177th FIG's Delta Darts going digital

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For those of you on Facebook, the 177th Fighter Wing's Public Affairs section is going through and digitizing their film records.  They also, apparently, have a stash of Thuds they'll be uploading as well

Including this gem from 1980:

A deer strike on the runway, one of two 177th FIG kills.  The other was a Cessna, but the few old timers still in don't talk about it much.

The last Dart out of service (which should have been, IMHO, preserved at Dayton, and *not* the Cornfield Bomber):


The Spirit of Atlantic City:


Literally Thunder over the Boardwalk


And this find, which unfortunately was not from ACY

[PR19_Kit]

I've not seen a sharkmouth on a 106 before, that suits it quite well. 

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That was when the Air Guard could get away with cool stuff like that. 

[NARSES2]

Love the pic of the pilots, almost a different world now.

So what about the Cessna kill ?

[scooter]

Love the pic of the pilots, almost a different world now.

Those pilots are the Mercury 7 astronauts.  Still a different world, today.

So what about the Cessna kill ?

The story that was told to me by one of the now retired oldtimers was that one of our Sixes, returning from Myrtle Beach AFB, "ate" a VFR Cessna 152 or 172 that was trying to occupy the airspace at the same time.  We all know, from building the models, that there's no forward visibility because of the instrument panel, so the pilot didn't realize he'd had a midair with the Cessna until he landed, taxied in, and they started pulling the remains off the plane.

[NARSES2]

Love the pic of the pilots, almost a different world now.

Those pilots are the Mercury 7 astronauts.  Still a different world, today.

I recognised some but not all. Makes you realise how long ago it was when the world was enthralled by the Mercury and Apollo programmes. As an aside the 3rd guy from the right looks a bit like a young Ronald Regan

[NARSES2]

So what about the Cessna kill ?

The story that was told to me by one of the now retired oldtimers was that one of our Sixes, returning from Myrtle Beach AFB, "ate" a VFR Cessna 152 or 172 that was trying to occupy the airspace at the same time.  We all know, from building the models, that there's no forward visibility because of the instrument panel, so the pilot didn't realize he'd had a midair with the Cessna until he landed, taxied in, and they started pulling the remains off the plane.
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Ooops that's not pleasant for the Cessna nor the F.102 pilot. Many train drivers who hit people on the line don't realise it until they find a reception committee waiting for them at the terminus and many never driver a train again. sad

[scooter]

I recognised some but not all. Makes you realise how long ago it was when the world was enthralled by the Mercury and Apollo programmes. As an aside the 3rd guy from the right looks a bit like a young Ronald Regan

Wally Schirra is the Reagan double.

[NARSES2]

Ta