KJam Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I have! Kel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Vaughan Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 I'm trying to get some info on A models that were from Naha Okinawa. Was that one, 56 0483 from there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 What kind of info are you looking for, was not in the Blind Bat group, but was a Crew Chief on an A model at Naha 56 543 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Leon, As far as I know, all of the Blind Bat acft. were A-Models from Naha! I did a 90 day (40 mission) stint as a flare-kicker at Ubon and all of the ones there were crewed by friends of mine from Naha! Now, I'm sure somebody will correct me, but I never ever saw one that wasn't from Naha! I never did see the one that had the bat painted on it though!!! It was either earlier than Sept. 67 or later than Mar. 69 when I was stationed at Naha!!! Or, my memory has faded some more!!! Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrkaegi Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Great photos, any more? Some of Naha Birds did have paint jobs like that. In 68.Then the birds had 3/4 paint job ( black). Then later full Black paint jobs. I have to say in did work 483. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang012 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I was at NAHA from sept 68 to feb 70 and 483 was a blind bat bird. The aircraft with YU on the tail belong to the 817th sq. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I worked on 56482 some when I was at Sewart. When I got to Naha I worked on 56483 some. June 65 till Nov 66 Any of the Naha birds could have been Bat Birds. A lot of us E-3,s moved around when the plane we were assigned to was on a mission somewhere. I don't remember seeing any of the letters on our 130,s but other planes had them. The Navy planes had them, or some of them did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Here is what I have as far as tail codes for Naha AB. YD C-130A 21 TAS, 374 TAW Naha AB, Okinawa, Japan YJ C-130A 35 TAS, 374 TAW Naha AB, Okinawa, Japan YP C-130A 41 TAS, 374 TAW Naha AB, Okinawa, Japan YU C-130A 817 TAS, 374 TAW Naha AB, Okinawa, Japan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Dutch, what year did they start using those letters? Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC10FE Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Don, Not sure about the dates -- late 60's, I think. There's a great web site with just about all of the SEA tail codes. The guy has also amassed most of the call signs from SEA. Lots of other neat stuff there, too. Check it out -- www.chancefac.net/index.html Don R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Thanks Don. I poked around through it for a few minuets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRSmith Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I arrived at Naha in May 69 and they already had the letters on them--I crewed 56-0504 as a green, brown and white whisper jet for a while and came back after a weekend off and found it had been painted black but I never did go on any blind bat missions--all my time was spent in TSN or Cam Rahn Bay--I can't remember exactly why they painted her black--to replace one we lost?--to many buds since then Smitty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) Dutch, what year did they start using those letters? Don I know they were using the letters and numbers when I got to Naha in 1967! I was third wiper on YJ 56-0475 35th TAS Ken Edited October 28, 2009 by Mt.crewchief Adding tail number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmat Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Most of the photos were taken by a local enthusiast at Itazuke AB from 1967 to 1969. The photos appear to be generally posted chronologically, with the earliest dates at page 68 taken sometime in 1967. (the page with the small photos of the silver F-105Ds and grey TF-102A were taken pre 67) I think that it may have been taken by a student as he mentions traveling by bike. The carrier shots were taken at Sasebo in Kyushu. Some of the JASDF aircraft (with the F-86 Sabres) were taken at Iruma Air Base, ex Johnson AB, near Tokyo. The display USAF aircraft and some of the taxiing shots were taken at Yokota. You might recognize the background. The reason for the wealth of USAF aircraft at Itazuke was due to the Pueblo Crisis and the reactivation of Itazuke (348th CSG) as a bed down for TDY F-102s, 82nd FIS, (NV tail code) RF-4Cs, 15th TRS, (ZZ) EB-66Es/EB-66Cs, Det 001 363rd TRW/19TRS, EC-121Ds, College Eye/Det 552nd AEW&CW. The RF-4Cs were later replaced by 120 day rotational TDY RF-101Gs from the activated ARK/NV/KYANG, in that order. ARK/154TRS, no code. NV/192TRS, no code/RB, and KY/165TRS, RG. Itazuke had earlier hosted the 8th TFW with F-100D/Fs and later F-105D/Fs, until Project Clear Water in 1964, deactivated the Wing, (the Wing designation went to CONUS, replacing the 32TFW at George AFB) and the three squadrons went to Yokota and came under the 41st Air Division. The 68th FIS with F-102s based there also inactivated in 1964. Best wishes, Grant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Dutch, what year did they start using those letters? Don The letters were on them when I arrived at Naha in May '67. At that time each squadron had two aircraft desinated as Blind Bat A/C's. I was lucky enough to be the Crew Chief on one of them, 56-0533. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdaley Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I found this Blind Bat picture years ago but I never could identify the airplane. Notice the nickname "Sapphire" Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPTestFE Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 The crew chief apparently still hangs out at the VFW in Jacksonville here in Arkansas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrkaegi Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Tail # 048 Crew Chief A. J. Green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdaley Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Thanks I think you mean 55-0048, at that time 21 AS also had 56-0548. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opspecial Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 When I was stationed with the 432nd at DM, a SSGT (my supervisor) went back to Thailand and came back with a couple of birds that were shot up during Nam. The US decided time to bring em home I guess. I remember they flew unpressurized, and atleast one with the gear down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
118th AES Retired Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 I've been doing some research on the 'A' models that were assigned to the 118th TAW (TN ANG). In my research, I note that 56-0471 was a "Blind Bat". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang012 Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 (edited) 56-471 was a black bottom. It could only fly certain mission because it did not have the ECM equipment to fly all the missions. It was at Naha in the 35tas when I was there from 68-70. I was a/c/c on that aircraft for a short time and done missions into Cam Ron Bay Svn. It was in Svn. most of the time and did not do many Blind Bat missions Edited November 15, 2009 by ang012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighTide Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 55-0040 was a black bottom and flew Blind Bat missions. I know as I was the crew chief and I also cleaned the entire bottom of the acft to prepare it for painting. I had to bargain to get my acft Blind Bat status. This must have been 1968 as I was at Naha, 35 TAS, 1967 to 1970. 55-0040 was at Ubon as a gunship in 1971 when I was assigned to Ubon PCS. I didn't crew 0040 at Ubon, as I was assigned to crew the First Lady, 53-3129. Great memories but eventually was transferred to Job Control. All this is FYI. C. Wayne Wright HighTide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang012 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 All I said was with out the ECM equipment they could only fly certain mission. When I was on the maint. team in Ubon we had to have ECM birds on certain mission. When I first got to Naha in sept 68 I was on 56-471 and Ssgt Nelson was the crew chief I only went to Cam Ron Bay with It. Then in the early part of 69 went on 55-046 and stayed on that a/c until I left in feb 70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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