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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2017 15:28:23 GMT -5
Jager, Yes, that's one of my Dad's planes. Here's a few others...
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Post by Carolinaman on Jun 23, 2017 15:45:52 GMT -5
Hello Guys, I was going to declare a major "thread drift" but damn! You guys are posting some amazing, amazing stuff! I was going to watch a movie this afternoon but decided to dedicate my time to reading some of the incredible posts here! Keep it up! Best, Chris
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Post by sistema1927 on Jun 23, 2017 16:38:32 GMT -5
Thread drift? Well, I never.... (Not on this thread, but I have been guilty enough on others that it should be my middle name, as in Sistema "thread drift" 1927. )
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2017 17:32:37 GMT -5
The Air Force, before the advent of political correctness, was renowned for its esprit de corps and squadron parties. Especially so overseas, where your entire social life revolved around the base and the service clubs. Johnson Air Force Base, Japan, during the Korean War was known for it's squadron parties, with each of the 3 squadrons within the 35th Fighter Wing trying out do the other. Inside the main gate, in the center of the traffic circle, was a captured Japaneses rocket powered "Ohka", manned kamikaze aircraft, commonly called a "Baka Bomb". Baka being the Japanese word for "stupid". Somehow, the tradition evolved that squadron parties would culminate with a delegation of those pilots who could stand, would covertly infiltrate the traffic circle, whilst drinking and singing bawdy songs, and paint the Baka Bomb in the squadron colors. The Air Police, of course, expected this and were set up to apprehend the nefarious offenders and turn them over to the Wing Commander - AKA the "Wing King". It was considered great fun. Finally, the Wing Commander issued a decree stating that henceforth, any personnel caught painting the Baka Bomb would be ordered to repaint it to original condition at 7AM Monday morning where everybody coming to work could view their punishment. It wasn't too long after that that the Air Police made a major Baka Bomb bust, and the next Monday the residents of the base were greeted with the sight of the Wing Commander himself, in full uniform, painting the Baka Bomb silver again. It transpired that after a particular satisfying party, the Wing Commander had staggered out to the Baka Bomb where he had been caught painting the aircraft THREE colors - the correct colors for each of his three squadrons... That winter the Air Police also chased down a speeding jeep pulling a skier. The skier was none other than the same Wing Commander, and as was the custom, he had his own name put in the base paper for having been apprehended for illegal vehicle skiing - which thereafter became a wing sport, with the participants getting their names in the base paper as a badge of honor. Times have certainly changed... Baka Bomb Johnson Air Force Base, Japan: Attachments:
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Post by CXM on Jun 23, 2017 18:35:28 GMT -5
I suppose it could happen, but the concept of the APs trying to apprehend the Wing King for something like speeding etc. seems incomprehensible to me... The general principle was the Base Commander or the Wing King could not be guilty of violating regulations since he was one of the two who promulgated them... the theory being that if either of those august personages appeared to be speeding, he was not because he had no doubt changed the speed limit for the time being... Uniform wear was another example... though regulations, particularly in SAC regulations were at least semi-sacred (it was widely believed SAC had published a "SAC Supplelment" to the Bible,) althought this was probably less so in TAC or ADC and not at all in ATC, the most senior could make some modifications to the uniform... One Wing Commander I knew very well, wore scotch grain shoes (at least in black) and wore the biggest eagles I have ever seen on his epaulets... (probably the ones intended for the over coat.) Another Wing Commander I knew (who ultimately became a three button) NEVER wore a service cap, only wearing a garrison (flight cap.) Back in the good old days air crews were expected to have lots of 'spunk' and work hard and play hard. This was generally looked on as benign 'boys having fun' by senior commanders who had done a lot of the same thing not too long before... this was the time when the bosses were all veterans of WWII and Korea... The Air Police usually had the good judgement to stay out of the way unless things were really bad... this was in part because the APs and their command structure until you got pretty high up were 'non-rated' that is to say were not qualified pilots... who ran the Air Force and who tended to be a very close knit grouop. One night at the officer's club I saw some crew dogs who had probably come back from a long mission (in the days of prop aircraft lots of missions tended to be long) cutting the leather padded bar rail with pocket knives in plain view of the Wing Commander... all he did was tell the Club Officer to present them with the repair bill in the morning... I'd be willing to bet they paid up without the slightest objection... officers in those days were expected to be responsible for their actions and not whine at the consequences. In years gone by bomber and transport crew members were taller and bigger than fighter pilots... this was a result of a WWII era limit on the height of a fighter pilot... a result of physical space limitations on in the early pursuit air craft... this was later dropped but it had a long range impact on the relative size of the pilots. I mention this because at MacDill AFB in the 1950s, the bomber crews were in the habit of saying to transient fighter pilots 'I'll flip you for a drink.' Of course the fighter pilot (at least ones who had not been there before) would agree... the FP would call 'heads' or 'tails' after which the bomber crews would flip said FP in the air... and even if he got his call wrong he was treated to a drink... the funny thing however, was a FP could get flipped and 10 min later another FP would walk up to the bar and get taken in by the same prank... the first FP would never say a word... misery likes company I suppose... Then of course there was the incident with the Catholic Chaplin and the fire truck... but I should probably leave that for another time... Anyway, I enjoyed the post a lot... brought back some of the good times with the real Air FOrce... V/r Chuck P.S. - Nice pics of the Ohka... I have seen it somewhere, it must have been relocated when the base closed... C. The Air Force, before the advent of political correctness, was renowned for its esprit de corps and squadron parties. Especially so overseas, where your entire social life revolved around the base and the service clubs. Johnson Air Force Base, Japan, during the Korean War was known for it's squadron parties, with each of the 3 squadrons within the 35th Fighter Wing trying out do the other. Inside the main gate, in the center of the traffic circle, was a captured Japaneses rocket powered "Ohka", manned kamikaze aircraft, commonly called a "Baka Bomb". Baka being the Japanese word for "stupid". Somehow, the tradition evolved that squadron parties would culminate with a delegation of those pilots who could stand, would covertly infiltrate the traffic circle, whilst drinking and singing bawdy songs, and paint the Baka Bomb in the squadron colors. The Air Police, of course, expected this and were set up to apprehend the nefarious offenders and turn them over to the Wing Commander - AKA the "Wing King". It was considered great fun. Finally, the Wing Commander issued a decree stating that henceforth, any personnel caught painting the Baka Bomb would be ordered to repaint it to original condition at 7AM Monday morning where everybody coming to work could view their punishment. It wasn't too long after that that the Air Police made a major Baka Bomb bust, and the next Monday the residents of the base were greeted with the sight of the Wing Commander himself, in full uniform, painting the Baka Bomb silver again. It transpired that after a particular satisfying party, the Wing Commander had staggered out to the Baka Bomb where he had been caught painting the aircraft THREE colors - the correct colors for each of his three squadrons... That winter the Air Police also chased down a speeding jeep pulling a skier. The skier was none other than the same Wing Commander, and as was the custom, he had his own name put in the base paper for having been apprehended for illegal vehicle skiing - which thereafter became a wing sport, with the participants getting their names in the base paper as a badge of honor. Times have certainly changed... Baka Bomb Johnson Air Force Base, Japan:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2017 14:35:40 GMT -5
Just noticed this...
Yup, a lot of the fighter pilot full colonels at the time were still in their mid 30s - having been full colonels since their 20s during WWII. One of the colonels on the base was one of the youngest in the Air Force. He led the charges in the air and at the O'Club.
Regarding the Baka bomb, the "rule" was more of a challenge. Painting the Baka bomb was sport. The other "team" was the Air Police who defended the goal. If you get caught you gotta paint. Irregular as hell, but great for the morale of all involved and even better when it's the wing commander doing the painting.
When I was a kid in the late 60's at McGuire AFB, NJ, the parking lot behind the O'Club and rows of adjacent BOQs was over a half mile long. The sport there was being para sailed in a rejected parachute from behind a sports car. There were some senior officers involved in that too, but it was quickly squashed when too many guys developed some epic road rash.
Dad and I were driving by the O'Club one day when I looked out the window and saw a guy, who bore an amazing resemblance to one of our neighbors, dangling from an orange and white parachute, about 100 feet in the air. I said to my Dad, "Hey, Dad, isn't that Colonel..." "No" he interrupted, "and you didn't see that! " That weekend Colonel XXXX came over for a BBQ and he had a decided limp. Said he sprained his ankle "golfing". "Yes," they all agreed, "they gotta do something about that golf course."
Times certainly have changed. :-]
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Post by bandito on Oct 9, 2019 20:54:51 GMT -5
Dad was an Army Air Corps Bombardier/Navigator Instructor. Scheduled to go to England in 30 days, the VE day came along and he was mustered out at a base in Iowa, the 10,000th airman kicked out. Was in two crashes stateside and wouldn't turn his back problems in, as he would be greatly delayed getting out. Taught a lot of guys who didn't get back. Had non-combat skeletons he didn't talk about. Alcohol and depression got him in 1974. Miss him every time I read these things, but I thank you guys, as I'm a history buff and like plain old fast and sexy looking planes like up above. Dad's bombers were B24s I believe. God Bless you all. Bandito
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Post by CXM on Oct 10, 2019 9:53:21 GMT -5
Lots and lots of 'stuff' happened back in the 'old' Air Force. My Dad flew B24s in WWII followed by an aborted tour in P47s before being rotated to the U.S. as an flight instructor... I didn't realize until a few years ago just how dangerous flying in the 8th Air Force could be... survival took skill and a lot of luck. Dad also flew the 'killer' B47 which must have had the record in SAC for flying accidents... and loss of crews... He was very happy to get out of that plane... There was also lots of common sense about things back then... if someone did damage they simply paid for it and moved on... not now... screw up once and your career is dead. The AF is run by 'careerists' who only care about being politically correct and career advancement. It is not a force designed to win wars. FWIW Chuck Dad was an Army Air Corps Bombardier/Navigator Instructor. Scheduled to go to England in 30 days, the VE day came along and he was mustered out at a base in Iowa, the 10,000th airman kicked out. Was in two crashes stateside and wouldn't turn his back problems in, as he would be greatly delayed getting out. Taught a lot of guys who didn't get back. Had non-combat skeletons he didn't talk about. Alcohol and depression got him in 1974. Miss him every time I read these things, but I thank you guys, as I'm a history buff and like plain old fast and sexy looking planes like up above. Dad's bombers were B24s I believe. God Bless you all. Bandito
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