FOX<= /span> FAX

--= ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----------------------------------------------------------

Journal of the 199^th Recon Airplane Company RVN 1967-70 Vol. 5, Issue 12 Dec 08

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Sw= amp Fox Coordinator 2007-9 &nb= sp; Woody Barnes Fox 35 swampfox35@bellsouth.net=

Sw= amp Fox Coordinator 2004-6 Bob Wooll= ey - Fox 26 &n= bsp; bjdubu@aol.com

Re= union Coordinator C&C &nb= sp; Don Nicholson - Fox ?? &nbs= p; longtrips0@aol.com

Tr= easurer &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; Dan Aldridge - Fox 56 = ; &n= bsp; Deepsea3@aol.com=

Un= it Historian = &nb= sp; Charley Baker - Fox 46 &nbs= p; cbkb25@verizon.net<= /span>

Pa= tch and Shirt Project &n= bsp; Gary Simon - Fox 16 GaryLBB@aol.com

Web Master / Commo Chief &n= bsp; Ray "Doc" Jennings - Fox 032A r.jennings@KTIS.net<= /a>

IB= DA Liaison &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; Sam Givhan Fox 31 &= nbsp; s_givhan@hotmail.com=

Qu= ad-A Liaison &n= bsp; = ; &n= bsp; Curt Herrick Fox 26 &= nbsp; herrickcurt@verizon.net

Ch= aplain &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Larry French Fox 35 lawrenceefrench@yahoo.com=

--= ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= -------------------------------------------------------------

WEB SITE www .SwampFox199thRAC.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----------------------------------------------------------------=

Goals:<= /p>

To find as many of= our old friends as possible and get them talking to = each other again.

To build as comple= te a history of the unit as possible and make it available to all the members.

To perpetrate reun= ions. The perp this year is Don Nicholson.

<= /span>

<= span style=3D'text-decoration:none'>

Army Fixed Wing Flight Training On YouTube.

This = footage shows Army fixed wing flight training activities during a nine month period= in 1968. The film was taken at Fort Stewart, GA and Fort Rucker, AL. Each trai= ning class was comprised of between 25-30 commissioned officers and distinguishe= d by the color of their hats. This particular group of officers was known as the Gold Hat; class. Initial scenes are of primary training at Ft. Stewart, whe= re officers were taught basic flying skills in the Army's T-41 Mescalero (a modified Cessna 172). Scenes at Ft. Stewart include footage of the Army's T= -41 training fleet at Wright Army Airfield (AAF) and pilots practicing takeoffs= and landings on unimproved grass strips at Ft. Stewart. Advanced training at Fo= rt Rucker was conducted in Army T-42 Beech Baron twin engine aircraft and the Cessna O-1 Birddog aircraft. The training pilots received in the Baron led = to their multiengine and instrument ratings as Army pilots. The training in the Dog; was tactical in nature and oriented towards preparing the new aviators= for assignments upon graduation: a combat flying tour in Vietnam. There most wo= uld be flying the Birddogs in combat support activities such as reconnaissance, direction of artillery and naval gunfire, and forward air control. The T-42 footage shows officers being bused to Cairns AAF and activities from a typi= cal training flight. In this sequence the pilot is receiving training flying wi= th a hood and culminates the day's training with an instrument approach to Cairns AAF. The Birddog footage is taken at several satellite fields at Fort Rucke= r. Pilots are seen practicing landings over fifty foot obstacles, preflight activities, low level flying (dead reckoning), and the film ends with a sce= ne showing the completion of a tactical 360 degree overhead approach and landi= ng in a Birddog. - Great to see a well documented movie. This home movie shoul= d be very interesting to those who were at Fort Stewart, Georgia and Fort Rucker, Alabama in the late 1960's.
thanks for the trip down memory lane. I was a Catkiller from March 1969 - M= arch 1970. Became a Flight commander for the Tactics portion of the Bird Dog pha= se closing out the Bird Dog training in 1972. Thanks for the ride!<= o:p>

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Da= lrPViPY_Vo

220th RAC (Catkillers)

This = film shows aerial views of the flying area of the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company (RAC) and scenes from their officers' club during a visit from a USO sponsored entertainment group. Pilots in the 220th RAC were called Catkillers;.. The Catkillers were based at Hue Phu Bai airfield, approximat= ely 10 miles south of Hue, the ancient capitol of Vietnam. Their flying area was from just north of DaNang to the DMZ separating North from South Vietnam. T= he unit flew O-1 Birddogs. These single engine high wing aircraft%u2019s missi= ons included artillery adjustment, forward air control, radio relay, convoy cov= er, naval gunfire, target analysis and combat observation. The Dogs, as they we= re called, were two seat aircraft which carried no armament accept for up to e= ight 2.75 inch rockets which were used primarily to mark targets. The 1st platoon was assigned to support the marines near the DMZ and the Ho Chi Minh trail.= The rest of the company provided support for the 101st Airborne Division, ARVN's and Navy ships off the coast for fire direction. The company flew reconnaissance missions in northern I Corps near the DMZ and the trail thro= ugh Laos. This sequence of aerial scenes shows the military installations in the Phu Bai area then moves to the city of Hue where main focus is The Citadel = the fortress walled home of former kings of Vietnam. The following scene is of = the Marine base at Dong Ha, several miles south of the DMZ. The film then moves= to aerial scenes of a Birddog flying near the famous Rockpile area, around whi= ch some intense battles were fought. The next scene is of an air strike being coordinated near the DMZ. The last aerial scene is taken in the DMZ near wh= ere the Ben Hai river empties into the sea. The subject matter in this footage = is the giant garrison size flag the North Vietnamese had erected in the middle= of the DMZ. As a footnote, subsequent to this film being shot, one of the Catk= iller pilots successfully hit the flag with a 2.75 inch white phosphorous rocket = and burned it to the ground! The final scene is of Catkiller pilots and their comrades doing a little serious partying after a long day on the job! Phu B= ai was Alright! - Wow! Sure brings back memories. Been there, done that.<= /o:p>

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D_= 9YhZq1znGs&feature=3DPlayList&p=3DB5ECC32B1CF85199&index=3D9

How you would get copies of this video I have no idea. Might= be worth some research. (ed)

Sgt. John D. Foley

=	=
Sgt= . John D. Foley was an "ace" turret gunner in both the Pacific and European theaters. His first combat mission earned him the nickname "Johnny Zero." (U.S. Air Force photo illustration/Mike Caraba= jal)
Download HiRes

=
Story Tools
= Printable story	= E-mail story
= Su= bscribe now

Of all aircrew pos= itions during World War II, the turret gunner had the most physically demandi= ng one. They had no heat and no armor protection, and they flew at altitudes where temperatures could reach minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite the perils, a number of gunners were designated aces as they shot d= own enemy aircraft. One such gunner was then Pvt. John Foley, who may have finessed his way into an illustrious combat career, and= an "unknown" ace.

On Dec. 25, 1941, shortly after enlisting in the Army Air Corps, Foley arrived at Muroc Dry Lake, Calif. He expected to be trained as an aircrew member. To his dismay, he spent the next month on kitchen duty. He was the company clerk as the 22nd BG prepared to deploy to Australia. Foley was a skilled typist, but he was eager for combat.

Somehow, he secured orders transferring him to duty as an armorer in Australia where he cleaned cosmoline guns. While the aircrews were sti= ll at Brisbane flying practice missions, Foley was sent to clean the guns on t= he "Kansas Comet," Lt. Walter Krell's B-26. It became a regular duty. Later after the lieutenant had lost his gunner due to an injury he asked for Foley as the replacement, even though Foley h= ad never flown in a plane.

After an afternoon crash course in armament, Foley was qualified by the armament sergeant. On the following day, Foley was shown how to operate the turret, use the intercom, briefed on procedures and taken on a practice mission. Back on the ground, Lt. Krell told him the job was his.

On his first mission, his aircraft was attacked by Japanese fighters and Fo= ley shot down at least one enemy aircraft, although he was reluctant to mention= his feat since he was not sure he had done the right thing in firing without orders. Other members of the 19th Bomb Squadron confirmed his victory and he was nicknamed "Johnny Zero" by a war correspondent, Pat Robinson.

Foley became a hero in his home town of Chicago and the subject of a popular song, "Johnny Got a Zero." Other commercial firms capitalized on = his fame and produced such items as "Johnny Zero" watches and boots.

During his 31 other Pacific combat missions, Foley shared in the destructio= n of at least six more enemy aircraft and survived three B-26 crashes. In one su= ch accident, he was the only survivor and was rescued by New Guinea natives. Malaria forced his return to the U.S. in 1943 where he toured factories promoting war production. He was assigned to duty as a gunnery instructor, = but again secured an overseas assignment, this time to the 409th Bomb Squadron flying B-24s out of England. He volunteered to fly whenever he could and was able to complete 31 missions over Europe in only 60 days. He returned to the U.S. and was preparing for a third overseas tour when World War II ended.
For more on John Foley and aerial gunners, read Aerial Gunners: The Unknown Aces of World War II, by retired Air Force Col. Charles Watry a= nd Duane Hall.

Source: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Swamp Fox / Shot Gun= DELTA BIRD DOG REUNION 2009 Location Survey

Votes= are in. Looks like it will be FWB

Your&= nbsp; Reunion Committee has selected three possible locations for our next reunio= n to be held in October 2009:

= ;

Ft= . Walton Beach, FL votes 25

San Antonio, TX &nbs= p; &= nbsp; 19

Na= shville, TN &= nbsp; &nbs= p; 5

Other Reunions

=

=

21^st RAC       www.geocities.com/davidwchandler/<= span style=3D'color:navy'> - no information

73^rd RAC       see 74^th RAC<= /span>

74^th RAC       www.aloft74th.org       &nbs= p;           =

119^th RAC     www.219headhunters.com         =    - not scheduled

183^rd RAC   &nb= sp; = www.183seahorse.org<= /a>            &nb= sp;     Oct 08, see = www.183seahorse.org/news_cu= rrent.htm<= o:p>

184^th RAC   &nb= sp; www.184rac.com         =              &n= bsp;   - not scheduled

185^th RAC     www.angelfire.com/tx4/Ptera= dactyl185/index.html no info

199^th RAC     www.SwampFox199thRAC.com   - tentative OCT 09’

203^rd RAC     no web site

220^th RAC     www.220raccatkiller.us.com         - not scheduled

221^st RAC     www.221st.org         =             &nb= sp;       - not scheduled

= ;

=

Birddog Store - www.druid-con= sulting.com/bird_dog_model.htm<= o:p>

from Corky's - see the Bird Dog Store page

Patch and shirts

If you want to have a shirt or two monogrammed with t= he SF logo Gary has a few Swamp Fox patches left as well. Contact Gary S= imon @ GaryLBB@aol.com = for details. Remember, you have to provide the shirt(s). Turnaround time is about 3 weeks.

WEB SITES of INTEREST

This appears to be same manufacture as issue.

MA-1 Nylon SPEC Jacket by ALPHA

0071

ALPHA INDUSRTIES Genuine Army, Navy and Air force, Govt. s= pec nylon flight jacket, satin reversible to bright orange, inside map pocket and p= en slots on left sleeve zipper pocket, insulated with 100% polyester fill. H= istory of the MA-1 Flight Jacket=

The MA-1 jacket was first developed in the mid 1950's. The MA-1 and its predecessor, the B-15 Flight Jacket, were needed at that time because the emergence of the jet age created new requirements for pilot performance, safety and comfort.
Prior to the invention of jet aircraft, fleece-lined leather jackets were issued to flight personnel. However, the new jets could fly at much higher altitudes and in much colder temperatures than propeller aircraft. If the heavy, bulky leather jackets became wet from rain (when the pilot walked = to his aircraft) or from perspiration, the water would freeze at high altitu= des, making the jackets cold and uncomfortable.
Also, the new jets were more streamlined in design. Cockpits were cramped= and filled with new equipment. Speedy, unimpeded access to and exit from cock= pits became even more critical for safety. Rather than bulky leather, a sleek, lightweight yet warm jacket was needed for the new jet technology.
To meet these needs, a new type of flight jacket was developed. The mater= ial selected for the jacket was high quality nylon. Nylon had been discovered prior to World War II but it was not used in flight clothing until after = the war, possibly because the demand for nylon for items such as parachutes consumed the available supply during the war.
The initial nylon flight jacket was designed in about 1946. It was called= the B-15 flight jacket (MIL-J-6251). The B-15 was similar to the MA-1 except = that it had a mouton fur collar. After a few years, it was discovered that the B-15 fur collar frequently interfered with placement of the pilot's parac= hute or other equipment and the Air Force decided to discontinue the B-15 and replace it with the new MA-1 flight jacket.
The first MA-1 jackets were issued around 1949 or 1950 to United States A= ir Force and Navy pilots and Flight crews. Small numbers were also issued to Army flight personnel. Alpha Industries' first government contract was awarded in 1958 (MIL-J-1958B).
MA-1 jackets first appeared in Europe in very small quantities in the mid-to-late 1950's probably on the black market and at sales of government surplus. In the early to mid-1960's more MA-1 jackets appeared in Europe = as Alpha Industries began to export MA-1 jackets and other military clothing= to European Air Forces and commercial customers.
MA-1 Is An All Season Jacket
The MA-1 was designed by the Air Force to serve as an Intermediate Weight Flight Jacket for use all year. This was accomplished by manufacturing the MA-1 from very high quality nylon fabrics and polyester interlinings. The light weight nylon design allowed the pilot in warm weather to wear the jacket open and be comfortable; upon entering the aircraft, the pilot cou= ld zip the MA-1 closed and be afforded ample protection against the cold conditions encountered in flight.

Design of the MA-1 Flight Jacket<= span style=3D'font-family:"Courier New";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Rom= an"; color:#004080'>

The MA-1 has undergone various design modifications during its long history of use, but its classic, highly functional design has remained basically the same. The original design was contained in U.S. Government Military Specification "MIL-J-8279." Changes to the MA-1 jacket were periodically made by the Air Force. These occurred because of the introduction of new textiles, new sewing techniques or new aircraft cockp= it design which required a change in the jacket design. The Military Specification was amended to reflect the changes, which was signaled by adding a letter to the Mil. Spec. For example, MA-1 specifications progre= ssed from the original number Mil-J-8279, to J-8279A, J-8279B, J-8279C, etc. T= he most recent revision, J-8279F, was issued in the early 1980's.
The MA-1 as originally designed was made from a high quality nylon outer shell and a nylon lining. In between these nylon layers was a double-faced wool material for warmth. After a few years the wool interlining was repl= aced by the newly developed polyester fiberfill interlining. The polyester replaced the wool because it made the jacket much lighter and provided superior warmth.
The MA-1 introduced two major design changes from its predecessor, the B-= 15. First, the MA-1 discarded the mouton fur collar and substituted a knit collar. This was done because the fur collar interfered with the parachute harness worn by the aviators. Another important change that appeared in t= he mid 1960's (MIL-J8279D) was to make the jacket reversible and add the bri= ght Indian Orange lining. If the airplane crash-landed and the pilot escaped,= he could reverse the jacket to the orange side for a highly visible signal to rescue personnel.
Other changes have been made to the original MA-1 design over the years. = For example, the early MA-1 models contained a front tab where the pilot could clip his oxygen mask when not in use. After several years, advances in airplane design and pilot helmet oxygen systems made the clip-on arrangem= ent unnecessary, and the front tab was removed from the jacket.
Similarly, the first MA-1 models had sewn loops to hold the wired running from the radio to the pilot's helmet. When radio improvements made this unnecessary, the sewn loops were removed from the jacket.
The early MA-1 flight jackets used by the Air Force had the United Sates = Air Force insignia printed on the sleeve. This was dropped in later MA-1 mode= ls in favor of sewn-on patches or insignia of the specific military units. The MA-1 and its ancestor, the B-15, were produced in two colors: Sage Gr= een and Midnight Blue. Blue was the original color used by the military but it was soon replaced by the sage green color. During the Korean War period, (1950-1953) mixing flight clothing from multiple time periods and colors = was not unusual. Presumably, the green was eventually adopted because it blen= ded more easily with the environment should the pilot need camouflage protect= ion on the ground.

Technical Details of the MA-1

Each Alpha jacket is engineered for the highest quality. Consistency in construction in all Alpha MA-1 jackets ensures that every Alpha MA-1 jack= et looks identical and meets strict standards.
The MA-1 requires 57 separate sewing operations. These operations are hig= hly engineered and each has a distinct quality purpose. The utility pocket, originally called the "cigarette pocket" involves 8 sewing operations.
The embroidered Alpha logo label is stitched into the left pocket, along = with the white "specification" label. The labels are sewn inside so = that they will not show if the jacket is reversed.
When comparing the authentic Alpha MA-1 to other MA-1's, look for the following special details in our construction:

For extra strength - edge stitching on pocket flaps, bar tacks on interi= or and exterior pockets to prevent tearing, reinforced pocket snaps, do= uble needle lap seams on sleeves, top stitching on jacket back and cuffs;=

A neatly constructed utility pocket with a % inch taper and square cor= ners in the bellows construction, with precisely positioned pencil point = protectors;

The knit at the bottom of the jacket is attached to the shell of the jac= ket, (not sewn between the jacket lining and the shell, because that type= of construction can result in a lumpy appearance), and the knit is stretched uniformly over the bottom width of the coat, stopping about 1.5 inches from the ends of the shell.

The quilt on the storm flap is constructed using a 3 inch quilt on the points, + or -1/4 inch.
The Alpha MA-1 that is sold to the commercial market has several deviations from the government specification. These changes have lit= tle or no effect on the appearance and performance of the jackets. They = are done to make the jackets more salable to retailers and consumers. Th= ese deviations include:

Water repellent treated. This makes the garment more resistant to water and wind;
Knit collar, cuffs and waistband are an acrylic blend rather than 100% wo= ol. It has been found that wool does not wear as well as acrylic and is subject to insect damage.

The interlining is a cut staple, non-quilted polyester batting rather th= an a quilted, continuous staple polyester batting.

The MA-1 flight jacket is perhaps the most popular clothing item ever designed for the United States military forces. Its official name is "Jacket, Flyers, Man's Intermediate Type MA-1" (MIL-J-8279). Alpha Industries (and its predecessor, Dobbs Industries), has continuously manufactured the MA-1 since the 1950's. Alpha is the largest and virtually only supplier of the MA-1 jacket for the United States military from the 1950's to date.

~~$110.00~~ $86.00

(Savings: $24.00)

www.flightjacket.com/store/= detail.aspx?ID=3D18

www.army-technology.com/

www.hmforces.co.uk/=

And you think we have problems!! (ed)=

YellowBrix

December 02, 2008

An inability to run a= drunken party in a brewery is generally seen as the best description for an individ= ual or organization apparently incapable of basic administration. But engineeri= ng a three-week shutdown of a county’s only airport when you are the county council and the new operator of said airport must run it a pretty close sec= ond.

There may be explanations as to why Newquay Airp= ort is closed today and likely to remain so until at least December 19. There are = no credible excuses. The plain unvarnished truth is that this is a monstrous cock-up, and unprecedented so far as anyone can remember. For it to be happening three weeks before Christmas beggars belief.
Cornwall County Council, soon to be a unitary authority, God help us, bravely agreed to take over Newquay Airport when it= became clear four years ago that the RAF would be pulling out, putting the entire civilian service at risk. That fact that it meant Cornwall would be taking a commercial airport into council control just as many other councils – Devon included – were selling theirs was unavoidable.

Cornwall needs an airport, both to help business= and leisure travellers get to destinations outside of the county with ease and, crucially, to bring in visitors from other parts of the UK and abroad. So in that respect, the county deserves congratulations for having the courage to step into the breach and maintain a vital business and tourist lifeline for= a county that relies on good communications to stay in business. <= /span>

But if the idea was right, the execution, in the= last few weeks, has been appalling. In the commercial development sector, no-one sets themselves such a tight deadline to finish a project as was apparently= set in this case. Delays in completing the control tower at Newquay Airport mea= ns there will be insufficient time to train the new civilian air traffic controllers who will take over from the RAF. The Civil Aviation Authority w= ill not, therefore, authorise the service to launch under its new management. <= o:p>

Losing three weeks at such a crucial time of yea= r is just about the worst thing that can happen to an airport. It takes a long t= ime to build up confidence in a service and attract a strong passenger base = 211; it takes a very short time to lose all of that, and Cornwall’s bungli= ng over this deadline has put much of the good work done in building up Newquay passenger numbers at risk.

It is the interests of everyone here in the Westcountry that the negative impact of this failure is minimised and Newqu= ay reopens stronger and better than ever, just as soon as possible. But there = must be a thorough inquiry into how this can have gone so badly wrong.

Cornwall County Council will soon take over all = local services when it becomes a unitary authority. How much confidence will residents have in that being a success if it cannot even meet a deadline to take over the airport after several years of planning?
A fairer tax

ANYTHING that will reduce sky-high council tax b= ills will be welcome here in the Westcountry, where the charges are among the highest in the country yet wages are generally low and the number of people= on fixed and modest incomes is well above average.

So if we are to have a 45 per cent rate of tax f= or those earning over pounds150,000 a year, using the money made to offset cou= ncil tax rather than see it disappear into Treasury coffers is likely to be welc= ome, particularly in our region.

That said, the real answer to outrageously high council tax bills must be to bring them down to more manageable levels. And levelling up the government grant system to ensure that councils in our reg= ion are not short-changed must be a top priority.

It is an ongoing scandal that schoolchildren in = the Westcountry receive far less generous support from the Government than, for instance, schoolchildren in counties around London. Pumping more taxpayers’ cash in our direction to balance that inequality is vital.=

In recent years, the responsibilities heaped on = local councils have soared while grant aid provided by central government has fai= led to keep pace. The hard-pressed council tax payer has been picking up the ta= b. If that dubious honour can be passed on to those earning pounds150,000 a ye= ar or more, most people will be delighted.

(c) 2008 Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK)= .

EAA calendar

http://www.ea= a.org/events

http://www.eaa.org/airventure/    OSHKOSH

&nb= sp;

Two new aircraft top the list of prizes in EAA’s annual sweepstakes - this new Cirrus SR20
and a RotorWay A600 Talon helicopter kit. Read more about the sweepst= akes

IBDA

www.ibdaweb.com

IBDA has = been very supportive of Birddog Unit Reunions and deserves our thanks. We can sh= ow it by joining up. It's only a few bucks. Well worth it for the magazine alone. - editor (RJ)

SWAMP FOX NETWORK

Welcome Home to:

Fred Lee Fox ??, Pleasenton, Ca,   foskarl@sbcglobal.net

Lo= nnie Kasperbauer Fox ??, Des Moines, Ia, loulon22980@wmconnect.com=

=

Note: call sign Fox ?? means I don't have your call sign.
          Drop me an e-mail and I will fix that.



           If you have a change of phone number, address or especially e-mail addre= ss.

           Let me know so we don't lose touch with you,



           Thanks, editor

Soldiers Angels

Do= check out this web site if you are looking for a charity to support our troops.

www.soldiersangels.com

Site News

New page for AO-1 Armed Bird Dog

<= o:p>

History of the AO-1 Armed Bird Dog.<= /p>

www.druid-consulting.com/ao= -1_m60_kit.htm

If= you have something to add to the Fox Fax, I need it before the fifth of the mon= th.

I = try to publish the weekend following the fifth. Sometimes I am even on time.<= /o:p>

NOTE: NEW e-mail address below

Ch= eers Y'all - Editor r.jennings@KTIS.net<= /p>

(EOM)