. We have
The continuing deployments under the Constant the future to look to. And because we've done a good deal
Guard concept further demonstrated T AC's ability to of planning with the future in mind, it looks bright.
provide combat ready forces for the employment by the We are in the midst of developing the first air
Unified Commander. And that's our job. When we can superiority fighter for the Air Force in more than 20
provide these forces on short notice, ready to fly their years. We are now facing the challenge of defeating not
combat missions when they arrive, we are demonstrating the MiG-21, but whatever combat aircraft any potential
to the world our understanding of the necessity to enemy may develop. Remembering that air superiority is
support our nation's objectives anywhere, at any time. We the key to victory in all other phases of any conflict, we
must always be ready to move and move rapidly. cannot forget that one reason we could enjoy the freedom
The combination of ready forces that can operate from to use our various elements of combat was the air
austere bases anywhere in the world has added new supremacy we enjoyed over the battlefield. Had we not
dimensions to the flexibility of our forces. Another owned the airspace, the tactics we used would have
equally important asset is the ability of the commander to differed greatly. In future conflicts, to have the same
control the forces sent to his theatre. The element of degree of flexibility , we must be able to guarantee air
command and control is something we have worked superiority to the unified commander. Without it, all else
constantly to improve. Constant exercising of our tactical will fail. We believe the F-15 will provide the measure of
air forces with elements of the other services brings success in this area. TAC will continue to play the major
greater understanding to all commanders of the principle role in handling this vital mission.
of the single air manager who must determine the priority Support of ground forces will be greatly enhanced with
of air targets. Without proper centralized control in the the arrival of the A -10. This aircraft will fill the need of
hands of a single commander, we would see a duplication operating in a high threat environment, while being
of effort, ineffectual employment of forces, and a general capable of delivering accurate weapons in support of
breakdown of operational effectiveness. The results would friendly ground forces, something our Army friends will
be chaotic. From Vietnam, we gained experience in the always need. The combination of great firepower and
control of air forces through the ABCCCs. This system, mixed weapons loads make this aircraft a welcome
when combined with ground systems, gave the air addition to the TAC inventory. It will then be up to us to
manager the reins to operate his command in an efficient turn this airplane into a complete weapon system, capable
and econom.ical manner to obtain his objectives. Practical
application of command and control depends on an
advanced systems package. The Airborne Warning and
Control System (AWACS) gives us the tool to turn
concept into reality. AWACS centralizes the coordination
of complex, diverse, and simultaneous air operations. With

6 SEPTEMBER 1973
 of providing the close air support necessary to our ground
forces. If we aren't able to constant Iy demonstrate this
capability, we may stand the chance of losing a good
portion of our mission to those who are trying to assume
these responsibilities. As a sidelight here, I feel strongly
that our past experience has proven the necessity of
tanker capabilities organic to the tactical air arm. Air
-
-=---.._....,. _-
refueling increases the time-over-target and gives fighters
added flexibility. We must continue to work towards an We will continue to provide the best equipment and
integrated tanker force which would provide these vital facilities money allows. The years ahead will see our
requirements. budgets growing tighter and our missions more complex.
The future also looks bright in the airlift area. While As this happens, the need for people more capable of
we continue to exploit the C-130s in every way possible, adapting to change and meeting the challenge will
we must look to an aircraft that will give us the future increase. The future strength of this command does not I ie
intratheatre airlift ability we need. The use of C-141/C-5 in the hands of one man. The future is yours. We have
aircraft in hostile and austere areas will be the exception, always prided ourselves on being a professional force.
not the norm. The delivery of cargo within the theatre Certainly our actions in the last five years have proven
belongs to the tactical airlift forces, which has been "its that professionalism time and time again. The survival of
traditional role, verified and performed with distinction in our country is our goal. This will depend in great measure
World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In order to maintain on the individual dedication of each of you, the men and
our airlift effectiveness, the advanced medium STOL women of T AC. ~
transport is an operational necessity. With its load
carrying capability, unrefueled range and the ability to fly
steep approaches and departures required in hostile
environments, the AMST will enable us to continue our
outstanding record of supporting the man in the field. The
lessons learned at Khe Sanh and An Loc have not been
wasted .
In five years we have made a great deal of progress in
preparing to face the conflicts of the future. We have
moved to attain the systems we will require to insure the
survivability of our forces in the air and on the ground .
We have developed the techniques and machinery to
insure the proper command and control of our T AC
forces. Through frequent exercises, we have perfected
techniques vital to the effective management of the air
battle. We have continually moved to provide better
trained, more mobile forces for the use of the unified
commanders. Responsive deployments have proven the
value of concepts developed over these years. Our ability
to meet the enemy's threat has demonstrated our General William W. Momyer has commanded Tactical Air
readiness. Command since August, 1968, and for the previous two
Another aspect of our readiness is the ability of our years was commander of the 7th Air Force in Vietnam.
Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard forces to meet He received his wings in 1939 and saw combat service in
any contingency. During the past few years, with the Europe and North Africa with eight enemy aircraft to his
advent of the Total Force concept, these units have credit. He has held a number of operational commands
become integral team members of the regular T AC forces. and key staff posts. As chief of the Combined Operations
Now with newer, more modern equipment programmed of the Army Air Forces Board during World War 2, he
to replace their aging aircraft, these Reserve forces can be helped develop Air Force doctrine for air-ground
counted on to fulfill their share of the overall TAC operations. Among his awards are the Distinguished
mission. They are a welcome source of experienced talent Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal with two
for a commander to employ as a portion of his tactical air clusters, Silver Star with two clusters and the
forces. Distinguished Flying Cross.

TACATTACK 7
 the
COST I

of poultry

by Maj Joe Tillman

An F-111 E, out of Upper Heyford, Engtand, was flying to about $3635.07 a pound - and even at today's prices,
a camera target bomb run at 450 KIAS when suddenly the that is considerably more than the price of prime filet
pilot saw a flash, but did not have time t.o react. A bird, steaks.
later analyzed to be a gull, struck the right windscreen Expensive, yes, but a lot cheaper than the price per
approximately five to seven inches forward of the canopy pound of a recent birdstrike accident. Another F-111, this
trailing edge. The windscreen shattered but did not time an A model, crashed in an inaccessible area of Zion
collapse. The bird did not penetrate the cockpit , but bird National Park, Utah. Flying at approximately 300 feet
remains were forced through the pressure seal at the AGL and 400 knots, there was no warning -a deafening
forward portion of the right hatch , spraying both aircrew implosion followed by a tremendous rush of air. Both
members with small particles of the inner glass surface. crewmembers described the inside of the cockpit as
The pilot instructed the WSO to keep his head down and "resembling a severe snow storm." They both bent
bottom his seat for the remainder of the flight . The forward under the glare shield for protection against the
aircraft was climbed to reduce airspeed and recovered wind blast , but the turbulence inside was so severe the
without further difficulties at RAF Leuchars, Scotland . right seat I P's flight suit received numerous tears on the
Gulls in that area are estimated to weigh between one and top and back of his shoulders. Although their helmet
five-and-one-half pounds - cost of repairs to the F-111 - visors probably saved their lives, windblast and flying
$18,175.38. Figuring the gull at five pounds, that comes debris under their visors prevented the aircrew from

8 SEPTEMBER 1973
opening their eyes except for momentary glimpses of the in buffeting (inside the cockpit) and flying debris· so
instruments. Neither pilot could discern the aircraft severe a loss of control takes place ... a turkey buzzard?
attitude and the I P saw large amounts of metallic objects A duck or goose? Nay, brother, the Bird and Mammal
entering the cockpit and elected to eject. Landing on a Laboratory at Washington, D. C. determined the culprit
steep slope (approximately 40 degrees), the module was a white-throated swift - weight ONE AND
tumbled about twenty feet and stopped. Luckily, the ONE-FOURTH OUNCES !
crew decided to delay their exit from the module- after Since this occurrence, several priority projects have
about a ten-second delay, the module broke loose and been initiated development of bird-resistant
tumbled again- this time about 50 to 100 feet down the windscreens, removal of F-111 radiation curtains and
slope. The recovery chute tangled in one of the few large panels if not required by the mission, studies of improved
trees in the area, stopping the module where the crew headgear to provide full facial and eye protection, and
could egress through a broken right canopy hatch. After acceleration of the F-111 strobe light evaluation.
freeing their survival kits, they established contact with Meanwhile the birds are still out there making suicide runs
another F-111 orbiting the area who called for a H U 1/P against their aluminum counterparts.
helicopter to rescue them . The aircraft wreckage, Is there anything you can do to eliminate the
however, ended up in terrain so rugged that possibility of a birdstrike? Unfortunately, the answer is no
mountain-climbing is prohibited. - at least not completely. Many methods have been
Now, back to original cause - birdstrike. What type of studied -the use of special radar, strobe lights, and even
bird would shatter the windscreen of an F-111 and result noisemakers installed on aircraft - without proven

.· ....
~ ·......... ·. ·: ..:
·.·.·.·.· .....
·:
. . .....
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~

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MIGRATORY ROUTES

WINTER
NESTING GROUNDS

TACATTACK
- 9
POULTRY concentration of wintering birds are found in the
following areas:
ATLANTIC : Chesapeake Bay, Back Bay area of
Virginia, and the Currituck Sound and Lake Mattamuskett
area in North Carolina.
MISSISSIPPI: The Mississippi Valley and the southern
Louisiana marshes along the Gulf of Mexico.
CENTRAL : Along the Missouri River Valley and Gulf
Coast of Texas.
PACIFIC : ~he general area of Tule
effectiveness . These studies continue, however, Lake and Sacramento Valley of California.
emphasizing the importance placed on this problem . 3. PERSONAL PROTECTION .
The training situation we, as T AC aircrewmen, finq The greatest immediate danger /"
ourselves in makes the dangers even more prevalent. of birdstrikes to aircrews /
High-speed, low-level flying is especially hazardous - is loss of vision, some-
unfortunately, this type of training is an integral part of times permanently, due ~
tactics employed by our combat forces and cannot be to flying glass and ~ / / all
discontinued. There are several things we can do, however, debris. Keep / times!
to reduce the dangers of collision : your visor If you have
1. EVASION. It is possible to avoid birds if sighted down / a helmet with
in time. There are many factors to consider at / ~ double visor, use both

f:J
here - large birds or dense flocks of small birds· can / _,/ for maximum protectio!l.
often be seen and avoided . Many strikes have been / - ~ ./ Try to shield your face with
prevented by quick-reacting pilots. Helpful hint : birds
may react to you by turning in any direction but
will most frequently dive to avoid collision .
2. FLIGHT PLANNING . Now here 's
~n area where you can even the
.
~ ·
rJ
/IJ ./
.
./
/
Y"
~o/.l your arm or duck your head below
t he glareshield if it looks like a strike
is imminent. You can expect f lyi ng
debris and tremendous wind turbulence
inside the cockpit. If possible, continue to shield
odds a bit. If training requirements / · ~ your eyes until the aircraft can be slowed enough to
don't require high-speed . / ~~ reduce this dangerous situation . Don't hesitate to give
low level flight through / ~ the aircraft to your back seater or copilot if you are
known bird-infes~ ed~ Q types. unable to determine your aircraft's attitude - loss of
areas - avoid l f/ About 70 aircraft control is the greatest danger after a windshield
them . Birds ~ae W ~ percent of shatters.
basically low /. p; ~ .../ all birdstrikes 4. Bl RDSTRI KE REPORTS. Your reports are needed
level occur within the to compile trends for accident prevention . Most of what
, ~- first 1000 feet AGL. we know now has come from information garnered from
, A bird was once sighted at reports by you. If you see large flocks of birds in fligh t,
21,000 feet (sans oxygen), immediately report the location by radio so that other
but this Jonathan Livingston Seagull jocks may get a warning in advance. This is especially
proponent is definitely an exception important if these sightings occur near terminal areas or
to the rule. If your aircraft and conditions on established low level routes. Your buddy will
permit , flight plan for an altitude as high appreciate it.
as practicable. If unable to go at high altitude, Although we concentrated on the F-111 in our
then fly the miss ion at a slower airspeed. Your opening remarks, all aircraft in our inventory are
odds for evasion increase as your airspeed decreases. susceptible to birdstrike accidents. In the first six
Study migratory routes (see illustration) . This time of months of 1973, TAC aircraft were involved in 24
year, ducks and geese, the real killers, begin their annual birdstrike incidents, and not including the previously
trip south . The greatest number of strikes, about 35 mentioned F-111 A, the cost for repair and inspection of
percent, occur in the months of September and October. all of these was over $100,000 and required over 1000
With careful planning, you can prevent crossing these manhours of repair work .
flyways at low altitudes and leave bird-kills to the duck Until technology comes up with a device to prevent
hunters. The upcoming winter months bring another collision with our feathered friends, you are still our most
problem area : winter nesting grounds. The heaviest effective safety device. Keep your head. .---::>

10 SEPTEMBER 1973
 From a collection of anonymous stories published In That morning I was up on a team ride practicing

,~·zetton;·b·
chandelles and lazy eights. My observer had just finished
an hour of the same practice and was taking it easy in the
front seat. As I struggled through one eight after another,
it was obvious that my teammate was quite content to
take care of the lazy part of the maneuver.

That Live
Every now and then he would burst into song- if you
could call it singing. Pretty soon he decided that the
acoustics were not very good for his one-man audience so
he picked up the microphone and switched to interphone.
No. l2 of 17 At the same time he shook the stick, meaning he was
Courtesy of Lt Col H. M . Butler, 4500 ABW I SE
taking over the controls.
It was all right as long as he stuck to ballads, but after
a while he switched to "Pop goes the Weasel" and began
keeping time with the stick. We both began to laugh, and I
HIGH-JINKS pretended to switch him onto the radio, but he was
watchi~ the switch.
"I was only a bird in a gilded cage . .. " The raucous At this moment, for some reason, I happened to look
strains of this mournful song could be heard even above ahead. Coming right at us was a three-ship formation, and
the roar of the motor and to be honest I don't know the laugh froze in my throat. I jammed the stick forward
which was the least musical - the engine or my ebullient and kicked all the right rudder I could. When I looked
observer. back, the formation had scattered like ducks at the roar of
It was during an instructor's school course at Gunter a hunter's gun. I shudder even now to think how close we
Field. We had reached the advanced stages of our training, must have come to those ships.
which consisted of team rides, and it was the custom for It is clear that we both were at fault, and since that
one candidate instructor to pilot from the rear seat and day I have realized that flying an airplane is a full-time
the other to observe from the front seat. job.

TACATTACK 11
 TAC Tips

... interest items,

be with all parts deliveries, it was night. The base had an

I~D NEWS-GOOD NEWS exercise scheduled to start the next day, and the ramp was
even more crowded than usual. The overflow parking was
on a closed runway, and along that closed runway were
THE BAD NEWS- An F-4 in another command was five R F-4s. They had been parked out there because they
on an air defense training were loaded with photoflash cartridges, and they were not
scramble during a tactical parked on the painted parking spots due to explosive
evaluation. The Phantom closed safety requirements. This resulted in the painted taxi
to within sriap-up range, and the stripe not giving adequate clearance.
pilot started his pull-up while The pilot taxied behind the follow-me truck past the
rolling out of a left turn. The first four RF-4s with no difficulty. However, as he
F-4 departed controlled flight, approached the fifth R F-4, it appeared to him that the
rolled two times above the hori- clearance might be marginal. He stopped and waited until
zon and once below the horizon. a transient alert type positioned himself in front of and in
That's bad! line with the left tip tank of the T-33 and the RF-4
stabilator tip and, using flashlight wands he signaled the
THE GOOD NEWS- The pilot immediately went T-33 pilot to taxi forward and to the right. The pilot
through his out of control re- pulled over to the right, toward the edge of the runway, as
covery procedure. The departure far as he could. The marshaller kept motioning him
occurred at 35,000 feet. the drag forward until, just as the left tip tank approached the
chute was deployed at 27,000 stabilator tip, he signaled for the pilot to stop. The pilot
feet and recovery was completed stopped, and remarked to the backseater that, if requested
above 15,000 feet. The pilot to taxi any further, he would shut down and let them tow
initiated a conservative recovery it. Unfortunately, he was about one foot late in his
at 23,000 feet and allowed the decision. The tip tank had already hit the stabilator.
airspeed to build to 300 KCAS It's nice to want to help out the transient alert guys in
before initiating pullout. In this getting the bird parked, but remember that aviator types
incident, the pilot's early deci- are responsible for that plane after landing also. Watch
sion to use the drag chute was your taxi clearances, and don't get led "down the
indicative of effective emergency primrose path!"
procedure training.
And that's good!
IT GETS MIGHTY QUIET ...
One of our rote C-130s recently experienced a
four-engine flameout while landing. The AC heard the
DOWN THE PRIMROSE PATH props start to reverse, then drop off. Number three and
A venerable old T-33 was delivering some mission four engines flamed out immediately, followed by
essential parts to another base. (How will we ever get numbers one and two. Good control was maintained and
along without the old Lockheed Racer?) the aircraft was stopped approximately 1000 feet from
The flight was uneventful, and naturally, as it seems to the end of the runway. A maintenance inspection revealed

12 SEPTEMBER 1973
 .
mishaps with morals, for the TAC a1rcrewm an

no aircraft discrepancies. The aircrew could not remember either airborne or during ground checks, use the system as
the exact speed reverse was initiated, but the recent Dash little as possible. Even Sherlock Holmes needed some kind
One I imitation of 115 knots for reverse might have been of a clue.
exceeded. The Herky-bird is not one of the inventory's
best dead-stick airplanes - the loss of nosewheel steering
and asymmetrical power for steering makes for rather
STASH YOUR TAGS
limited maneuverability. Whenever possible, reduce high Dog tags can be a serious hazard during ejection or
landing speeds by using 100 percent flaps. Keep an eye on bailout when worn around the neck. Soon to be
your airspeed indicator when making no-flappers and if incorporated into the next revision of AFR 30-21 is a
touchdown is excessively long, consider taking it around change in pol icy regarding the wear of these tags. "As a
rather than reversing at critical airspeeds. Smooth throttle safety consideration all Air Force crewmembers may carry
technique during reversing should be emphasized to all ID tags in the flight suit pockets to preclude injuries
student pilots. Noise pollution is a problem, but there's during ejections/bailouts." As an additional note for you
gotta be a better answer. many-motor drivers - the C-ration can-openers you often
string onto your tags for your "T AC breakfast" can be
especially dangerous since the cutting blade is so easily
CONTROl YOURSElF opened . Why not tape it inside your pubs bag? Except in
the case of a few copilots, there is very rarely a screaming
An aircraft control problem write-up is the "bottom of need to open a can of chili in a hurry.
the birdcage" for the maintenance man. It usually requires
intensive investigation, much tracing of rigging, and
testing of hydraulic components. An FCF is usually
AN F-'1 GOTCHA
required. There is something you, the jock, can do to A 26-year old F-4 pilot recently encountered a new
shorten the man's busy work-day. Our natural curiosity infl ight experience which warrants passing on so that
sometimes forces us to try a little private investigation others may avoid a similar situation.
during taxi-back. We work the controls, with nothing but It seems that while pulling 7-BG s coming off the
an honest motive - to give us more information for our target and jinking through enemy territory, he
781 entry. Unfortunately, this is one time that the best experienced excruciating pain in his groin area. Later, he
thing to do is . .. nothing. Very often the cause of stick developed swelling and tenderness of his testicles which
problems is binding due to FOD or failed components. If required no treatment and no grounding.
you work the controls unnecessarily, you could damage The flight surgeon determined that while strapping
the system or release the jammed component. Let's say into the aircraft, the young pilot entrapped his testicles
the problem WAS our old culprit, FOD, and in your between his thigh and the parachute harness groin strap.
enthusiasm you worked it free. Now picture our MX type The G s did the rest.
trying to find the bug. It's 3 AM, he's tired , disgusted, This case exemplifies the complications of F-4 strap-in
vulnerable to mistakes . .. and still can't find the problem. procedures and the necessity for an adequate preflight
Next, picture the FCF pilot . .. scheduled to flight test inspection of all centerline ordnance. We wonder what
the aircraft with a control problem write-up and signed would have happened if he had been forced to punch out!
off "Could not duplicate"- he's a real ulcer candidate.
So , if you encounter control problems in your bird, Adapted from PACAF Command Surgeon Newsletter

TAC ATTACK 13
 TACTICAL AIR COMMAND

AI.RCREWMEN
of
DISTINCTION

LTCOL FORAN

MAJ CLEARY 1LT WILLIAMS MSGT ANSLEY TSGT COOK

Lieutenant Colonel Charles D. Foran, First Lieutenant belly of the aircraft. All communications within the
James T. Williams, Major James D. Cleary, Master aircraft were via runner. Using established procedures, the
Sergeant Carl L. Ansley, and Technical Sergeant Robert J. crew started to manually lower the gear. Heavy fuel fumes
Cook, 181 Air Refueling Squadron, Texas ANG, Hensley required the use of walk·around oxygen. The
Field, Dallas, Texas, have been selected as the Tactical Air crewmembers encountered extremely difficult conditions
Command Aircrewmen of Distinction for July 1973. because of fuel fumes, hazardous footing due to sloshing
The KC·97L crew was on a routine refueling training fuel, and no direct communications. The nose gear
mission at 20,000 feet in the vicinity of Barksdale Air malfunctioned, requiring crew ingenuity by one man
Force Base, Louisiana, refueling a flight of F·105s. During standing on the hand crank while another cranked th~
the refueling, a four·inch fuel line hose connection in the nose gear down. The KC·97 made a safe no flaps landing
lower aft compartment separated and allowed a large at Barksdale. The crew then exited via emergency ropes.
quantity of JP·4 fuel to be pumped into the belly of the When the fire department opened the front and rear doors
tanker. Lieutenant Colonel Foran immediately called an to hose down the lower forward and aft compartments,
emergency break·away and cut all electrical power on the the spilled fuel level was high enough to pour out the door
aircraft. Clear weather conditions allowed a visual descent openings.
to Barksdale. The F·1 05 observed fuel draining from the This extraordinary feat of airmanship and close crew
underside of the KC·97 and advised ATC and Barksdale of coordination prevented injury to personnel, possible loss
the suspected tanker problem. Within the tanker, the of life, and loss of an aircraft, and certainly qualifies this
crew's problems were accentuated by heavy fuel fumes crew as Tactical Air Command Aircrewmen of
coming from four to six inches of JP-4 sloshing in the Distinction. ___::;-

14 SEPTEMBER 1973
I
on if Why Not Minot is clear and unbelievable. Sucking

EMERGENCY your thumb is all right if it's been dunked in a martini,

but otherwise it isn't camp. The most promising choice is
landing or ejecting and if you elected to land- slap your

SITUATION wrist.
Let's look at the troubles one at .a time.
A bird ingestion can be Beaucoup Bad or of no

TRAINING-F-100 consequence, so the cause is not too important. What is

important is that the engine quit. Getting an airstart is
nice and beats the alternative, but our troubles aren't
over. The AC generator didr:1't come on the line and it
by Captain Wiley E. Green should have. You might reasonably conclude that a bit of
FSO, 152d TFTS, ArizANG damage was incurred in the region of the generator and
Tucson lAP, AZ that said damage was of such magnitude as to manifest
itself in preventing the AC generator and two hydraulic
SITUATION: You have just departed Happy Hour ANGB pumps from functioning. (How's that for fog count?) The
for Why Not Minot. An overcast swallows you at 1500 630 degrees temperature in the tailpipe indicates that
feet. The climb check looks good and there is no reason something came loose and it's warmer than usual back
not to continue. Suddenly, and without provocation, a there. (Remember the 88 percent RPM?)
California Condor attacks your aerospace vehicle with The Number Two flight control system pressure is
such meanness that the engine quits. You make an airstart 2800 pounds. If your RAT is ON (it should have opened
attempt and the engine winds up from 32.5 percent. Full automatically when the engine RPM dropped below 40
throttle gives you 88 percent. On engine restart you percent, give or take a little), then Number Two pressure
noticed that the AC generator did not come on the line, should be over 3000 pounds, if the system is normal. If
EGT was 630, and the normally smooth-running, 15,000 you had done the entire checklist for airstart procedures,
hour engine is not as smooth any more. Oil pressure is then you would have turned the RAT OFF. If the
0. K. and hydraulic pressures are ( 1) 200 lbs, (2) 2800 lbs, pressure in System Number Two drops below 2800
and (Utility) zero. What are you going to do? pounds when the RAT is terminated, then an ejection is
recommended. If the RAT is OFF and Number Two
OPTIONS : system pressure is 2800 - 3000 psi, then you might
a. Eject consider landing. However, the engine is damaged and
b. Return to Happy Hour there isn't a utility hydraulic system for such good things
c. Continue to Why Not Minot as nosewheel steering and normal braking, so this chicken
d. Take off your mask and suck your thumb would probably jettison the airplane- unless I had a good
barrier, clear approaches, a runway twice as long as my
ANALYSIS : Obviously you have a problem. The choices no-chute landing roll, and VERY GOOD WEATHER.
of ejecting or returning to Happy Hour are equally I don't know about you, but I'm too old to be very
obvious, but we must not discard the option of pressing bold. .--::>

TAC ATTACK 15
 00 I
The following monthly summary of accidents was dredged from the December 1917 records
of the Royal Flying Corps.

RESUME OF ACCIDENTS
c. Another pilot in a B. E. 2 failed to get airborne. By
AVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS error of judgment, he was attempting to fly at
1. There were 6 avoidable accidents: midday instead of during the recommended best lift
a. The pilot of a Shorthorn with over 7 hours periods, i·.e., just after dawn and just before sunset.
experience, seriously damaged the undercarriage on d. A Longhorn pilot lost control and crashed in a bog
landing. He had failed to land at as fast a speed as near Chipping Sodbury. An error of skill on the
possible, as recommended in the Aviation Pocket part of the pilot in not being able to control a
Handbook. machine with a speed band of 10 mph between top
b. A B.E._ 2 stalled and crashed during an artillery speed and stalling speed.
exercise. ·The pilot had been struck on the head by e. Whilst low flying in a Shorthorn, the pilot crashed
the semaphore of his observer, who was signalling to into the top deck of a horse ·drawn bus, near
the gunners. Stonehenge.

Oh! for the good olde days

 f. A B.E. 2 pilot was seen to be attempting a banked c. Pigeons destroyed a Camel and two Longhorns after
turn at a constant height before he crashed. A grave midair strikes.
error by an experienced aviator.

UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS COST OF ACCIDENTS

2. There were 29 unavoidable accidents: Accidents during the last three months of 1917 cost
a. The top wing of a Camel fell off due to fatigue L317.10.6 - money down the drain and sufficient to buy
failure of the flying wires. A successful emergency new gaiters and spurs for each and every pilot and
landing was carried out. observer in the Service. ___:::>
b. Sixteen B.E. 2s and 9 Shorthorns had complete
engine failures. A marked improvement over Thanks to Flight Safety Facts and TAA AIRCREW
November's figures. BULLETIN.

I
I

t
the total force concept
 by Maj Joe Tillman

Punch One-Zero, Banjo Two estimates orbit point in six "You bet your sweet gas!"
minutes. Copy?" There is really nothing unusual about a Guard tanker
"Roger, Banjo Two . .. I'm holding at one-two passing gas to a fighter in Europe. It's not even odd that
thousand ." Banjo Two relaxed slightly at the controls - the '97 pilot is a school board official (Milwaukee), the
his fuel gauges indicated thirty-five minutes unti I dry copilot flies a Convair 880 (Chicago). and the 'gator
tanks and his primary and alternate were still socked in. pilots a 737 (San Francisco) . The engineer and boomer are
RANDOM THOUGHTS INBOUND . ... . high-time air technicians (35 years in the Air National
" ... 'Damn European weather patterns . . . Let's Guard between them). both master sergeants. In fact, the
see, six minutes, four more to hook-up . . . he only thing unusual about the whole thing is how little
should be at my eleven o'clock . .. maybe I should most of us know of the Guard and Reserve contributions
try to make it over to Bentwaters . .. " to the T AC total force concept. "Creek Party," a
"We've got you in sight, Banjo Two. Starting two-week European TOY for ANG KC-97 units, is but
down-track now." one example.
"Got a tally on you, Punch, I'm turning in behind The ,;week-end warrior" image of f!eserve Forces is
you." dead. If you don't think so, just ask the pilot of Banjo
The RF-4 eased behind the big tanker, the boom Two. Ask the California forest ranger who observed fire
operator talking him in. "Cleared contact position, Banjo. suppression tests conducted by C-130As. Still not
Stabilize." After a smooth hookup, the Phantom pilot's convinced? Ask the grunt about the response he got in
pucker factor decreased as the additional fuel weight Vietnam when he called for air support to get his duff out
required more and more power and nose-up trim . "You're of a jam. Ask about how he sat back and watched airline
full, Banjo. Disconnect now." The aircraft separated. pilots, teachers, and businessmen pound enemy positions
"Good luck, Banjo Two, we'll mail your green stamps in their Huns . ..• Of course, the Army lieutena'!_t
later." couldn't tell those were Guard pilots, but he could see
The National Guard KC-97 banked and headed for how rapid, accurate, and effective the response was - a
home ... trademark of these latter day Minutemen. "Call out the G.
"A KC-97?" D. Reserves" is more than the title of a stag-bar ballad.
" Yep ." The Air Force archives are loaded with historical data
"National Guard?" about National Guard and Reserve heroics - their flying
"Si." history dates back over fifty years. We won 't downgrade
"In Europe?" those facts by attempting to summarize such a complex

TAC ATTACK 19
TOTAL FORCE safety survey teams, and inspectors in the last two years
than they did in the previous decade. To add to their
problems, many units are converting to newer and more
and colorful past. Our real aim is to point out how the complex aircraft and support equipment. As these units
TAC-gained Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve become combat ready, a proportionately higher
Forces contribute to the total force concept. operational load is accepted by them - responsibility for
The potent combination of TAC and TAC-gained participation in joint training and TAC exercises, practice
AFRES and ANG units practically make "concept" of contingency plans and, of course, the constant
invalid when used with "total force." Concept suggests upgrade training of air and ground crews. Rapid-action
idea - and we're way past the idea stage of development. response is their forte, and Guard and Reserve personnel
So exactly what are we talking about? What is the are always among the first to respond to national and
total force concept? Quite simply, it is a force of people, local emergencies, such as flood, earthquake, and tornado
trained, equipped, and combat ready. The "Reserve relief; emergency MedEvac flights - even kicking out hay
Forces" portion of this package includes 2400 pilots, bales to starving cattle.
17,000 mechanics and 1400 aircraft, of many types, This "week-ender" is many things. He does what
including some of the Air Force inventory's most effective full-time Air Force types do- and sometimes better. He's
weapon systems. If these units were mobilized today, the an Air Force P.R. man in his community, and often reaches
size of T AC would increase by almost 75 percent. That, people inaccessible to others: He crams weeks of intensive
by any definition, is one gigantic augmentation program. training into weekends. When he is at his Air Force job, he
Hopefully, a total recall will never take place - · the can expect to have an advisor or inspector looking over his
logistics problems alone stagger the mind, but the shoulder to see that the job is accomplished as if he had
possibility of a massive call-up does necessitate Reserve forty hours a week in which to do it. Finally, he must,
Force readiness. Because of this increased responsibility, whether Guardsman or Reservist, be a T AC pro. He is -
these units have probably entertained more staff visitors, and damn proud of it. ___:::...

20 SEPTEMBER 1973
 to
the
RESCUE

axial piston hydraulic pump. The line cornectirg the

pump to the rescue device is high pressure (11,000 psi
burst pressure) hose with quick disconnect couplings.. The
body of the device is cast of stainless steel and the arms
are constructed of titanium with a minimum strength of
15Y.,,,(100
All these figures add 1.1p to a strong machine capable of
copping doors off vehicles, prying open COrMercial and
industrial steel doors and, with chains attached, puling a
steering wheel forward to release a trapped crash victim.
With the addition of a set of cutting tips, the device can
also be used to cut through fuselage skin and sv-ingers to
free aircrews from aircraft.
Since no ekectrics are involved, the device may be used
under water, as dramatically demonstrated on a recent
television show in which a victim was freed -from a
submerged car. Theatrics aside, this type of tool looks like
a fine piece of emergency rescue equipment.

We recently witnessed a demonstration of a new

emergency rescue device. It consists of the tool itself and
a small gasoline-powered hydraulic pump. Completely

portable and self-contained, the unit basically- is a

rave*, UNIT
hydraulic spreading and pulling device with 10,000
pounds of force available at the tips of the jaws. It weighs
in at fifty-five pounds snot including the power unit) and
is designed to be operated by one man.
The power unit is a five horsepower two-cycle
0.00K51
industrial engine (pull-start) with a built-in 10,000 psi CP4Aiti 11.

TAC ATTACK 21
chock talk ...incidents and incidentals

OOPS! NOW HEAR THIS

He had been working transient alert for years and was You've heard of decibels. Engineers use them to
used to handling new problems on strange birds, but this measure noise levels. What does that mean to you though?
time it was getting pretty tense. The cockpit was small , The sound level here in the office runs about 60
didn't leave much room to maneuver. When he finally got decibels, the typewriter is clattering away, and one of the
the instrument panel loose, he found he'd have to hold it troops is still moaning about the dough he lost in the first
with one hand while he repaired the pilot static line. He football pool of the season. Maximum safe noise level is
was sitting sideways in the seat, reaching for a tool, when about 85 decibels. Believe it or not, this is somewhat
the tanks jettisoned from the wings. Too late, he realized noisier than a roomful of shouting, yelling kids.
that he had not disconnected the battery - the panic Most jet engines produce 110 to 120 decibels when
button was hot! running at idle. If you're close to them, you'll damage
your ears. Incidentally, a jet engine at full power will put
out over 140 decibels, almost twice the level your ears
were designed to stand.
What's the effect of too much noise? The immediate
"B" NUTS effect is that if you don't wear ear protection, it'll make
you punchy . . . It'll cause you to sluff through your
An A-7 was being flown on an FCF for an engine work, get too close to an intake, or any of a hundred
change. Fifteen minutes after takeoff, the oil quantity other blunders.
started to drop, and approximately three minutes later the The long term effect is that later, during your golden
gauge was reading empty. The oil pressure started to years, you'll be wired for sound!
fluctuate; however, no engine vibrations were felt and the
engine continued to run long enough for the pilot to get
the airplane back safely. After landing, there was plenty
of oil on the engine, but no oil was visible in the oil sight
gauge.
A "B" nut was the culprit here. A loose "B" nut. A
"B" nut that someone should have tightened properly!!
FEEL LISTLESS?
How do you inspect the intake on an F-4? You put on
a bunny suit and crawl in and accomplish all items on the
checklist, that's how! Unfortunately, even doing all this
F·4 LIGHT COVERS won't prevent ·an FOD incident from happening. Witness
the following.
An R F-4 in another command flew what was termed An F-4 was given a preflight turn-around inspection.
an uneventful mission, with no abnormal engine The crew chief did everything by the book. He put on the
indications. However, during the BPO, nicks and scratches bunny suit, got the checklist, crawled into the intake, and
were found in the engine inlet. Further investigation performed his inspection. He didn't find anything. A post
revealed that the fiberglass landing ancJ taxi light cover flight inspection revealed that pieces of a checklist had
was missing. Pieces of it were found in the engine. Now been ingested into one engine and the intake checklist was
without throwing rocks - there are a lot of people who missing.
should have caught this one. Suffice to say that no one When you use the checklist, be sure and keep it with
did ... AND THAT COST US AN ENGINE . you. Don't leave it behind!

22 SEPTEMBER 1973
 with a maintenance slant

Incident: A crashed airplane and a smoking hole.

SOONER OR LATER: Cause: A screwdriver or wrench left in the
airplane following maintenance.

Incident: Two airplanes have damaged wings.

Incident : Serious damage to aircraft engine. Cause: One airplane tried to taxi past another
Cause : Safety pin ingested into engine. without proper clearance or wing
walkers.
Incident : One each crew chief killed.
Cause : Stepped in front of running F-4 Incident: An airplane has serious flight control
engine, subsequently drawn into problems, crashing and killing the
engine. crew.
Cause : Improper torqueing in the flight -con-
Incident: Fuel tanks fell off in flight, causing trol system.
damage to civilian property.
Cause: Ex ternal fuel tanks improperly Yes, sooner or later, every one of these will happen -
installed. again . Only you can prove us wrong!

"AMPS IN YOUR PANTS"

TACATTACK 23
 spo corner

receiving · immediate or adequate warning as to what his

F-4 ONCE AGAIN, TWICE AGAIN exact problem was. The BLC or flashing "wheels" light
by Maj Burt Miller only work part of the time. Various efforts are underway
to reduce the BLC duct failure~. New ducting material,
1. THROTTLE RIG . A recent increase in flameouts due increased and special overhauls and inspections, shielding,
to inadequate throttle rigging points out two things : (1) and a sensing cable are all being considered. In the
people forget, and (2) people are reassigned. We, interim, we ONCE AGAIN remind all aviators that if
therefore, once again stress the importance of: (1) pilots unexplained events start happening in the cockpit and/or
noting the fuel flow during engine start and during the if things like missiles and centerline stores start dropping
pre-takeoff idle chop checks. (For additional info see off the airplane, best get the flaps down and RTB -
December 1972 TAC ATTACK.) And, (2) maintenance ASAP!
supervisors insuring new personnel receive adequate
training and emphasis on proper rigging procedures.

2. BLC DUCTING. "Climbing out from target area, fuel

totalizer and counter went to zero, then cycled
repeatedly. Approximately five minutes later, aircraft TO TWIST OR NOT TO TWIST
started to porpoise and pilot disengaged stability
augmentation. Two minutes later, aircraft yawed left
by Major Burt Miller
severely. Pilot pulled ARI circuit breaker. Aircraft
stabilized in pitch and yaw. Moments later, speed brake In the rear seat of the F/RF-4s, there is a gadget called
out light came on, trailing edge flaps indicated one-half, the command selector valve that allows the back seater to
and "wheels" light started flashing. Fuel dump circuit depart the aircraft alone or with company. The use of this
breaker and CN I circuit breaker popped. Pilot declared an handle, or at least the positioning of it, has received
emergency, performed a controllability check, and varying degrees of attention even since the F-4 came into
completed a one-half flap approach-end arrested landing. the inventory. In the early days, prior to the time we
Primary cause was materiel factor in that the left acquired the present front seat sequencing system, a lot of
boundary layer control duct failed. This allowed 17th ACs briefed their G I B to pull it out for takeoffs, landings,
stage bleed air to enter the damaged areas." gunnery passes, etc. Then we found the valve wasn't
designed for all that twisting, so guidance was passed out
The above incident is one of many where BLC system to use it only with discretion. The result, of course, was a
malfunctions or failures occurred without the pilot reduction in attention to the value of the device and

24 SEPTEMBER 1973
 practically every ejection was solo. There are presently qualifications, and then insure that optimum use of the
two valves in the system. The standard pull and twist type ejection options are briefed prior to each flight. Let's use
is good for at least 500 actuations and is changed every 30 the aircraft and its various safety options in the best
months. The newest valve, just introduced and already on manner. ACs aren't expendable items yet!
a few aircraft, is a major improvement. This gadget
requires a simple 90 degree left turn - no 35 pound pull
and twist. It's good for 20,000 actuations and so rei iable
it has no t ime change requirement. With either of these
valves, "too many actuations" is not the problem.
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that during certain HI YO NICAD OR RUNAWAY BATTERY
phases of flight an emergency situation could develop OR HOLY GALLOPIN' ELECTRONS!
making it immediately necessary for both people to get
out. If the driver is busy -like pulling back on the pole to
by Major AI Mosher
keep from hitting a solid object- it would be nice for the
back seater to be able to punch both aviators out - A review of T AC/AN G 0-2 incident reports reveals the
quickly. There are many accident reports relating how the engines and props give us the most trouble; however,
back seater made it but the AC went in with the aircraft battery problems are sneaking into the picture. A couple of
or ejected too late. On the other side of the coin, we have "runaway" N I CADS brought the following response from
all read the reports where due to misunderstanding or the AMA. " Suggest pilots be briefed to disable battery
confusion, the G I B ejected,only to observe the aircraft fly through battery switch anytime undiminishing excessive
on home for a safe landing. When certain ACs hear of charge current exists. Emergency minimal power can be
these occurrences, they may be a little hesitant to have obtained using the alternator restart switch according to
that handle actuated during any phase of flight. The fact second half of switch description on page 1-17 of TO
is that these latter type events are unique and I imited and 1 L-2A-1. "
shouldn't be used to nullify a very important safety The emergency procedure for an overvoltage light,
feature with in the aircraft. which may or may not be the first indicator, leads the
The Dash One states the selector valve will be used if pilot to the conclusion that an alternator is the cause of
the AC is incapacitated or if the procedure is prebriefed . overvoltages when the battery could just as easily be the
It may be too late to rotate the selector after the problem. So, a word to the wise : an overvoltage situation,
emergency develops; that makes the prebriefing essential. when not attributed directly to an alternator, may well be
All ACs should consider their mission, the environment a runaway NICAD, so heed the AMA's advice and then
and its special hazards, their G I B's experience and land as soon as practical.

TACATTACK 25
 use hazard reports... they work

by
NO. (Assigned
HAZARD REPORT
Safety Officer)
23 TFW-73-31
USAF HAZARD REPORT
reporting hazard)
by individual and Organization)
HAZARD ( To
be completed -
Name, Grade
FROM: (Optional
I. 76 TFSq
TO: (Safety
Officer) WALLACE D., Lt Col,
GIRLING,
England AFB, La. DATE/TIME
23 TFWg,
LOCATION
5 Jun 73
England AFB, La.
ORGANIZATION
76 TFSq model, series/A.G.E./material/facilities/procedure)
(Type -

WEAPON SYSTEM
TYPE OF HAZARD I EXPLOSIVES
NUCLEAR
l GROUND
MISSILE
FLIGHT
XXX 1

DESCRIPTION OF HAZARD another base

divert to
or is forced to of his personal
cross-country, to have any which would
when a pilot flies problems, he is unable circumstances
At present, There are many
weather or aircraft the reason. times during unscheduled
because of matter what For example,many assist in
replaced no requested to
equipment of flight gear. member is gloves or
the replacement status, an aircrew suits or
cracked when
necessitate while in a transient torn or ripped flight have been
maintenance resulting in Many helmets placed them
the repair
of his aircraft, with hydraulic fluid. ground crew personnel
closed on top of
items soaked unfamiliar
having the same
off the aircraft after helmets have
even had canopies aircraft by
the wind blew them from transient lost or
positions or defenselesshas even been removed flight gear is either
in vulnerable flight gear in which is not allowed
them. In some instances innumerable ways aircrew member the ne-
There are procedures, an While I appreciate
persons unknown! supply case of mis-
Under present has a local account. possibly is a
rendered unusable. equipment unless he records, I feel this member is not
and if an aircrew
(issued) personal accurate supply paramount on each
maintaining should be Safety Officer
cessity of Flying Safety Possibly the gear from that
directed priorities. then he isn't safe. aircrews could draw
equipped,
fully or properly supply account and transient aircrews home organization.
have a the transient
base could settled with
later be
This could
account.

D OPR
DESIGNA

(Typed or
SIGN E -M
C 517"
DATE FORWARDED
4'
06 JuNe 1973
REVIEWING PERSON
and grade)
DATE printed name , /

8 CAINe, 7J
/
ROBERT E. WHELTON, Major 47?, DEC 66.
WHICH IS OBSOLETE.
REPLACES AF FORM
ARE OBSOLETE.
PREVIOUS EDITIONS
 Letters to the editor

Your monthly magazine con- We appreciate your letter even spADs, Downed or Rescued
tains many interesting articles though criticism is about as easy to Crewmembers, and any other
concerning the "Job Well-Done" swallow as a four-pound pill. First, a interested parties are encouraged
by dedicated men of the Air separate section for "Life Support to attend. Expect a flyer con-
Force. Each month there is a Man of the Month" is a good idea but taining the exact details of the
special page set aside for the our limited space prevents us from Reunion later on in the year.
acknowledging all the people we feel
Maintenance Man Safety Award, Send inquiries to Capt Jim
deserving of recognition. For this rea-
Crew Chief Safety Award, and Seith, 103 Oak Circle, Universal
son, we will, and have, awarded life
the Ground Safety Man of the support personnel the "Maintenance
City, Texas 78148.
Month.
The only articles we see in
Man Safety Award"- since we feel •••
"maintenance" in this case refers to
Dear Fleagle,
TAC ATTACK concerning our those who maintain any equipment
career field are those " down- required to fulfill the Air Force mis- The next time you flutter
grading" the entire field as being sion. As a matter of fact, our April over to your OIC, please tell him
unsatisfactory, improper, un- 1973 winner was a life support type that he pulled a "Fleagle Fiz-
authorized, and inadequate. The from the 1st SOW at Hurlburt Field zle." The July TAC ATTACK
most recent article, in the June (all you DOLs note!). obfuscated the premier safety
As for the "negative" aspects of awards with a dastardly omis-
issue by CMSgt Heart, is a prime
our articles. You are working in a sion of the USAF Explosive
example.
field which, like many support roles,
I would like to see part of a Safety Plaque. This dereliction
rarely gets the attention it deserves
page set aside each month for has undone what I have worked
until something goes wrong. CMSgt
the Life Support/Parachute for nigh these many years. After
Heart's article dealt with items that, if
Technician "Man of the not corrected, could result in injury
all, Nellis AFB, specifically the
Month." We operate on the or death - a tremendous responsi- 57 FWWg, has the greatest and
theory that to be successful, you bility accepted by all life support safest mumtwn technicians,
have zero defects and 100 per- specialists. It is our hope that in- fighter pilots, and oh yes, safety
cent serviceable items of equip- cluding discrepancies noted on past officers. So please, let's eschew
ment. For over 20 years now, inspection visits might prevent repeat obfuscation and fructify our
we have been batting over 100 write-ups - and possibly save a mission - acknowledge the good
and I'm sure this rate is all that life. ED. guys and gals!
is acceptable in the USAF Life •••
Support Sections which are Gerta Gysio
SPAD REUNION Weapons Safety Mascot
placed world-wide.
The Fifth Annual A-1E/H Nellis AFB, NV
MSgt James M. Fears Reunion will be held November
Tex-ANG, Life Support Supt, 2-4, 1973, at the Menger Hotel
P.S. AND this is our second
Hensley Field, Tx . in San Antonio, Texas. Spads,
Sandys, Hobos, Fireflys, Zorros, explosive safety plaque.

28 SEPTEMBER 1973
 Dear Gerta,

We've been caught with our

fuses fizzled on this one. The
57th FWW did indeed win the
USAF Explosive Safety Plaque.
So - eschewing all obfuscation
- our apologies and congratu-
lations to the guys and gals of
the 57th for the outstanding
job. Speaking of fructifying mis-
sions - when does the cast come
off, Baby?

~ (Fleagle)

necessity of producing an interesting, READABLE

magazine .
... and a letter You may notice a change in the design of TAC Tally-
we hope the cleaner format will make the statistics a little
from the editor easier to understand. You may notice also we included
AFRES and ANG stats. Hopefully, our "Top Five"
column will draw more interest and fewer rocks through
I'm taking over the chores and slightly-sprung desk our window, but we'll just have to wait and see.
chair of departing editor, Major Tim Brady. Tim has gone One final word. The office of TAC ATTACK is
to bigger, but probably-not-better things. Don't expect a comprised of five people - myself; Assistant Editor, Capt
lot of changes. A reader survey in our June 73 issue Jim Young; Art Director, Stan ("Fleagle") Hardison;
underlined the fact that basically we're producing what Layout and Production man, SSgt John Tomkowski;
you want to see. Lest you get the idea we received no Managing Editor (and world's greatest secretary), Mariella
raspberries - rest easy - we got them and the response W. Andrews. You may notice we don't have a writer on
will be compiled and printed when the mail stops coming the staff and I'm getting f inger cramps from imitating one.
in. What the Major really means to say is that generally And that's where you come in. SEND US ARTICLES -
the results of the survey show that, with the possible PLEASE. You are close to the action. You know what
exception of the maintenance field, we're covering the you and your fellow-workers want to read . Most of all,
TAC safety scene pretty well. our effectiveness in getting the word out depends on
You can 't sell safety. In fact, you can't even give it feedback from the field, so when you have a gripe about
away . Safety is the state of mind of the people who work how things are done, try putting it down on paper. You
in TAC. Since TAC ATTACK IS a safety magazine, the don 't have to be another Hemingway to get the point
best we can do is reflect the trends and feelings you have across. You don't even have to have the article typed if
toward doing your job safely. If you occasionally read an your handwriting is legible. All you really have to do is
article in our rag without an obvious safety slant, it's put it down on paper and mail it to us, using the address
because we can't put the bug in your ear unless you pick inside the front cover -we really appreciate it. "Till next
up the magazine first. The survey pointed out the time ------Ed .

TAC ATTACK 29
TACTICAL AIR COMMAND

Maintenance Man Safe~ Award

Technical Sergeant Isaias Hernandez, 4500
Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 4500 Air
Base Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, has been
selected to receive the TAC Maintenance Man Safety
Award for July 1973. Sergeant Hernandez will receive a
letter of appreciation from the Commander of Tactical
Air Command and a Certificate. TSGT HERNANDEZ

TACT ICAL AIR COMMAND

Crew Cltief Safe~ Award

Staff Sergeant Gerald L. Henry, 316 Organizational
Maintenance Squadron, 316 Tactical Airlift Wing, Langley
Air Force Base, Virginia, has been selected to receive the
TAC Crew Chief Safety Award for July 1973. Sergeant
Henry will receive a letter of appreciation from the
Commander of Tactical Air Command and a Certificate.
SSGT HENRY

TACTICAL AIR COMMAND

Ground Safery- Man of tlte Montlt

Technical Sergeant Timothy J. Woodlock, 834
Munitions Maintenance Squadron, 1st Special Operations
Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida, has been selected to receive
the T AC Ground Safety Man of the Month Award for
July 1973. Sergeant Woodlock will receive a letter of
appreciation from the Commander of Tactical Air
Command and a Certificate.
TSGT WOODLOCK

"'(:r U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1974-739.259/2

 .';(i'
I
,, ;) ~~,,
~\
..._......._, )...._...
~~r:::. .__,,- ~
1
~ --"'' • ... t I

lAC TALLY JUL

lAC
THRUJUL
1973 1972
JUL
ANG
THRUJUL
1973 1972
JUL
AFRes
THRUJUL
1973 1972

TOTAL ACFT. ACCIDENTS ~ 2 26 29 1 13 13 0 1 0

MAJOR ACFT. ACCIDENTS ~ 2 20 19 0 8 10 0 1 0
AIRCREW FATALITIES ~ 1 13 28 0 1 2 0 2 0
TOTAL EJECTIONS ~ 2 19 21 0 7 5 0 1 0
SUCCESSFUL EJECTIONS ..... 2 13 13 0 6 5 0 0 0

TAC'S TOP n5"

FIGHTER/RECCE WINGS AIRLIFT /REFUELING WINGS SPECIAL UNITS
ACCIDENT.fREE MONTHS ACCIDENT .fREE MONTHS ACCIDENT .fREE MONTHS
31 67 TRW TAC 95 136 ARW ANG 106 2 ADGP TAC
31 162 TFTG ANG 88 316 TAW TAC 75 DET 1, D.C. ANG
30 4 TFW TAC 80 313 TAW TAC 54 DET 1, N.MEX. ANG
24 184 TFTG ANG 48 126 ARW ANG 37 71 TASG TAC
22 122 TFW ANG 47 463 TAW TAC 36 68 TASG TAC

MAJOR ACCIDENT COMPARISON RATE 72-73

72 0 .8 1.6 2.8 4.0 4.8 4.2
lAC 73 5.0 5.1 5.1 4.2 4.3 5.0 4.7

72 0 0 6.3 8.1 6.3 5.1 6.2

ANG 73 8.5 8.6 6.8 5.0 4.7 5.1 4.3

72 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AFRes 73 14.9 6.7 4.1 3.2 1.8 1.5 1.4

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
. f