Tac Attack August 1969

Midairs... Page 4
 JAMIE SEZ:

fer efficint tactical air ,ewer An enjoyable flight is not necessarily an unprofessional
one.

THC HTTHCK JULY 1969

current interest
Vol. 9 No.1 Pg 4
FORMATION MIDAIRS
TACTICAl. AIR COMMAND
TURBOPROPS ARE QUICK Pg 8
COMMANDER
THUNDERBIRD$- PHANTOM II Pg 12
GENERAL WILLIAM W. MOMYER
FLYING THE C-9 CANOPY Pg 15
VICE COMMANDER
L T GEN GORDON M. GRAHAM HURRICANE Pg 24

T AC ATTACK TEST REPORT Pg 29

Published by the Chief of Safety
COLONEL R. L. LILES
Chief Safety Publications
L T COL C. E. PEARSON

departments
Pilot of Distinction Pg 7

TAC Tips Pg 18

Safety Awards Pg 20

editor Crew Chief/Maintenance Man Pg 21

Maj Bi II Richardson
Chock Talk Pg 22
assistant editor
Don Reynolds Letters Pg 30

art editor TAC Tally Pg 31

Stan Hardison
TACRP 127·1

layout & production Articles, accident briefs, and atuociated mater/ltl In this maQa%/ne are non·dlrec·
t#ve In nature. All suQ Qestions and recommendation• are Intended t o remain within the
acope of ex/atinQ dire ctives. Information used to brief accidents and Incidents does
TSgt John K. Miller not Identity the persona, places, or units Involved and may not be construed as In·
criminatlnQ under Article 31 of the Uniform Code of Militar y }uatlce. Names, date s,
and p/acea used in conjut1 c t lon with accident atorlea are fictitious. Air Force a.mlt s
editorial assistant are encouraQed to republish the material contained herein; however, con tent s are not
for public releas e. Written permission must be obtained from HQ TAC before material
Mariella W. Andrews may be republi s hed b y o th er than Department o f Dofonao organizations.
Contributions of articlea, photo s, and Item s of in tero at from personnel In the field
are encouraged, aa are commen t s and c riti c ism. We reser"e the riQht to edit all manu-
acrlpta f o r c larit y and readabilit y. Dire c t communication is authorized with: Tho Edi-
printing t o r, TA C ATTACK , H Q TAC (OSP), LanAiev AFB, Va. 23365.
Distribution F, Controlled by OSP - TAC Publication s Bulletin No. 22, dated 3
Hq T AC Field Printing Plant June 1966 Autovon 25 4 -2937
 of ATTACH
Angle

~~check six"
How many times have you watched prop wash or a jet
exhaust buffet a man standing helpless in its wake? And
have you ever seen an MD-3 turned over by an aircraft
pulling out of the chocks? If you've been around very
long, you have probably seen your share of these fiascos.
You would also think that this carelessness would be easy
to control. But for some reason, it still happens.
In the past few months there have been several reports
of damage caused by a pilot's disregard of people and
equipment at his six o'clock . Though these reports
originated in other commands, we are not immune in
T AC. Here are some excerpts from the incident reports.

The engine blast caused the trailer to jump its chocks,

roll past two shelters, and crash into the inside wall of
a shelter where it stopped.

The blast from the number one engine runn ing at full
military power moved a tied down BT-400 blower
approximately 20 feet before it was overturned and
damaged.

Prop blast ripped a sheet of heavy-gauge corrugated

asbestos from the roof located 170 feet away. Pieces of
the roofing were propelled 60 more feet up over the
building and an adjacent revetment wall, and struck
the right aileron of a cargo plane.

The powerful engines we use today, by thei r very

nature, create a tornadic movement of air behind them
when running at speeds above idle. It takes only one
careless moment to jeopardize a human I ife or to destroy
valuable equipment . It also takes only one moment to
" check six" before you open the throttles.

4~/~
R. L. LI LES, Colonel, USAF
Chief of Safety
A Second look at... Formation. Midairs.

Each yaar midair collisions to oll of aircraft pushed forwar stick to counter it and shortly, felt
an ple throughout the .. Until positive air traffic a thump. H ssed lead on the right or inside. The
1 from the gre. . up can be implemented, these thump w vertical stabilizer colliding with lead's nose
collisions will continue. Their frequency should decrease .....sesgeft He lost the upper part of his vertical stabilizer and
as our control technology strides ahead. However, this removed the leader's radome. Both birds rotovered.
discussion will not be concerned with random collision of The other four accidents selected might nok have
airplanes airborne for unrelated reasons. Rather, we will required an Accident Investigation Board; the causes are
discuss one facet of midairs, one which_ we have control well known. They involve collisions that have
over, one which we can stop right now - thntett1S1171- on for years and fall itutee categories
bet airleaft in the same flight. Low aircraft pulling up an, raft as
Las yff Tactical Air Command suffered five of these. attack begins to develop sors aneuver.
Their cost? Seven aircrew fatalities, eight aircraft During extend practice, Three gets out of
destroyed, and two aircraft damaged. So far this year we position and collides with number two during a
have had two midair accidents and one incident. turn reversal.
With the exception of one accident, we learned After break-off from two-on-two tactics, wingma
nothing new from our bashes. The mistakes same, from first element fails to maintain flight integrity
only tVe equipment d and collides with another flight member.
cause of owing accident undetermined The first situation involved a flight of t
4 as a ction of the flight doing ACM with the attacker starting perch
a probabl
cross* ove Number two started his at om the left the
the left wing position, with lead in a right turn, the pito leaQ and called in, t ader acknowl Lead
felt a pitch transient that caused the nose to come up. He turned into the attack and as an overs t developed,
Two initiated a yo-yo. As Two passed through the high 6
o'clock position of lead, the latter performed a hard,
nose-high reversal and pulled up into the attacker.
Number two was banking into lead when he recognized a
collision developing, so he decided to stay high and rolled
out his bank. The leader kept closing in his right climbing
turn. The last Two saw of him was as he passed low and
aft, just before impact.
We'll never know why the leader didn't break off.
Perhaps he thought, as Two did, that they would not
collide. At any rate, both aircraft ended up in a position
where collision was inevitable unless some action was
taken to avert the outcome. Situations such as this pop up
almost before you realize what's happening when two
aircraft go into a maneuver with high energy potential and
are being flown to optimum performance.
The next situation develops insidiously due to lack of a
reliable reference to judge overtake and interval. It
involves a flight of four in-trail . The leader pitched out Extended trail formation should be recognized as being
using three-second spacing to get the flight into extended more difficult than close trail. You can't relax for a
trail formation. Number two accomplished a sight check, second even though it may feel more comfortable than
then as lead was making a gentle left turn, Two noticed being in close. Hark back to your ACM briefings and
that he was getting too close. Lead reversed his turn so you'll have all the reasons why you should stay on your
Two stayed on the outside to gain separation. Just prior toes.
to lead's reversal Three detected an excessive closure rate Our last situation falls into the category of the taxi
on Two and slid high and to the outside of the left turn. accident. It seems odd that we brief as a flight, takeoff as
As the direction of turn reversed, Three found himself a flight, and land as a flight, yet allow loss of flight
high and on the inside of the right turn and abreast or integrity to occur and just wait for it to correct itself.
slightly ahead of Two. At this time he encountered jet Also, we fly as a flight for, among other things, mutual
wash and was unable to maneuver. Three could see that he protection from those who would sneak in and attack .
was very close to Two and transmitted to Two, "Look Yet we counted two accidents last year where a member
out!" Three's aft section then contacted the nose section of a flight practicing combat maneuvering, ran into
of Two and broke off everything forward of the cockpit. another aircraft without being seen in time to avert the
The horizontal stabilizer also was torn off of number coli ision!!! In one of the narratives that follow, there were
three aircraft. Both pilots punched out. EIGHT PAIRS OF EYES IN FOUR AIRPLANES, yet
two aircraft collided.
The accident occurred during the first attack of the
pursuit curve training portion of the mission. Initial visual
contact at rendezvous was by the second element, they
were on opposite sides of a left hand orbit at this time.
Number three initiated the attack by lighting burner and
pulling up to 17,000 feet to close on the lead element as
they continued their orbit in a 30-degree bank. By the
time lead had completed a "180," Three was in an
attacking position on a pursuit curve. At this time Three
was tracking the leader, and both wingmen were in good
fighting wing position on the outside of the turn.
When the attacking element was about 5000 feet out,
the leader indicated that he had them in sight at 7 o'clock.
Shortly, Three called, "It's too late . .. I've got you." The
leader then called to break it up and set up for another
attack. Almost immediately Four lost sight of number
two in his 2 o'clock low position at about 400 feet. He

TACATTACK 5
MIDAIRS the turn to a northerly heading, number two collided with
four, striking him from the left and below. Both aircraft
went down. The only survivor was the A!C in the number
then broke up and to the outside of the turn. After four aircraft.
climbing about five hundred feet, he reversed to pick up As was mentioned earlier, we learn nothing new from
the rest of the flight. As he looked down, he saw his this type of midair collision. All the accident boards
element lead and number two superimposed- and then probed soundly and deeply into the causes of these
the collision. mishaps, but were hampered by the lack of survivors. With
It was assumed that Three loosened his turn to break exception of the in-trail accident, there were no survivors
off and Two was pulling it in to get back with lead. in the colliding aircraft. So where does that leave us? We
Impact was between Three's right drop and number two's must go deeper than "rebrief all pilots," but what else is
right wing. there? Perhaps someday all pilots will have an electrode
The second engagement was begun the same as the first implanted in their brain and can be controlled by a
with a 90-degree separation maneuver. Turn-in was about computer on the ground- but then, the computer will be
10 NM, As the elements passed each other at about one made by man, won't it?
mile in a quartering head-on attack, air combat Air fighting is a hazardous part of our profession, as is
maneuvering began. The two wingmen were leading their training for it. We should not lose sight of the basics of
elements during this time, with their leaders flying off of formation flying. When you fly with a flight, with other
them. During the hassle, number four gained an advantage people, you assume a lot. This is necessary . Just as you
on Two, due to a poorly timed reversal by the latter. It trust others to do their job, they trust you . If but one of
put Four into an easy tracking situation and threw the you slack off or relax, everyone in that flight is
leader (who was flying Two's wing) wide to the left. At jeopardized .
this point a sandwich situation began to develop with And when you hurl your aircraft at another you have a
Four gradually beginning to slip between the leader and responsibility . Your personal desire to be aggressive while
number Two. The instructor pilots flying One and Three training must be subordinate to your opponents well
then called off the engagement. After the break-off being and continued long life, even if you don't value
command, everyone except number two rolled out on an your own.
easterly heading. Two continued in a right turn and went In short, everything you do should be directed at the
out of sight, although he seemed to understand the man you fly on and commands of the leader, whether
breakoff call- he was never seen again. they were given in your briefing, by signal, or over the
The remainder of the flight continued east for a short R/T.
time, and then began a left turn to the north. During this No matter what the future brings, the lesson has been
time, the element leads took their positions back from the taught us over and over. Some will learn it, others will eat
wingmen. When Three and Four were half way through their books- what's your choice? ........::::...
TACTICAL AIR COMMAND

(fAtiot giktinliew

Major R. L. Norman

Major Raymond L. Norman of the 4th Tactical initiated a climb to safe altitude.
Reconnaissance Squadron, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Major Norman wiped some of the debris from his eyes
Texas, has been selected as a Tactical Air Command Pilot in the climb, gained minimal vision in his left eye, and
of Distinction. headed for home. He dumped fuel to lighten the aircraft
Major Norman was flying an RF-4C on a low altitude for an immediate landing.
training mission with a student navigator in the rear seat. Shouting over the high wind noise, Major Norman
The aircraft struck a flight of ducks while in a 45-degree advised Bergstrom tower he had an emergency and was
bank at 1200 feet and 420 knots. One duck struck the landing immediately. Regaining partial vision in both eyes,
right quarter panel of the windscreen and continued into but suffering extreme pain in his right arm and severe
the cockpit, glanced off the instrument panel, and struck burning in his eyes, Major Norman safely landed his
Major Norman on the right shoulder and head. Although aircraft.
partially stunned and blinded by the debris that had blown Major Norman's demonstration of outstanding
under his visor and into his eyes, Major Norman realized airmanship in a critical situation qualifies him as a Tactical
he was at a high angle of bank at very low altitude. He Air Command Pilot of Distinction.
rolled the aircraft to what he thought was level flight and

TAC ATTACK 7
 TURBOPROPS ARE

FWD THRUST
••
f
Turboprop power plants are noted for quick, precise,
response to the pilot's commands. The C-130 measures up
to all expectations with the throttles under the pilot's
palm producing instant acceleration or deceleration in
flight or on the ground. Changes in thrust are immediate.
However, propeller malfunctions may also produce
immediate results. Safe handling of power plant
LANDING emergencies requires accurate analysis of the problem
and rapid corrective action by the pilot.

let's review a couple of case histories. First, the effect

of an attempted C-130 takeoff with an outboard propeller
apparently in ground operating range (beta) and the other
propellers governing normally. In one representative
accident, pre-takeoff power checks indicated that the
number one engine was not developing full power as
evidenced by reported high RPM, low torque, TIT, and
fuel flow. The crew finally elected to go with "low power
output."
The runway was 8300 by 200 feet at near sea level.
Approximately 2,000 feet from the start of takeoff roll,
the nose gear began skidding left. At this point, the
aircraft was rotated to takeoff attitude. At 3800 feet the
aircraft left the runway in a skidding left turn, nose high,
left wing low, traveled a short distance on the grass, then
became airborne for approximately 150 feet. The aircraft
settled back to the ground on the . left main landing gear
for a distance of approximately 50 feet, then became
TAKE-OFF airborne again for about 1,000 feet at which time the left

8 AUGUST 1969
wing contacted an obstruction causing it to separate near again braking is a function of runway surface.
number one engine. Thrust is the end result of the pilot's throttle
Thrust that gets out from under the pilot's palm can movements, but what he sees on the C-130 engine
also cause problems on landing. Let's look at an accident instrument panel is indicated torque. During normal
which is typical of one propeller not reversing during takeoff and cruise, the relationship between torquemeter
landing. This was a C-130B, VFR, landing on a 4225 by readings and thrust follow a given relationship. However,
98-foot strip of uneven, pierced plank. The aircraft flew a remember that the torquemeter reads positive torque
4,000 -foot pattern and made a short field landing during reversing and it may indicate proper positive
approach with a threshold speed of around 145 KIAS. torque when the power-plant is producing drag with the
Touchdewn was made approximately 1,5QO feet from pro pe II er actually in reverse. Since torquemeter
the threshold. The aircraft bounced, and while still indications may be misleading in some cases, it is
airborne, yawed about 15 degrees right . When ground mandatory that the flight crew accurately interpret the
contact was again made, the aircraft immediately swerved engine run-ups and in hand I ing power plant emergencies
to the right, leaving the runway nearly 2,000 feet from during takeoff and landings. TIT, RPM, and fuel flow
the threshold . Control was apparently regained because should be monitored as well as torque. Cross checking a
the aircraft paralleled the runway 20 feet to the right. The malfunctioning engine against the other three engines in
aircraft commander was unable to return to the runway most cases will reveal the problem.
and the aircraft continued on this track until the nose gear To better understand the magnitude of forces
dropped into a ditch. involved in C-130 power plants, we should look at the
There are a number of factors which effect directional distribution of power through the turbine to the
control of an aircraft during takeoff and fanding. How propeller. The propeller on a T56-A-7 engine absorbs
they are handled determines who ends up in control of 4200 horsepower, gearbox and accessories about 100
the aircraft; the pilot, or the accident investigating board. horsepower, and the compressor uses up a whopping 5500
It boils down to this: asymmetric thrust and controls horsepower. So the turbine must produce 9800
available to the pilot for corrective action. The difference horsepower. Should the engine flame out, the propeller
between these two is available controllability. attempts to drive the power plant at an on-speed RPM
Asymmetric thrust results from uneven power output when airspeed is sufficient.
from engine and propeller combinations. Normally, there To prevent severe asymmetric drag on the aircraft, the
are only slight variations between engines. However, if we negative torque system and the safety coupling were
have a prop feathered, asymmetric thrust produced by the incorporated into the power transmission system. The
opposite operating engine can become quite large. Throw negative torque system (NTS) limits negative torque to a
in drag or thrust of a malfunctioning prop and it is easy nominal minus 1260 inch-pounds or minus 275
for the situation to get out of hand. horsepower. Backing up the NTS is the safety coupling,
Asymmetric thrust results in a turning moment on the located between the gearbox and the torque shaft, which
aircraft which is the product of the asymmetric thrust and disconnects the propeller and gearbox from the engine at
the distance between the aircraft centerline and the thrust about minus 6000 inch-pounds.
line. As an example, take the case of landing and reversing Going back to the example of the takeoff accident,
with a pitch-locked propeller. The turning moment acting let's assume that the propeller was below low pitch stop
on the aircraft can be extremely large, since it will be the with no ability to hold or increase blade angle, say at the
sum of the moments produced by forward thrust from minus 4-degree angle. (Fig.1.) During run-up, the
one propeller and reverse thrust from the others. torquemeter would read less than one third normal
The pilot's available controls are throttles, takeoff torque and there would be a slight reverse thrust
aerodynamic controls, nose wheel steering, and brakes. generated prior to brake release. RPM would be about 105
Since asymmetric thrust is the producer of the adverse percent or fuel-topping. As velocity increases down the
turning moments, placing the throttles in a position of runway, torque increases and RPM falls off, indicating an
least unbalanced thrust is the most effective control. If improving situation. This assumption is wrong. Reverse
movement of throttles cause a problem, they should be thrust, or drag, will increase as airspeed increases, causing
returned to where they were previously! the aircraft to become more and .more out of control.
Rudder effectiveness is a function of speed and rudder High RPM accompanied by low torque should alert the
boost pressure. At slow speed, rudder is virtually crew to a problem as takeoff power is set.
ineffective. Nose wheel steering capability varies with Figure 2 reveals what the pilot must cope with in the
weight on the nose gear and condition of the runway. above takeoff case. Asymmetrical thrust produced by
Brakes may help in maintaining directional control, but three engines operating at takeoff power (19,600

TACATTACK 9
 TURBOPROPS ARE QUICK I I

+13000 r +1 .--------.----.-------.,-----,----,-------,----

1 - 1

Figure 1
...
z +11000
=
l :6sz -3
f ... - s
PROPELLER, TORQUE & THRUS ~ + 9000 ~ - 7
-4° BLADE ANGLE & FUEl ~ ~ -9 1

G0 VERN I NG e
+1ooo ~ i!: -11 1----+---+-----+---::..,.1--------+--~
- 13

TRUE AIISPIID-DOTS

Figure 2

T.O. ASYMMETRIC THRUST

vs CONTROLLABILITY

20
• 60 80
TRUE AIRSPEED- KNOTS
100 121

16 ~------------------------------~

12
3 ENG REV 1 AT 35•
Figure 3

LANDING ASYMMETRIC THRUS

1000 POUNDS
vs CONTROLLABILITY

•• • • 60 80 100 120
TIW AIISP&D -KNOTS

10 AUGUST 1969
inch-pounds torque) and the number one propeller DURING FLIGHT
remaining in the ground operating range (beta) is shown A rare malfunction which has occurred and requires
by the line so labeled on the chart. The lig~t area at the proper handling during flight is propeller pitch-lock, or
top represents the uncontrollable range. The light line fixed-pitch propeller. There is always the possibility of
shows capability with nose wheel steering on dry runway high drag up to the point of safety-coupling disconnect or
only, and the bottom line is rudder only. The border of high propeller overspeed after decoupling. Under certain
the light shaded area depicts the practicable combination combinations of blade angles and aircraft operating
of rudder and nose wheel steering which the pi lot is able conditions, drag produced by a windmilling propeller
to attain. In this case, most of the nose wheel steering coupled to the power section can be about six times
capability is required to prevent the aircraft from swerving higher than decoupled drag. For this reason, the
at brake release. As the takeoff roll progresses to 40 or 50 Emergency Procedures recommend slowing to 150 knots
knots, the asymmetric thrust has increased so that it true airspeed before securing the engine. This speed is high
exceeds the available control capability and the pilot is no enough to generate the necessary negative torque to
longer in command of the aircraft. decouple but not high enough to produce an excessive
Looking at asymmetrical thrust of the typical landing overspeed on the decoupled, windmilling propeller.
accident where number one propeller remained in the
flight range (as an example, pitch-locked at 35 degrees) LANDING
and the other thfee propellers fully reversed after Landing with a malfunctioning propeller, as one of the
touchdown, (Fig. 3) we see that the aircraft is accident examples indicated, can present the pilot with a
uncontrollable at all speeds below 120 knots. To recover handful of control problems. Placing throttles in full
from this situation, the pilot must return throttles to reverse with one propeller remaining in flight range (as
ground idle to reduce the unbalanced thrust condition. when pitch-locked) presents a completely uncontrollable
The area on the chart bounded by the dashed line situation! If the aircraft swerves when throttles are placed
represents rudder effectiveness in the rudder low boost in reverse, it should be handled this way:
operation with the flap lever above 15 percent, or with 1. Immediately return throttles to ground idle to
the loss of one hydraulic system. reduce asymmetric thrust.
Propeller malfunctions will usually be detected by the 2. Make maximum use of nose wheel steering, rudder
crew that performs an engine power check before each and aileron, differential power, and differential braking to
takeoff. It should be standard procedure to investigate control the swerve.
any unusual differences shown by engine instruments 3. When control is established, apply maximum
during run-up. If there is any doubt as to whether you brakes.
have an engine or propeller problem, your best bet to 4. If the engine instruments indicate which propeller is
become an "old, bold pilot" is to taxi back and let the malfunctioning, pull the fire emergency control handle.
maintenance crew investigate. 5. Use symmetrical reverse to aid stopping.
When these emergencies do occur during takeoff or The C-130s turboprops are always ready. With a little
landing, there are certain proven steps to follow: respect and close attention to engine instrument
indications, they'll remain a faithful servant and not
BEFORE REFUSAL SPEED become master of the aircraft.
If a suspected propeller malfunction occurs on the
takeoff roll prior to refusal speed:
1. Retard all throttles to flight idle and pull the fire By
emergency control handle for the affected engine.
2. Retard all throttles to ground idle. Glen Gray
3. Use symmetrical reverse and brakes to stop. Lockheed Engineering Flight Test Pilot

AFTER REFUSAL SPEED William Miller

If a propeller malfunction occurs after reaching refusal Lockheed Flight Test Operations Engineer
speed, continue the takeoff. If the malfunction was
caused by electronic governing, placing prop governor Ross Holdeman
control switches in mechanical governing will normally Lockheed C-130 Project Engineering Specialist
correct the problem. If not, a check for pitch-locked
propeller, as outlined in the Flight Manual Emergency Bob Madsen
Procedures, should be followed. Hamilton Standard Propeller Installations Project Engineer

TACATIACK 11
 voderhirds
PHANTOM II
by Copt Mike Kerby
Solo Pilot

Thunderbirds

Captain Kerby graduated from Pilot Training at Webb

AFB in November 1960, and completed advanced Fighter
Training at Luke AFB. After a brief assignment to Nellis,
he joined the 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron at
Ramstein flying the F-100. In 1965 he was assigned to the
615th Tactical Fighter Squadron at England and deployed
with the squadron to Phan Rang, RVN.
After two months he was reassigned to the Air Force
Advisory Group and received an in-country checkout in
the A-1H. He flew 100 combat missions as an advisor to
the South Vietnamese Air Force. His decorations include
the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, and the Air
Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters.
Captain Kerby returned to Nellis in July 1967, and
attended the USAF Fighter Weapons School. Following
graduation he remained as a flying and academics
instructor until he joined the Thunderbirds in January
1969.

In March of this year the USAF Aerial Demonstration The Thunderbird aircraft are blocks 31 and 32, the
Squadron "Thunderbirds" transitioned into the F-4E, and first F-4Es built, and were not originally equipped with
opened their show season in the Phantom I at the Air
I radar. The team maintains them in the radar-less
Force Academy on the 4th of June. As we had configuration, and uses the extra space in the nose for
anticipated, the F-4 is an excellent demonstration aircraft. baggage, and for two 300 cubic inch bottles which provide
The equipment the team now uses is the stock F-4E with air pressure for the smoke generating system.
a few minor modifications. The F-4E is powered by two J79-GE-17 turbojet
For an aircraft built as a Mach II fighter-interceptor, engines with a modified afterburner control to permit
the McDonnell Douglas F-4 has come as close as any instant first stage AB selection at 89 percent RPM or
modern day fighter to fulfilling the elusive concept of the above. A modified variable area exhaust nozzle pump is
"all purpose" tactical aircraft. The extraordinary job incorporated on each engine, extending the negative-G
being done in SEA by the F-4 as both an air-to-air flight capability from 30 to 50 seconds.
machine, and a long-legged fighter bomber is ample Additionally, the Thunderbird aircraft have been
testimony to its versatility and adaptability, and equipped with VHF, VOR, I LS, and a low frequency ADF
ultimately to its excellent design concept. system. The weapons delivery system and missile control

12 AUGUST 1969
 system have been removed, and the front cockpit
instrument control panel and consoles have been
rearranged to accommodate the additional equipment.
Externally, the gun compartment is utilized to house
components of a gaseous oxygen system which
supplements the standard liquid oxygen system. Dummy
missiles, filled with oil, are ·mounted on the fourfuselage
missile stations, to provide smoke generation by ejecting
oil into the engine exhaust wake. The entire airframe has
been painted with polyurethane paint, using the standard
camouflage paint as a base. It is a high gloss paint, and is
wearing very well.
Aerodynamically, the Thunderbird F-4E is almost
identical to the stock F-4E. Wing loading is slightly higher
in the show configuration with a full fuel load due to the
increased gross weight of the Thunderbird aircraft, which
tips the scales at about 45,850 lbs versus approximately
44,000 lbs for the stock F-4E. The rudder-feel airspeed
switch has been supplemented by a two position toggle
switch mounted on the main instrument panel. The
"normal" position functions exactly the same as does the
F-4E rudder-feel system. The "low" position acts as an chased by the leader or lead solo pilot, and altitudes are
override switch and provides 2.6 lbs of pedal force per lowered only after consis~ent performance is
degree of rudder deflection, regardless of airspeed. The demonstrated at altitudes which insure survival. As
stabilator control system is identical to the stock F-4E . technique develops and maneuvers are mastered, new
With equipment in hand, the solo pilot embarks on a maneuvers are practiced, once again at altitude. As the
very interesting and challenging phase of his flying career. training season progresses, the solo routine is integrated
While the diamond demonstrates the grace and beauty of with the diamond, and emphasis is placed on timing and
precision formation flying, the solo focuses on the consistency.
maximum performance, subsonic envelope of the aircraft. To achieve proper spacing of maneuvers during the
In solo work as in any phase of flying, the key to success, demonstration, the solo pilot takes his timing from certain
and survival, is proper training. Typically, a new solo pilot key calls made by the Thunderbird Commander. For
will know very little about solo flying, in contrast to the example, in a diamond rolling maneuver, when the
diamond trainee, who generally has a good degree of Thunderbird Commander calls "Standby smoke, smoke
formation proficiency. on ready now," the solo hacks his clock and plans his
Initially, solo training consists of formation flying. The whifferdill to arrive at show center in 60 seconds. To
Thunderbirds are a formation outfit, and everything from assist in his planning, a survey flight is made prior to the
walk down to hand shake is formation oriented. Much of demonstration at which time easily identifiable timing
the solo routine includes formation maneuvers with the check points are selected by the solo pilot to be used as a
diamond, and flying the outside left or right position in a final timing check on the approach to his maneuvers.
wedge roll or loop naturally requires formation Normally these check points are 20 seconds from show
proficiency. To "formate" effectively, aircraft handling center when approaching at 425 KIAS. Similarly, in
must be smooth, and this pays dividends in the solo over-the-top maneuvers by the diamond, the solo takes his
demonstration of maximum performance. As we know 60 second hack from the "float" call of the diamond,
from our hours spent in ACM and gunnery training, or our which occurs at the top of the diamond's maneuver. This
experiences in combat, rough handling interposes a barrier insures an even flow at show center between the diamord
between the aircraft and maximum performance. To fly and solo, and in dual solo work it is essential for accurate
the aircraft to its design I imits, it must be brought there centering.
smoothly, and thus formation practice is a sure From the first training sortie to the last, and
foundation to solo proficiency. throughout the show season, focus is placed on consistent
Solo training begins with very simple maneuvers, such performance. Each maneuver and each mission, in so far
as the four point roll and inverted flight, practiced at as possible, is identical from crank-up to shutdown, and
altitudes well above show altitude. Each training sortie is reflects the patterns of habit developed during the training

TACATTACK 13
 simplifies power control , in over-the-top formation
PHANTOM II maneuvers such as the five-card and wedge loops. Almost
instant airspeed control is another of the fringe benefits of
season. A well performed demonstration requires absolute the high powered F-4E. This is particularly satisfying
concentration and mental preparation. We naturally try to when perfor.ming at relatively low airspeeds in maneuvers
fly a perfect airshow everytime, but as far as I know, this such as the wing walk/roll and roll on takeoff. Inverted
is a goal not yet reached by a Thunderbird team . As Maj flight capability is also quite good in the F-4. Ability to
Tony McPeak so aptly put it in a previous TAC ATTACK maintain airspeed while inverted permits the addition of
article, "the solo pilot should achieve success steadily, an inverted or outside slow roll during the solo sequence
satisfaction never." and an inverted push up to 30 degrees in the landing phase
The F-4E is an exceptional solo aircraft. Control of the demonstration.
response is excellent, though slightly more sensitive This, then, is the F-4E as a solo aircraft. All it requires
laterally and longitudinally than was the F-100. This to put it through its paces, whether it be mix ing it up with
requires more finesse in close formation, but is more than a Mig 21 in SEA, or flying inverted at the "Not at Home"
compensated for by the extraordinary power response of Drome in an aerial demonstration is the greatest precision
the aircraft. This power permits the addition to the solo instrument ever conceived,- the TAC Fighter Pilot. If we
routine of an lmmelmann on takeoff, a maneuver which can represent you, the pros of the flying business, we are
would require JATO assist in the F-100. The additional accomplishing the major part of our mission. We will
power expedites the joinups required of the solo and never be satisfied until you are. ~

14 AUGUST 1969
 C

Flying the C-9 Canopy ...or...

Installing the C-9 parachute in F-4 cockpits will give
after ejection, what's next? the Phantom a steerable canopy plus a true zero-zero
egress system. The Dash One's current requirement of
50-knots forward airspeed will be changed to read
something like "0-knot minumum on the runway."
The skysail, the F-4's current parachute, has always
provided a soft opening with stability and a slow rate of
descent. But because of its slow opening quality, the
50-knot minimum was required. This problem is
eliminated by modifying the standard C-9 with an
anti-squid line which holds the canopy apex near its
normal post-opening position. On zero-zero ejection, this
"forced" opening gives an aircrewman a full chute up to a
second sooner and at a hundred feet higher than the skysail,
depending on the pilot's weight.
Add to these improvements the "lanyard four-line
jettison system" and you have a stable hard canopy with
directional control. PLF with the C-9 is the same as
skysail techniques, on land, in trees, or water. But with
directional control, the parachutist has some control to
pick his landing spot and attitude of touchdown. This
technique is described, step by step, on the following
pages. However, the lanyards should be used only if the
canopy is normal, not torn or partially inverted, a
condition sometimes caused by erratic airflow during
chute opening.
A partial inversion makes the canopy skirt form a
figure eight, when viewed from beneath. To correct, pull
down on the suspension lines attached to the smaller loop
of the figure eight.
The C-9 canopy is being installed in Phantoms now
coming off production lines. Retrofits are expected to
begin at unit level sometime in August. As seats are fitted
with new chutes the decal located on the drogue chute
housing will be changed to read "Zero Knot Minimum on
Runway."

7n
C fo ?

TAC ATTACK 15
what's next ??
STEP ONE: After
parachute canopy opens,
check for torn panels and
canopy inversion. Correct
inversion (page 15), raise
visor, and remove oxygen
mask.

STEP TWO: Deploy

survival kit, visually check
for release. If over water,
inflate both sides of LPU,
check that valves are
closed, attach both units
with velcro strap.

STEP THREE: Lanyard four-line

jettison mod eliminates use of line
cutting knife, reduces oscillation and
provides limited steerability. If
canopy is in good condition, jettison
four lines by grasping both red loops
on inside of each rear riser (right) . A
quick jerk releases two lines (below)
from each rear riser connector link.
As four lines are released, a large lobe
or scallop forms (left) at rear center
of canopy.

STEP FIVE, SIX, SEVEN : All chute

feet. At this altitude the parachutist
drift angle for ground contact is 30
direction. For water landing, drift
landing, F-4 jocks should operate bo1
riser from harness. Other C-9 use
reaching 200 foot level, remove sa
points by grasping riser (above) or ho
cover, . then slowly release to assure
other riser, then grasp both risers
right). When body contacts ground o
a firm tug (right) on each release loop

16 AUGUST 1969
 STEP FOUR : With lines jettisoned, rate of descent remains constant, with lateral forward movement up to 350 fpm
(no wind) . Do not use four-line jettison feature if darkness prevents good check of canopy condition . To steer, rotate
canopy by pulling left or right rear risers. Amount of down pull determines rotation rate (30 degrees per/sec max) .
Over or under shoot ground obstacles by steering with or against the wind.

manipulation should cease at 200

must be ready for PLF. Optimum
-45 degrees left or right of wind
facing wind. Immediately after
th quick release connectors freeing
rs will do the following . Before
fety covers from canopy release
10k arm through riser "Y," remove
latch remains locked. Repeat on
with palms over releases (above,
r water, operate both releases with

TACATTACK 17
 ... interest items, mishaps

Tac Tips

NEW "OlD HAZARD" TRIGGER lOCK

Props on airplanes have taken their toll through the years. On his first gun pass, the AT-33 pilot pulled the trigger
That's why the ground rule: Never walk thru a prop and got a no-fire. Thinking the trigger was not depressed far
arc ... spinning or still. Give them the respect they enough, he set up for a second pass. His guns fired this
deserve or they'll bite you. time- but didn't stop! He safed all switches and went
The neatly slashed forearm belongs to a T AC troop home. The bird was impounded for a shakedown .
who forgot this sage advice. Fortunately, it was a flying Investigators found a phenolic chip lodged between the
model's propeller he tangled with and not a bigger bird's. gun firing contacts and housing in the stick grip, this
He attempted to catch another enthusiast's runaway caused a no-fire on the first pass. When the pilot squeezed
flying model that was ground looping into his expensive the trigger on the second pass the phenolic material was
radio-controlled toy. crushed, and splinters lodged farther down in the gun fire
contacts, jamming them closed. Four phenolic fragments
sized from 1/8 inch to 1/4 by 1/2 inch were found in the
stick grip assembly. The fragment surfaces showed recent
breaks, and together matched a chip missing from the
trigger near the safety pin hole. The surface where the
chip had broken off the trigger was oxidized and smooth
indicating an old break. There was no way to tell how
long this piece had been floating around in the stick grip.
The chip was believed to be caused by improper
insertion of the trigger safety pin some time in the past .
This type incident is not new. Last year a fighter in
another command hosed off over two hundred rounds
with the same malfunction - but not the same cause.
Their problem was using the wrong trigger safety pin; it
was oversize and had to be forced . Eventually the
phenolic trigger began chipping and resulted in the same
malfunction . Good preflight item before gunnery!

TEll YO'R BUDDY

While taxiing in after completing a local flight, the
brakes failed on this fighter due to a failure in the right
brake system. Both the takeoff and landing were normal
in every respect, the brakes were not abused. After the
throttle was stopcocked, the aircraft rolled 300 feet on
the taxiway and off into the grass where it sank in and
stopped with no damage. Another pilot following noted
P. S. You might've guessed it. He's a flight safety intermittent smoking from his predecessor's right wheel
officer. for about 1500 feet prior to brake failure.

18 AUGUST 1969
 .
with morals, for the T AC a1rcrewman

LOOKllll One morning while in the landing pattern we witnessed

Through the years we pilots have all looked at the the end of another era. A pilot, after failing to make
Control Tower as a sort of big brother. He sees our contact with the local base ops and command post,
mistakes every day, and doesn't tell; he's the guiding hand requested the control tower to relay an innocous request
that got a Iot of us to the end of the runway, and to our to base ops. After a short hesitation the curt answer came
parking spot at a strange field; he did us favors, for which back, "Negative, non-ATC function." So, unless you
we were grateful; he was all things to us, and we know what ATC functions are- lookout, you may be
appreciated it. dropped too.

after the stop the nose gear cocked and the aircraft could
SLINGSHOT not be stopped before the right main gear left the runway.
When the emergency generator failed to come on the In April, a TAC unit had an "almost" similar to the
line following a double generator failure, the RF-4 pilot above arrestment. The engagement following a utility
decided to call it a day. He returned to his home patch in system failure was not particularly smooth, the aircraft
another command and flew a no-radio pattern, followed was yawing ten degrees either side of centerline. It
by two VFR patterns to check the tank jettison area. stopped in the center of the runway, heading twenty
Then the outboards were released, but the centerline did degrees left. As the aircraft rolled back emergency brakes
not jettison. The gear and flaps were blown down due to were actuated to keep from running off the runway
an intermediate indication on all indicators, and the backwards. This area becomes an important consideration
aircraft was flown by the tower with tail hook lowered to in your operation if you only have one runway. A main
tell all concerned of the impending approach-end gear in mud up to the axle will tie you up for some
engagement. The subsequent BAK-9 arrestment at 45,000 time- and jeopardize arrivals, especially when fuel is a
pounds and 150 knots was successful. During roll-back problem.

TAG ATTACK 19
 SAFE RDS
1968 Safety Awards

Nuclear Safe~ Award

27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, New Mexico

Award of Honor
Tactical Air Command, langley AFB, Virginia
9th Air Force, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
4500th Air Base Wing, langley AFB, Virginia

Award of Merit
12th Air Force, Bergstrom AFB, Texas
507th Tactical Control Group, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
516th Tactical Airlift Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
317th Tactical Airlift Wing, lockbourne AFB, Ohio
23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, McConnell AFB, Kansas
27th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
20 AUGUST 1969
 CREW CHIEF OF THE MONTH
Technical Sergeant James D. Wilson, 524 Tactical
Fighter Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico,
has been selected to receive the TAC Crew Chief Safety
Award . Sergeant Wilson will receive a letter of
appreciation from the Commander of Tactical Air
Command and an engraved award.

TSgt Wilson

TSgt Valentino

MAINTENANCE MAN OF THE MONTH

Technical Sergeant Robert L. Valentino, 4538 Fighter

Weapons Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, has
been selected to receive the T AC M~intenance Man Safety
Award. Sergeant Valentino will receive a letter of
appreciation from the Commander of Tactical Air
Command and an engraved award.

TACATTACK
 CHOCK TALK ...thedieds (uui imiited4
Chock Talk

A CLOSE ONE I JARRED JUGGLER

The C-123 lifted off and the control column locked in Maybe he saw it in a war movie on the late-late show.
a near-neutral position. Aileron and rudder control were Or was impressed by a juggling act on the "really big
normal, but the elevators resisted movement. The Provider show." Whatever the reason, one member of a munitions
rotated to a nose-high attitude and the alert pilot regained assembly crew made a one-hand pickup of a BDU-33
pitch control with elevator trim tabs. He climbed to a safe practice bomb ... with a signal cartridge installed.
altitude, then checked the flight control lock disengaged He swung it with a firm fin hold, Indian Club style, to
and pulled the reverse lock handle. No help. deposit it on the assembly table. Underestimating the
Using tabs and power for pitch control, he headed for bomb-nose arc, he snagged the table's edge. The BDU-33
a longer runway. In his no-flap, straight-in approach he jarred loose from his grip, hitting the concrete floor nose
used power and trim on glidepath, flare, and touchdown. first.
Maintenance inspectors found a bolt wedged between The signal cartridge detonated, ejecting the cartridge
the elevator spring-tab bell crank and the elevator tab case thru the bomb's center. The casing hit the "swinger"
torque tab. The offending bolt was an undersized on its course to the ceiling, digging a small hole before
substitute for the original spring tab stop bolt. ricocheting. The initial explosion also gouged a small hole
They couldn't identify the "nut" who had risked an in the concrete floor.
airplane and crew by using a wrong bolt in a vital flight Fortunately, the munitions handler suffered only
control. minor lacerations to his right eye and right hand. To avoid
more injuries resulting from missed one-hand flips, unit
munitions operating instructions now direct all practice
bomb handling be done with two hands. It's no place for
A NEW SOURCE juggling acts.

While recovering from a proficiency maneuver at

12,000 feet, an F-4E aircrew heard a muffled banging;
both throttles were immediately retarded to idle. The flY/Ne SCREWDRIVER
aircraft commander readvanced each throttle individually
to check the engines. Number two accelerated normally to During a loop and at 21,000 feet inverted, the left
80 percent where it hung up. Simultaneously the EGT engine of an F-4E compressor stalled and flamed out. The
began to rise so the throttle was retarded to idle. Number aircraft was rolled upright and air started. Everything was
one engine was OK and a single engine landing was normal except RPM could not be advanced beyond 78
accomplished. percent without compressor stalls. The engine was left in
The nu mber two engine ingested the nose idle during recovery.
compartment jury strut which broke off in flight after An apex screwdriver and bit holder had entered the
unlocking. This was the second incident experienced by engine causing extensive compressor blade damage. No
the unit in which the jury strut was released from its maintenance history could be connected with this
stowed position in flight. The first one did not break off. incident. All tools used in minor maintenance had been
New preflight item? accounted for.

22 AUGUST 1969
with a maintenance slant.

and to top it all off- as the aircraft coasted to a stop

lET'EM EAT RICE '! THE ENGINE STARTED BY ITSELF. The pilot had no
control over his errant engine so he shut off the fuel
Shortly after level-off, a SEA based 0-1 began to run selector valve to ki ll it. Very little investigation showed
rough, then quit. The pilot turned toward the nearest base the maintenance error responsible for this fiasco. The
and went through his emergency procedures but the finger screen surrounding the carburetor poppet valve was
engine would not start. He kept trying and after a while it pushed in on one side binding the poppet valve spring, this
began to run, but reluctantly. By nursing it the pilot was time in the near full-open position. With the valve in this
able to get 1300 RPM which enabled him to make the position, engine controls had no effect on fuel flow, even
field. On base leg the engine stopped again and an at idle-cutoff. The last maintenance in this area had been
uneventful (?) dead stick landing was made. performed one cnonth earlier. An unforgivable reason to
You wouldn't think that things could get so fouled up, be eating rice?

TACATTACK 23
 Hurricane

by SMSgt K. W. Bickett
Hq 5th Weather Wing. Langley AFB, Va.

A fully developed hurricane is a threat to life and because, not only do hurricanes possess extremely strong
property. It may cover an area of more than 30,000 winds, but they are also accompanied by torrential rains
square miles, inhabited by more than 30,000,000 people . and extraordinary high tides and waves.
Each year hurricanes devastate widespread areas and have The word "hurricane" comes from the Carib-Indian
accounted for damage amounting to nearly a billon word, huracan, which means "evil spirit." In other dialects
dollars, as was the case of Diane in September 1955. Since it is translated "devil," or "storm god ." Regardless which
1900, over 12,000 persons have lost their lives in definition is used, the hurricane is appropriately named,
hurricanes in the United States alone, and as late as 1963 for it is nature's most destructive storm, even if it is not
a single hurricane was responsible for the death of over nature's most intense storm. Tornadoes are far more
7,000 people and over $500,000,000 in property damage. intense, but their lives are short, and the damage they
A meteorologist defines a hurricane as a large revolving cause is confined to relatively small .areas.
storm originating over tropical or subtropical waters with Storms of hurricane intensity are common to all
highest sustained surface wind speeds of 64 knots (75 tropical and subtropical waters, except the south Atlantic
mph) or more. The definition is somewhat simplified and eastern south Pacific, but their name differs. Through

24 AUGUST 1969
the western Pacific they are known as typhoons; cyclones 200 miles (125,664 square miles) from the storm's center.
in the Indian Ocean; and willy-willys in Australian waters. Gale force winds (34-63 knots) have affected areas 600
Various stages of storm intensity are identified miles (282.744 square miles) in diameter, but usually their
primarily by the strength of the highest sustained wind effects are felt in areas 350-400 miles in diameter. The
speed contained with their circu lation. The criteria maximum surface winds are normally found in the
established for identifying these various intensity stages hurricane's right front quadrant as it moves along its
are as follows : destructive path.
1. Tropical disturbance: Completely void of strong Most hurricanes have a life span of about 9 days, but
winds. this varies with the month of occurrence. August and
2. Tropical depression: Highest sustained surface wind September hurricanes have the longest life span averaging
speed less than 34 knots. 12 days, while July and November storms average only 8
3. Tropical storm: Highest sustained surface winds days.
34-63 knots. Hurricanes can be expected to develop anywhere over
4. Hurricane: Highest sustained surface winds greater the water area extending from the Cape Verde Islands
than 63 knots. westward to the Gulf of Mexico. There are five major
All hurricanes possess the same basic characteristics, development zones in this area; in the order of most
but they vary considerably from storm to storm. High frequent storm development these zones are:
surface winds are probably the most significant hurricane 1. The Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of the Lesser
characteristic for not only are they responsible for Antilles (mainly east of the Isl ands).
widespread destruction, they are also the major factor in 2. The western Caribbean.
the production of abnormally high tides that inundate 3. The Gulf of Mexico.
coastal sections. 4. The Bahamas region.
Few measurements of hurricane winds have been 5. The vicinity of the Cape Verde Islands.
attained by ground stations since most wind measuring Figures 1 through 4 give the location of primary
equipment becomes part of the flying debris before development areas and prevailing paths taken by
maximum wind speeds arrive. It has been calculated that hurricanes and tropical storms from these areas for the
wind speeds of 200-250 knots are necessary to account months of July through October.
for damage caused to particular structures. An "average" June storms tend to develop more frequently over the
hurricane does not contain winds of this magnitude; they Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean Sea than any
are usually in the 90-100 knot range. The area of other zone. The Gulf storms usually take a northwestward
hurricane force winds (greater than 64 knots) associated path, striking the Texas coast more often than any other.
with an average hurricane is approximately 7850 square Caribbean storms often take a northward track through
miles, but they have been observed affecting areas over the Yucatan channel into the Gulf of Mexico, and then

Figure I JULY HURRICANE AREA Figure 2 . AUGUST HURRICANE AREA

.....

~.
. .
~
..~·
~·

TACATTACK 25
 HURRICANE
Figure 3 SEPTEMBER HURRICANE AREA Figure 4 OCTOBER HURRICANE AREA
~

~~
,.•.

lf~.,.

..

usually recurve to penetrate the Florida coast north of colder water of the north Atlantic as shown in figure 3.
Tampa. The major zone of hurricane development (figure 4)
The area of maximum occurrence shifts eastward to shifts back to the western Caribbean by October. These
the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles by July (figure 1). The storms move northward, crossing the Florida peninsula in
incidence of development remains significant through the the vicinity of Tampa, then move approximately parallel
Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas region, but very few the southeast coast.
storms develop over the Caribbean. Figure 1 shows the It should be noted that the indicated prevailing paths
prevailing paths taken by July storms originating in the are those where large numbers of hurricanes or tropical
vicinity of the Lesser Antilles. Hurricanes which take the storms have traveled and are only broadly representative
path north of Cuba usually lose energy rapidly after of hurricane travel in their vicinity. Hurricane paths are by
passing Florida, becoming extratropical cyclones by the no means as smooth as those shown, and individual tracks
time they intersect the North Carolina coast. Hurricanes may describe loops, double loops, straight lines, and many
which take a path south of Cuba move into the Gulf of other meandering curves.
Mexico via the Yucatan channel, and then take no During the past 89 years ( 1879-1968) 413 hurricanes
preferred path, although they are likely to affect either were detected over the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of
the Texas or Florida Gulf coasts. Mexico. Of these, 218 ultimately affected one or more US
The occurrence of tropical cyclon e activity increases coastal sections. The back cover chart gives the number of
abruptly during August, with the Lesser Antilles becoming hurricanes, by month, that affected a particular US
the major zone of development. The Cape Verde Islands coastal section. A point of interest is that the
region begins to show significant development activity Georgia-South Carolina coasts experienced 10 less
during August, but the majority of these storms do not hurricanes than the North Carolina coast. This may be due
reach hurricane intensity until they approach the Lesser in part to the jutting of the North Carolina coast into the
Antilles. Almost 64 percent of all August tropical Atlantic so that it intercepts more hurricanes traveling
cyclones develop in this area, approximately 40 percent around the Azores-Bermuda high than it would otherwise.
remain at sea, and the rest usually take one of the The number of hurricanes observed decreases greatly
prevailing paths shown in figure 2. In the month of along the middle Atlantic and New England coasts. Not
September, when hurricane activity is at its peak, tropical only do these coasts lie northwest of the main storm path,
cyclones are more apt to develop in the Lesser Antilles but also many hurricanes have weakened after becoming
Zone than any other area. The paths taken by September extratropical cyclones by the time they reach this area. It
storms are sim ilar to those of August, moving in a must be emphasized that some of these storms, although
clockwise direction around the periphery of the they are not in the strict sense "hurricanes" have caused
Azores-Bermuda high pressure cell into land areas, or the considerable destruction and loss of I ife. Hurricane Diane

26 AUGUST 1969
of August 1955 for instance approached the coast as an sustained winds, peak gust, length of time the hurricane
extratropical cyclone, but flooding still caused a billon winds prevail and degree of exposure.
dollars in damage and 200 deaths. To illustrate a hurricane's destruct iveness, a few of the
Three primary forces are responsible for the more noteworthy storms are briefly discussed . Hurricane
destruction caused by hurricanes: the storm surge, Diane, "the bill ion dollar hurricane," was the most
flooding, and high surface winds. As a hurricane crosses a destructive storm ever to affect the New England states.
coastline it is accompanied by a storm surge, which is a The storm which took 200 lives, was first observed on 7
rapid rise in water level above that of normal tide. In weak August 1955 far to the east of the Virgin Islands, moving
storms this storm surge may be no more than several feet, on a westerly course. On the 1Oth the tropical cyclone
but in more intense storms the tide may rise more than 15 took up a northwesterly course toward the North Carolina
feet above normal. A gradual rise in the tide level often coast. The storm reached hurricane proportions on the
begins more than 24 hours before the hurricane makes its 12th. Highest winds were estimated at about 112 knots
nearest approach to land. This gradual rise is known as the wh il e the storm was still at sea, but as the storm
"forerunner tide" and it may affect severa l hundred miles approached the North Carolina coast it lost force rapidly.
of coastline. However, it usually causes a rise in water The highest winds recorded during Diane's landfall on the
level of a few feet. A rapid rise occurs when gale force 17th were 44 knots with gusts to 75 knots at Cape
winds (34-63 knots) arrive, with the peak storm surge Hatteras, well below hurricane intensity. Huge tides and
occurring about an !::lour or two after the hurricane makes some flooding occurred on the Carol ina coast and along
its nearest approach to land. The combinat ion of the the Chesapeake Bay, causing only moderate damage.
forerunner tide and storm surge can produce tides 15-20 The greatest damage came because Diane followed the
feet above normal, and this rise in water level added to the path hurricane Connie took a week earlier. Connie's rains
peak astronomical tide can be overwhelming. Fortunately, had saturated the eastern seaboard, and the inability of
conditions are such that the forerunner, storm surge, and the saturated earth to absorb Diane's 18-inch torrential
astronomical tide rarely act together, and the tota l tide rains caused heavy flooding in the New England states.
seldom exceeds 15 feet. The storm surge has been Diane alone would have caused only light to moderate
responsible for more loss of life and destruction than any damage, but teamed with Connie it was a disast rou s
other destructive force. During recent years, however, the storm.
loss of life caused by the storm surge has declined, Hurricane Audrey first appeared on weather charts as a
primarily through the mass evacuation of threatened areas
prior to the arrival of the surge.
Wind generated waves have tremendous erosive power,
and they can alter the shape of a coastline in a matter of
hours. They usually do not penetrate inland to a great
extent, unless the tide is unusually high. In this event, these
waves move inland and are able to demolish even the best
constructed buildings in short order. This is easy to
explain when we consider that a cubic yard of water
weighs approximately 1500 pounds and waves may be
moving shoreward at a rate of 50-60 mph.
Flooding ranks second to sea action as the cause of
death and destruction in hurricanes. Since hurricanes are
always accompanied by torrential rains, it is easily seen
how widespread flooding often is an aftermath.
Winds rank third as the primary cause of damage and
death, but winds are capable of causing widespread
destruction. The majority of deaths attributed to
hurricane winds are caused by flying debris and collapsing
buildings. Buildings that suffer the most damage are
generally of inadequate design or poorly constructed.
Mobile objects only partially secured stand an excellent
chance of being damaged or blown away. In addition to
structural type and quality of construction, the extent of
damage depends on the strength of the maximum

TACATTACK 27
 HUitltiCANE weak tropical depression northwest of the Yucatan
peninsula in July 1957. Energized by the warm, moist
tropical atmosphere, the depression rapidly intensified
reaching hurricane stage by the 9th, while remaining
almost stationary. This hurricane, which eventually caused
550 deaths and 152 millon dollars in property damage,
struck the Louisiana coast near Cameron on the 27th .
Although winds of 90 knots were reported and some wind
damage occurred, almost all property damage and loss of
life can be traced to the storm surge that produced tides
of 8-12 feet. Large areas of the Louisiana coast were
forewarned that water would rise 5-8 feet, but
unfortunately large numbers of people failed to take the
immediate action suggested by the Weather Bureau's
warnings. Waiting until the last moment to evacuate , they
were caught by the storm surge soon aher the storm had
unpredictably accelerated.
Hurricane Carla proved to be one of the most severe,
destructive, and extensive hurricanes of this century, and
was first detected north of Panama as a weak disturbance
on 3 September 1961. The disturbance rapidly increased
in size, and reached hurricane intensity by the 6th. As
Carla crossed the Texas coast on the 11th, hurricane force
gusts were observed from Brownsville to Port Arthur (300
miles) and as far inland as Austin (130 miles); these
Our photos are of the Hurricane of '33 that inundated landmarks indicate the storm's great size. The highest
Langley. Some of you may recognize the entrance to sustained windspeed recorded was 126 knots with
Building 1, wonder if the boss got to work that day. As estimated gusts to 140 knots. Torrential rains
you can see below, parking is no problem - but getting accompanied Carla into Texas, dropping 16 inches or
home must have been a riot. more along the coastal sections east of the storm center.
Amounts up to 13 inches fell as far inland as Austin. Carla
continued to produce heavy rainfall as she moved
northeast through Texas and the Mississippi Valley. The
effects of wind and water on the coastal areas of Texas
were devastating. One town was virtually destroyed and
several suffered severe damage.
In conclusion, it is a fact that hurricane damage has
increased during the present century, mostly because of
increased urban development and property values.
Fortunately, the number of deaths have decreased in
recent years because of timely and more accurate
warnings. Shortly before Carla and Beulah seriously
affected the Texas coast, mass evacuations were
completed in severely threatened areas. An estimated
350,000 people were evacuated from the coastal lowlands
before the full effects of Carla were felt, and a similar
number for Beulah . These evacuations were a major factor
in the comparatively low number of deaths.
So when a hurricane or tropical storm threatens you,
don't consider wind intensity only. It's the storm surge
tide that causes most of the .cJeaths and property
destruction. If the weatherman advises evacuation, do it.
It may save your life! ~

28 AUGUST 1969
 TAt ATTACK TEST REPORT

Have you ever wondered how the T AC ATTACK Staff solves d ifficu It problems ?
W h @t k i n d of sc i e n t i f i c t e st i n g w e e m p I o y ? 0 u r st e p - b y- st e p r e a so n i n g t h a t
provides amazing (at times brilliant) conclusions ? Here 's an example of the

Staff at work :

TEST Ill

PREPARATION: R'lllfJved tl" frfJnt IWfJ

legs frfJ/11 Gr6ssllfJpper 6nd
pl6ted it fJn t6ble tfJp.
TEST: G6ve tile v'rb61 tfJIIIIII6nd: Cr6wl I
RESULT: Gr6ssllfJpper ti6Wied.

TEST: G6ve tile verb61 tfJIIIIII6nd: Cr6wl I

RESULT: Gr6ssllfJpper ti6Wied.
TEST II .3
PREPARATION: RemfJve tile b6tlt legs
frfJ/11 s6/lle Gr6ssllfJpper, le6ving
lli111 nfJ legs, 6nd repl6ted lli111
fJn t6ble tfJp.
TEST: G6ve tile v'rb61 tfJIIIIII6nd: C16WI I
RESULT: Gr6ssllfJpper did nfJt tr6wl.

CONCLUSION: It ll6s been determined beyfJnd 61/ dfJubt by 6 series fJf tests
using ex6tting scientific metllfJds tll6t 6 gr6ssllfJpper, witll 61/ it's legs
''lllfJVed••• t6n nfJ lfJnger lle6r I
Any questifJns ?
TACATTACK 29
 Letters to the Editor

.... This space intentionally left blank

awaiting your letters and comments ....

PEANUTS Courtesy of Daily Press, Newport News , Va .

~ United Feature Syndicate, Inc . 1966
.----------------,
I IHINK I'LL U'JAVE TO !HEM... 8U6HTERS ALWAYS FEEL BETTER
I FEEL 50RR'1' RJR THOSE
POOR BLIGHTERS IN THE WHEN 4'0U WAVE TO THEM ~
IRENCHES DCWN BELOW ...

11- 2. '1

30 AUGUST 1969
 TAC TALLY AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT RATES
MAJOR ACCIDENT RATE COMPARISON UNITS
THRU JUNE 1969 * 1968 THRU JUNE 1969 1968
lAC ANG AFRes 9 AF 3.0 7.5 12 AF 8 .6 6.8

1969 1968 1969 1968 1969 1968 4 TFW 7.1 9.9 23 TFW 10 . 9 8.6
· ~

15 TFW 0 15.8 27 TFW 0 6.3

JAN 6.8 5.6 28 .9 0 0 0 33 TFW 20 . 3 14. 2 49 TFW 0 0

0 20 .0
FEB 6.2 7.3 12.8 0 0 0 4531 TFW 479 TFW 11.6 13. 6

474 TFW 20 . 7 52. 5

MAR 6.8 7.1 12.6 0 0 0

363 TRW 11 . 1 4. 9 67 TRW 0 0
APR 7.0 8.7 15 .1 1.9 0 0 7.2
75 TRW 0

MAY 7.2 8.0 12 .9 7.5 0 0

64 TAW 0 0 0
JUN *
3p TAW 0
7.0 8.5 12.9 7.4 0 0 316 TAW 0 0 516 TAW 0 0

317 TAW 0
JUL 9.3 6.3 0 0
464 TAW 0 0
AUG 9.4 8.2 2.3 4442 CCTW 0 0 4453 CCTW 6 .9 14.2

4510 CCTW 12. 3 2.3

SEP 9.1 7.4 2.0
TAC SPECIAL UNITS
OCT 9.3 I 6.7 1.8 1 sow 11.9 6.3 4440 ADG 0 0

NOV 8.6 6.9 1.7 4409 SUP SQ 0 0 4S00 ABW 7.S 0

4410 CCTW 4. 9 17.2 4525 FWW 17.5 28 .0
DEC 8.8 7.8 3.2 4416 TSQ 0 75.5
I

* Estimated

Looking at the overall statistics for June, our accident We recorded a mid-air when two F-84s collided in the
status improved compared to May. A closer look will vicinity of their home patch. They were on separate VFR
shake you though. All of our mishaps occurred in a flights and got together on initial about five miles out.
nine-day span, from the 18th to the 26th. We suffered six The F-4 went in on a rocket pass, the back seater made it,
majors with five fatalities. At this writing many of our the A/C was too low. Our F-1 04 flamed out on base leg
June accidents are still under investigation and no specific for a dive bomb pass at 8,000 feet after leaving the
pattern has emerged. gunnery pattern because of radio failure. Following two
Traditionally, our losses are predominantly fighters. attempts to restart the engine the pilot ejected .
This month only half the total fell in that category. The Of our five fatalities, only one was an unsuccessful
other aircraft lost were a T-33, an OV-10, and a B-66. ejection. The pilot got out too low to complete the ejection
These three are still under investigation. The T-33 and sequence. In three cases no attempt was made to eject.
OV-10 accidents accounted for our "no ejection" Our fifth fatality involved a man not in an ejection seat at
fatalities. They both went in from a relatively low altitude the time of the accident. He was thrown or exited
and it would appear that the crews did not have a chance manually from the aircraft and suffered fatal injuries
to get out. The B-66 broke up and went out of control when he fell to the ground from his parachute harness
just after disconnect from a tanker on a night AAR which remained suspended in trees. On the plus side, we
mission. had five successful ejections, one at a very low altitude.

TACATTACK 31
 TOTAL: 10
20
NUMBER OF HUR.RICANES AFFECTING ;;,\, ;~, [!; :;~ , 15

COASTAL SECTIONS 1879-1968 ---•iiTrt!J$\!'[!!}}:?!1 '

l:::":·.::~:;:_=:::·:::::·.'f:::::_.:-::J.~·:·;:i:::t:::·:·.:;t I
I
~
-
10

0 - -
JJ ASOND

TOTAL: 11
20

d~:::~ ~~ ~:a::r;:c:e~:~d • •/ -:: 5

0
JJ ASOND

TOTAL: 17 - - TOTAL: 27
20 20

15 15

10 10

5 11--, 5

01 ,...--- ! I 0
~ J ASOND J J ASOND

- TOTAL: 43 TOTAL: 41

:1 I :1 11 I] II I ::

'~- :1 JJASOND
I I :t-:--J
JJASOND
I I :t JJASOND
L-J L, I : JJASOND