seasons greetings from us to you

December 1981

TAC Attack
 TIIC IITTJI~

READINESS IS OUR PROFESSION

GEN W. L. CREECH
COMMANDER
LT GEN THOMAS H. McMULLEN
VICE COMMANDER
Contents
Angle of Attack 3
Ricochet Risks 4
Aircrew of Distinction 7
TAG Tips 8
Safety over the Long Haul 12
Quarterly Safety Awards 14 COL RICHARD K. EL V
Safety Awards 15 CHIEF OF SAFETY
F-15 16 MAJ JIM MACKIN
Survival in Winter's Wonderland 18 EDITOR
Chock Talk 22
Aggressiveness STAN HARDISON
25
Down to Earth ART EDITOR
26
Holiday Hints 28 MARTY DILLER
335th Sets F-4E Record 30 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
TAG Tally 31 SGT DAVID GARCIA
STAFF ARTIST

TACRP 127-1
TAG ATTACK is not directive in nature. Recommendations are intended to comply with existing directives. Opinions expressed are
those of the authors and not necessarily the positions of TAC or USAF. Mishap information does not identify the persons, places, or units
involved and may not be construed as incriminating under Article 31 of the USMJ. Photos and artwork are representative and not
necessarily of the aircraft or equipment involved .
Contributions are encouraged, as are comments and criticism. We reserve the right to edit all manuscripts for readability and good
taste. Write the Editor, TAG ATTACK, HQ TAC/SEPP, Langley AFB, VA 23665; or call AUTOVON 432-3658.
Distribution (FX) is controlled by TAC/SEPP through the PDQ, based on a ratio of 1 copy per 10 persons assigned. For DOD units oth-
er than USAF, there is no fixed ratio; requests will be considered individually.
Subscriptions are available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Price:
$14.00 domestic, $17.50 foreign per year. Single issues can be purchased for $2.50 domestic and $3.15 foreign . All correspondence on
subscription service should be directed to the superintendent, not to TAC/SEPP.
Authority to publish this periodical automatically expires on 22 April 1982 unless approval to continue is given before that date.
TAG ATTACK (USPS 531-170) is published monthly by HQ TAC/SEPP, Langley AFB, VA. Second Class postage paid at Richmond,
VA.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TAG ATTACK, TAC/SEPP, Langley AFB, VA 23665.

VOLUME 21 NUMBER 12
 Angle of Attack

It's December, and we don't intend to put a As usual , our regular features include lots of les-
damper on your holiday spirit. But we'd like to help sons learned. I hope we can turn them to our
make sure you enjoy it. advantage. Let's do everything in our power to
Before we begin our Christmas decorating , we ensure that each one of us is hale and hearty when
ought to take a look at "Holiday Hints. " A few minutes the new year arrives.
of care can save us a lot of heartache. Speaking for everyone in TAC Safety, we wish you
Flying crewmembers can gain by reading "Surviv- a happy and healthy holiday season . ~
al in Winter's Wonderland ." An emergency in the
cold country doesn't have to ruin our holiday if we 're
prepared for it. As a matter of fact, all of us who hunt,

R~~q,USAF
snowmobile, or do any other outdoor activity in the
cold weather can profit from the article.
Pilots face a year-round problem with ricochets on
the weapons-delivery ranges . "Ricochet Risks " sug- Chief of Safety
gests what we can do to reduce the problem .

TAC ATIACK 3
 Ricochets on the gunnery range have been a Its apparent that we can avoid the normal ricochet
threat since we first began strafing, and the threat pattern, by staying above that 40-degree cone. So,
hasn't gone away lately. As long as we're going to go how do M9 do that? We fly the pattern correctly and
to the range and shoot bullets, we'll be taking a pull off correctly, that's how. (That's also a good way
chance on a ricochet. A 1973 study at Egfin claimed to avoid fouls, coincidentally.) If we fire at the correct
that we could eliminate the ricochet hazard only if the dive angle, airspeed, and slant range, we can avoid
aircraft was Limited to a speed of 100 knots or less that 40-degree cone by pulling off with 4 Gs in 2
and did a 4-G pullout at a slant range of 2,000 feet. seconcs.
Most of us would have trouble hacking those param-
eters.
That same study, however, showed that we can
reduce the risk of ricochets striking our aircraft. And
that's where we can make some headway-by keep-
ing our risks to a minimum. We do that in two ways:
good delivery techniques and good range house-
keeping. TOT FOOL LINE
When we strafe, most of the rounds we fire ricochet
downrange. That's because the bullet tends to exit
the ground at a low angle when it entered at a low But what happens when we fire past the foul line
angle. Strafing at 5 to 15 degrees causes the "nor- or, more commonly, delay our pullout to watch the
mal" ricochet pattern to have 40 degrees or less exit bullets hit?
angle.

4 DECEMBER 1981
 ricochet risks

Our pullout is a turn in the vertical. Like any turn ,

the radius increases with airspeed ; so if we're way
too fast , we'll fly into the ricochet cone. Conversely,
an aircraft that strafes at a slower speed but still pulls
out at 4 Gs stays further away from the ricochet
pattern . That's why the 100-knot airplane is consid-
ered invulnerable to ricochets : it doesn't have to
overfly the target .
A lazy pullout also increases the radius of turn .
Like high airspeed , the result is a flatter pullout and
penetration of the normal ricochet zone.

LINE

We can see that our delivery parameters and

pullout are the keys to avoiding the normal ricochet
zone. But, in fact, much of our ricochet damage
comes from abnormal ricochets. An abnormal rico-
chet is caused by debris on the range ; usually it's the
debris that actually causes the damage.
Even the flying debris normally ends up in the 40-
degree cone, but occasionally it pops almost straight
up-it's a kind of tiddly-winks effect. Aircraft have

TAC ATTACK 5
/

pop up, or it can deflect the bullet in a strange

direction .
Although correct parameters and a good pullout
can reduce the risk from debris, the real answer lies
in policing the strafe pits . That's up to the range
crew, the range crew chief, and the range officer.
The range regulations now have a renewed require-
ment for disking or chisel plowing and magnetic
sweeping of the strafe pits every week or every 6
use-days. Each and every day, the range crew
should police by hand the strafe pit from 75 feet in
ricochet risks
front of the target to 100 feet behind it. The range
crew chief and the range officer should inspect the
even been known to be hit from above by descend- area before the first mission of the day to make sure
ing debris. all spent rounds and any rocks as big as a man's fist
are removed .
That still won 't guarantee we won't get ricochets .
After all, the last flight in the afternoon will be
shooting into a strafe pit that's seen a lot of business.
But good policing will sure reduce the risk.
Both in the air and on the ground , it's the line jock
who can do the most about ricochets. In the air, flying
the gunnery pattern right will avoid the bulk of the
ricochets . On the ground , when it's our turn in the
What is the debris? Mostly it's rounds fired by the barrel as range officer, we can do the job right by
jocks who used the range ahead of us. Most of the really inspecting the strafe pits daily. And we can call
bullets go downrange, but some stay in the strafe pit. the fouls . We aren't doing our buddy any good by
There's also an occasional rock or two in the pit. letting him develop habits that may cause him to eat
When the debris is struck by a bullet, the debris can a ricochet someday. ~

Strafe Pit Debris-A 30mm and two 20mm rounds policed out of a strafe pit. They've all been hit by another
round. Notice that the 30mm round has a 20mm-sized groove in it.

6 DECEMBER 1981
Aircrew
of
Distinctio
0:1.! 7146-4

On 28 May 1981, Lt Col William M. Douglass and

Mai James F. Boggan were on an F-4 air-to-air sortie
against F-15s. During the rejoin after takeoff, the fire
warning light for the right engine came on. The fire
light wouldn't go out with the throttle in idle, so
Colonel Douglass shut down the right engine. Major
Boggan confirmed all checklist procedures complete.
They dumped the fuel and planned for a single-
engine landing. Shortly after they began final ap-
proach, the F-4's utility hydraulic pressure dropped to
zero; the aircraft became extremely difficult to control.
Landing gear indicators went from down and locked
to unsafe. They couldn't maintain altitude and air- Lt Col William M. Doug
speed, so Colonel Douglass selected full afterburner 311 TFTS, 58 TTW
for go-around. They achieved level flight at 500 feet Luke AFB, AZ
and stopped the airspeed from bleeding off at 195
knots. About a minute later, utility hydraulic pressure
returned; but the flaps couldn't be raised safety.
Colonel Douglass decided not to further burden the
utility system and maintained landing configuration.
Airspeed increased to 210 knots.
In order to position the aircraft for landing, the
aircrew had to fly an indirect route around a small
mountain range without using more than a 15-degree
bank. Ten miles out on final, the utility pressure again
dropped to zero, and the flaps individually went to trail
position. The aircraft entered a pitching and rolling
maneuver, which Colonel Douglass quickly con-
trolled. The aircrew continued a steep, low-power,
straight-In approach at 230-250 knots, landed, and
safely stopped the aircraft prior to the departure-end
arresting cable. Colonel Douglass and Major Bog-
gan's prompt, decisive reactions, superb flight analy-
sis, and superior airmanshtp not only prevented loss
of the aircraft and injury to themselves, but averted
possible loss of life and damage to property below the
aircraft's flight path. Their actions qualify them as the
Mal James F. Boggan
TAC Aircrew of Distinction.
58 TTS, 58 TTW
_ - Luke AFB, AZ

7
TAC ATTACK
 TAC Tips

...interest items,
mishaps with
morals, for the
rant minds often make foolish decisions
TAC aircrewman
-Henry
hienry M. Mort

Well, their briefing for the mission had been thor-

ough and had covered this kind of contingency. They
had briefed that a pilot with prob'ems would move to
the outside half of the runway (the "hot" side), the
other pilots would move to the inside (the "cold"
SURPRISE RCR side) to allow the other plane to pass safely. So that's
what they did, exactly as they had briefed. Number 2
Here's a lesson on winter runway condition read- moved slightly left of centerline to the outside; num-
ings (RCRs) we learned last year-the hard way: ber 1 moved to the right. With 5.000 feet of runway
The flight of six F-106s was deploying to a northern remaining, number 2 neatly passed number 1. Num-
base. If the weather permitted, they ber 2 roiled out and got stopped without any prob-
from an overhead pattern. When they arrivtid. the lem. But, in the meantime, number 1 was getting the
weather given by tower was good-5,000-foot bro- ride of his life.
ken, 10 miles visibility, winds calm, RCR 16. So they It began after number 2 passed him. Number 1
split into two 3-ship elements, flew down initial, and then tried to correct back to the centerline of the
pitched out, using 4-second spacing. Numbers 1, 2, runway. When he began a left turn back, he com-
and 3 touched down normally. Then number 2's drag pletely lost control of the airplane. It skidded across
chute failed and departed the aircraft; tower radioed the cleared center of the runway into the snow- and
to him what had happened. He used aero braking; ice-covered left side of the runway. Then it left the
but without the drag chute, he was closing too fast on runway at about a 30-degree angle and headed off
number 1. onto the frozen ground. The airplane finally stopped
when it hit the 1,000-foot-remaining runway marker
with its left wing. The airplane wasn't moving too fast
by then, so the damage was limited to a hole in the
center leading edge panel of the left wing. The pilot
was uninjured, but wide-eyed.
An investigator checked the runway shortly after
the incident. He noticed that about 40 feet of the
center of the runway was clear, but both sides of the
runway were snow packed and ice covered. The
investigator checked the RCR on the centerline; sure
enough, it was 16. But the RCR just 20 feet to the
right of centerline, where number 1 was when he
tried to correct back, was 6. That significant differ-
ence between the RCR on the centerline and the
outer portions of the runway hadn't been reported to
tower, so it wasn't passed on to the pilots.
Surprises are nice when they're Christmas pres-
ents. But this kind of a surprise we can do without.

8 DECEMBER 1981
JUDGMENT FREEZE
Here's another lesson from last winter, this time
from another command. A T-38 aircrew went out to
their airplane and found the oxygen regulators fro-
zen . The temperature the night before had dropped
to 6 degrees F, with a windchill factor down to -35 .
Undismayed , the aircrew started engines and taxied
out, setting the temperature to full hot and directing
the outlet at the oxygen regulators. By takeoff time ,
the regulators appeared to be normal ; they pressed
on .
A short time later, while climbing through 27,000
feet , the aircrew noticed that they were losing cabin
pressurization . They also noticed the onset of hypox-
ia symptoms. The aircrew moved the diluter levers to
100-percent oxygen and put the flow levers in Emer-
gency. The regulator supplied pressure only when
the levers were held in the Emergency position .
When they let go, the pressure would quit. But the
aircrew was able to descend and land without any COMPlACENCY
major problems .
Maintenance found that, in addition to frozen oxy-
gen regulators , the aircraft had a frozen canopy seal This lesson learned was sent to alert all of us:
regulator and frozen canopy boots . And apparently One of our pilots was cleared to fly an instru-
an aircrew with frozen brains who took an airplane ment approach to runway 17 and to circle for a
with a known oxygen problem and didn 't even ask for right downwind for runway 12. While at circling
maintenance assistance with the problem . minima on downwind for runway 12, tower re-
quested the pilot to turn left for a "270-degree
turn to base" for spacing on an aircraft landing
runway 17.
In a congested airport traffic area, this is
frequently requested for VFR traffic spacing ; and
it's something that pilots frequently accomplish .
In this particular incident, the pilot forgot to
consider his altitude and also forgot to consider
the circling obstruction criteria (2 .3 nautical
miles from the end of the runway for category D
aircraft) . When the pilot turned away from the
runway environment, the aircraft departed the
circling obstruction-clearance area. A bright
light sitting on top of a 1,888-foot tower then
came into his view-32 feet below the aircraft. A
climbing turn was begun to increase clearance
from the tower.
Complacency happens to everyone. In this
case, both the pilot and tower controller failed to
consider the aircraft's altitude and location when
they planned a routine "270 to base for spac-
ing ." Our local procedures have been reviewed ;
how are yours?

TAC ATTACK 9
TAC TIPS On the other side of the world , two pilots were
flying a T-33 that exploded in flight. Vented fuel had
leaked into the cavity between the tailpipe and the
fuselage where it ignited . The aircraft rolled violently
to the left; both crewmembers banged their heads on
the canopy. The backseat pilot doesn 't remember
CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION anything from then until a local ambulance picked
him up.
W e've seen a couple of horror stories lately
about aircrew ejections . Fortunately, the horror sto-
ries had happy endings; though we expect that the
crewmembers involved still wonder how they sur-
vived.
In the first story we saw, an F-16 overseas struck a
bird . It was a big bird, a 12-pound crane, which
struck the canopy transparency at eye level just left
of center. Due to the violence of the birdstrike, the
pilot was not conscious of what was happening; he
ejected instinctively.
The ejection seemed to him very pleasant, with
little change in the airblast since the canopy had
been broken by the bird . The ejection seat felt like it
worked normally. But when the pilot began to collect
his senses , he wiped the blood from his eyes and
found that he was hanging upside down in his
parachute harness, held in only by the leg straps . He The explosion and aircraft disintegration broke the
managed to pull himself back up into the harness engine loose and it drove forward , striking the rear
and fasten the chest strap . Part of the hardware on cockpit bulkhead with enough force to break the rear
the V-ring of the chest strap had been broken when it ejection seat away from the catapult and seat rails.
was struck by a hard object during the birdstrike The rear seat moved far enough forward to fire the
sequence . After repositioning himself in the harness, floor-mounted M32A 1 initiator, which is designed to
the pilot did a 4-line cut to control his oscillations and fire after 8-10 inches of upward travel by the seat.
then landed safely on hard ground . When the initiator fired , it released the backseater's
lap belt and activated the seat-man separator, which
threw him out of the cockpit. The zero-delay function
deployed his parachute automatically. The main can-
opy was pulled through the aircraft fire , burning
several panels , but not enough to prevent a safe
landing in a rice paddy.
Meanwhile, the pilot in the front seat was also
stunned . As he came to, with his chin tucked against
his chest by the G-forces, the first thing he saw was
his lap belt, with both hands only inches away. He
grabbed the lap belt and released himself. He fell
free of the aircraft, located and pulled his ripcord , did
the 4-line jettison, and made a normal parachute
landing fall.
In years to come, these stories will disappear into
the category of aircrew members who parachuted to
safety. But to the three crewmembers involved ,
there'll always be more to the story. Call it luck or
Providence , they have cause to celebrate this holi-
day season .

10 DECEMBER 1981
 Hello,
T-SHIRT GIVE AWAY My name is Alex Kinion. If
could have your attention for a
l

moment. would like to tell you

I

how you can own a Fleagle T-shirt

just like the one I'm wearng. As a
matter of fact, it won't cost you a
penny. Here's all you do:
Write an original article, poem,
or story for TAC ATTACK maga-
zine on any aspect of safety-
aviation, maintenance, opera-
tions, life support training, surviv-
al, weapons delivery, or maybe
your very own, completely unique
war story. If its published in TAC
ATTACK and selected as the best
story of the month, you're an in-
stant winner; and you'll join the
exclusive club of T-shirt winners.
Your story should aiustrate some
lessons learned or otherwise con-
tribute to the overall safety theme
of the magazine.
So, don't wait until tomorrow,
because your friends and ac-
quaintances are already working
on their stories.
Send your story to:
Editor, TAC ATTACK
HO TAC,SEPP
Langley AFB, VA 23665
For more information, call AU-
TOVON 432-365813373.

Sgt Alex Kinidn, last year's "Mr.

Virginia," is the Tactical Air Com-
mand's consultant for physical fit-
ness. In addition to being Mr. Vir-
ginia, Alex won the "Mr. Atlantic
Coast" competition and was first
runner-up in the "Mr. Northeast
America" contest. He is a comput-
er operator in the 4501st Comput-
My friends at TAC ATTACK er Services Squadron, Langley Air
Force Base, Virginia.

are waiting to hear from you Writing an article may win you a
T-shirt; but to fill it out like Ale
you'll have to get with the
fitness program.

TAC ATTACK 11
 InAugust, we announced the award of the TAC
Individual Safety Award to CMSgt Lloyd C. Martin-
dale of the 124th Tactical Reconnaissance Group,
Idaho Air National Guard . The award nomination
contained some information that stirred our curiosity:
Chief Martindale had been involved in munitions
safety since 1949. That's quite a history. We wanted
to know more about him; so we called his boss, Maj
Stan Anderson , who obliged us by sending the
information for this story.
Chief Martindale began working with munitions
well before he joined the Guard in 1949. From
November 1942 to November 1945, he was an
armament man in the Navy, handling mines, torpe-
does, machine-gun ammo, and 500-pound bombs .
In those days, Chief Martindale had bright red hair
which gained him the nickname "Red Dog ."
Red Dog Martindale attended armanent school at
the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman,
Oklahoma, in early 1943. He spent World War II
serving in Navy commando units in the South Pacific .
The Chief recalls , "Guadalcanal was the first island I
ever saw. Henderson Field Fighter Strip One-that's
where we were."
During his tour in the Navy, Red Dog worked on
armament for the T-6, F-4, F-6, F-4U , TBM , PBY , and
others . He spent much of his time loading bombs at
the bomb dump, where the ships would leave the
ordnance. The Chief said he'd "swing 500-pound
bombs three at a time with a cherry-picker, day and
night. One feller came up with a dump-truck load of
bombs and just dumped the load and went on . He
dumped the load and everyone ran ; I just sat there . It
was too late to run ."
Red Dog Martindale survived that episode and
safety over the long haul

12 DECEMBER 1981
THE LONG HAUL
shop , Red Dog was in charge of the safe loading,
firing, and storage of many kinds of ordnance . He
was also responsible for the tow targets used in the
days of the F-86 and F-89. Back then, they were
launched by hand during takeoff of the tow aircraft.
For instance, the F-89 towed the target rag or sleeve
by cable and straps connected to a 2- by 2-inch
piece of wood lodged in the flaps. On takeoff, when
the 1,000-foot cable was about out of slack, the
ground crew threw the sleeve into the air. There was
usually a spotter in the airplane in case something
went wrong; it was much like a water-skiing opera-
tion .
made it through the war. After the war, he joined the Where was safety? "You preached safety then just
Naval Reserves . In 1949, he decided to switch to the like now, " according to Chief Martindale. "We didn 't
Air National Guard . He joined the unit in Boise, Idaho. have any great big manuals, like 127-100 or anything
At that time, the Idaho Air Guard was flying P-51 D like that. You just didn't have accidents but once.
aircraft . You only have one chance."
In 1951 , he was activated because of the Korean From 1964 until 1975, the 124th kept their F-1 02s.
War. He worked on F-51 s at Moody AFB , Georgia, Red Dog and his troops supported round-the-clock
and George AFB , California. On New Year's Eve of alert. Then in April 1975, the unit converted to the RF-
1952, he was released back to the Idaho Air Guard . 4C and took over a reconnaissance mission as a
Two days later, his unit picked up the mission of air TAC-gained unit.
defense. And in October of 1953, the unit's Mustangs Over 30 years, Red Dog Martindale has handled
were replaced with F-86 Sabrejets . untold thousands of individual munitions-500-
In 1956, his squadron , the 190th Fighter Intercep- pound bombs, missiles, rockets, photoflash carts,
tor Squadron , was made a part of the 124th Fighter chaff, and ejection-seat devices. His unit is the only
Group . The new unit was double the size of his old Guard unit to twice receive USAF Missile Safety
squadron , and the new Consolidated Aircraft Mainte- Plaques. Chief Martindale runs a safe operation.
nance Squadron (CAMS) needed a first sergeant. In How does he do it?
1957, Red Dog Martindale became first sergeant "You just preach safety," he says . "I am just like a
and munitions shop chief for the CAMS . school teacher. The only thing to my advantage is I
From that time to the spring of 1964, the 124th can say 'if you don 't do it right the first time, you may
transitioned from F-86s to F-94s , F-89s, F-86Ls, and never get a chance to do it again! ' That, my friend ,
final ly F-1 02 Delta Daggers . As chief of the munitions gets a lot of people's attention. " ____::;;.

TAC ATTACK 13
TAC afety Awards

CMSgt Walter J. Ro gt Christopher MacDonald

WEAPONS SAFETY AWAR GROUND SAFETY AWARD

OF THE QUARTER OF THE QUARTER
CMSgt Walter J. Robbins is the recipient of the Tsgt Christopher MacDonald is the recipient of
Tactical Air Command Weapons Sates; Award tar the the Tactical Air Command Ground Safety Award for
third quarter of 1981. Chief Robbins is NCOIC of the third quarter of 1981. Sergeant MacDonald is
the Munitions Branch, 347th Equipment Maintenance squadron safety NCO and chief of the nondestructive
Squadron, 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, Moody Air inspection (NDI) shop. 58th Component Repair
Force Base, Georgia. Chief Robbins developed Squadron. 56th Tactical Training Wing, MacDill .Air
Safety Day program and was responsible for the Force Base, Florida. He has developed an innovative
expansion of the munitions storage a-ea. He im- and effective safety program for the squadron and hie.
proved safety and morale through his Safety Day NDI shop. He totally redid the hazard abatement
program by recording accident-free days for ,e3,;!.. program and improved safety consciousness in the
shop on a project board. Shop supervisors then shops through a series of special-interest briefings
sponsored quarterly incentive parties to reward work- and increased surveillance program. His NDI shiip
ers' efforts. Chief Robbins provided vatuabie in- achieved several "saves" by identifying deteriorating
puts to a staff assistance visit team on the safety power-train components before they failed. Andthere
.aspects of the munitions holding area, current and have been no radiation exposure incidents to shop
future munitions-storage siting and construction personnel because of his outstanding X-ray safety
plans, and WRM stock requirements. Chief Rob - program. His graphic X-ray preeentations at the
bins was selected 347th Tactical Fighter Wing NCO wing's monthly FOD prevention committee meetings
of the Quarter. His consistent, conscientious work have been a major contribution to the unit's excellent
has greatly improved morale;* and his strong leader- FOD prevention program. Due to. his efforts, the
ship and foresight in mission planning have earned squadron received an excellent rating in the wing's
him the Tactical Air Command Weapons Safety annual safety inspection; and the unit's ground safety
management book and safety publications were rated
the "best observed." Sergeant MacDonald's excep-
tionat dedication and enthusiasm have resulted in a
truly outstanding safety program and have earned
him the Tactical Air Command Ground Safety Award
of tho Quarter.

14 DECEMBER 198 t
CREW CHIEF SAFETY AWARD INDIVIDUAL SAFETY AWARD

SSgt Parris W. Veasley is this month's winner of SiA Tracy Hundley is this month's winnei of the
the Tactical Air Command Crew Chief Safety Award. Tactical Air Command Individual Safety Award. Air-
Sergeant Veasley is an 0-2A crew chief with the 23d man Hundley is a munitions handling crewmember in
Tactical Air Support Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air the 33d Equipment Maintenance Squadron; 33d Tac-
Force Base, Arizona. While checking the sump on the tical Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. His
right main fuel tank during the preflight check of his 0- job includes the delivery of missiles and ammunition
2A aircraft, Sergeant Veasley drained out fuel that to and from the flight line.
was clear, oily feeling, and smelled like kerosene Recently, Airman Hundley was on a routine trip to
instead of Avgas. After taking a second sample, he the combat-turn area to pick up munitions when he
summoned the expeditor vehicle. Tney agreed the noticed an F-15 taxiing with one of its panels missing.
Avgas was contaminated with JP-4. The expeditor The aircraft was leaving the combat-turn area and
notified job control, and all aircraft on the flight line headed toward the quick-check area. Although it
were grounded. Lab tests confirmed the contamina- wasn't his specific responsibility, Airman Hundley
tion in Sergeant Veasley's aircraft. The other aircraft acted, He notified munitions control of the problem,
were OK. The right main tank on Sergeant Veasley's looked for and found the missing panel. and took it to
aircraft was the first tank filled by a JP-4 truck in which the quick-check area. He notified the ground crew
the filler hose had been improperly drained when the and gave them the panel, They notified the pilot, who
truck was switched to carrying Avgas, shut down the engines while the ground crew re-
Sergeant Veasley's timely and proper aclion avert- placed the panel. The pilot restarted the engines and
ed a possible disaster since the aircraft was sched- took off safely and on time.
uled for a flight with two pilots and full ordnance load. The quick response by Airman Hundley in solving
The right main tank, which was contaminated, feeds someone else's problem shows his concern for oth-
the rear engine of the 0-2A. The rear engine produces ers. He prevented possible damage to the aircraft and
most of the thrust: without it, the airplane would injury to the ocoi. He is deserving of the Tactical Air
probably not have sustained flig
.and concern, Sergeant Veasley

15
 . ·.:. -: ·· .. . . •. . ·. · •. ' : . ::· ,:: .. . ;-.~ ··· ;·.· .
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 A II of us have something at stake when it comes
to surviving in cold wAather. The best study of actual
cases of cold weather survival that we've seen was
Survival in Winter's wonderland
done by Richard A. Howard, Ph.D ., and reported in
the December 1970 issue of TAG ATTACK. As the
cold weather now descends on us , let's gather
around a hot stove and review that report.
Dr. Howard compiled his information from the
crashes of 268 aircraft with 641 people involved . He
was able to reconstruct the stories of 480 of those
people who either lived to tell their tales or left behind
enough information to tell it for them . The remaining
161 either died or are still missing. One man commit-
ted suicide rather than face the problems of survival.
In contrast to him are many stories of heroism and
endurance against great odds. Two men parachuted
from a transport and one was injured on landing . The
other man carried and dragged his injured compan-
aJ~r- ion 150 miles to safety. Since they had no food or
equipment, they had to forage along the way. The
journey took 48 days.
One survivor was fortunate in finding trapper's
suppli~s\flnd cabins along his lonely route . He was
out 84 days before he returned to base.
The longest experience in the stories is that of a
crew isolated on the Greenland icecap . They were
found and supplied by air after only a few days, but
164 days passed before they could be removed from
. ····"_ the icecap .
The effects of extreme cold are both physical and
tal. Some survivors came very close to mental
·~--"""'~--- s in combating the wintry environment.

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IIIII Dl 11/1 we~lll11 In eteNilll Rke J11k FlfJII.
18 DECEMBER 1981
 ignorant of cold weather irst aid , llow
crewmember's frozen feet correctly at first by putting
About 50 percent of the men involved in these them under his armpits . If he had stopped there and
survival episodes suffered injuries in the course of read the manual in the first aid kit in his plane, he
the descent, whether a crash landing or parachute wouldn 't have then made the mistake of rubbing the
landing . The injuries ranged from fractured skulls , feet for 2 or 3 hours. But as it was , the next day the
broken legs , arms, and shoulder blades to sprains, victim 's feet turned all colors of the rainbow; after his
bruises , cuts, and concussions . In two reports , bro- rescue , all the toes had to be amputated .
ken limbs were set by a member of the party. One of Others found preventing frostbite in fractured
these was set so successfully by a nonmedical man limbs a serious problem . The impaired circulation
that resetting was not necessary when the party was made keeping a broken hand or foot warm very
rescued and taken to a base hospital. In all other difficult. The narrative of one crew whose seven
cases , the fractures were immobilized by splints . members all suffered frozen hands or feet notes that
Burns from fires in flight or on the ground following a frozen limb doesn 't feel cold- it simply aches.
the crash were reported in 17 stories. Cuts occurred Lack of knowledge of the principles of first aid was
most frequently on the face; they were caused by conspicuous . No treatment, inadequate treatment, or
glass breaking in the plane or by broken flying the wrong treatment of injuries occurred all too
goggles . Fifteen cases of shock were recorded . frequently , showing the men lacked the basic knowl-
The impairments to health which took place follow- edge of first aid principles that all aircrews should
ing a successful landing or bailout were attributable , have.
in the vast majority of cases , to the severe environ- Living in a snow shelter, as some men did , proved
ment; they were frostbite , exposure , and malnutrition . dangerous if the men were not constantly aware of
The survivors often showed a lack of training in the the frostbite problem and other effects of cold . The
use and care of clothing . Men wore wet clothes , warmth of a man 's body penetrating through layers
gloves , socks, and shoes and failed to dry them of sleeping bags melted the snow or ice beneath .
when the situation allowed it . They used cold tools This, in turn , soaked the sleeping gear so that
with wet hands and learned better the hard way. definite care had to be taken to dry it out. One
They took off their gloves to wipe snow from the survivor reported that his sleeping bag froze to the
wings of the aircraft. Only after being frostbitten did ice and had to be chopped free . Most men , however,
they find life raft paddles ideal for the purpose . cared for their sleeping gear and aired and dried it
Others used their bare hands to scoop up snow to frequently . The survivors also found it necessary to
eat or melt. One man commented that he was so insulate themselves from the snow and ice even
anxious to rush after the supplies dropped to him that when just sitting around. Fourteen cases of hemor-
he forgot to put on his foot covering ; that resulted in rhoids were reported , most of them sitting on cold
wet feet and the eventual amputation of two toes . surfaces .
Another man landed his fighter safely, but walked Chapped or sore lips, faces , and tongues followed
around the plane and then sat in the cockpit all night eating or sucking snow or ice. Several survivors
with snow-filled shoes and wet feet . He had frostbit- complained that snow only made them more thirsty
ten feet by morning , and eventually he lost all his and resulted in parched and burning throats . Addi-
toes. Swollen , blistered hands, feet with such large tional snow did little to relieve these sensations and
blisters a man couldn 't walk, loose skin on one finger, only added to the chapping .
and loss of a fingernail were all reported in the case Effects of cold wind were frequently noted . Many
of three men who lived in an insulated hut. They had said the strong gales made breathing difficult and

l a fire over which they said they dried their sleeping

gear, but never mentioned drying socks or gloves.
They ended up with frostbite, frozen limbs, gan-
seemed to make the lungs burn .
Glare bothered some survivors ; they improvised
snow goggles or wore smoked flying goggles. Red
grene, and eventual amputation. or sore eyes and swollen or dry, cracked eyelids
Treatment of frostbite was often wrong . Many cas- were caused by the wind and the glare. Others
es were reported where the first aid given frozen or stated they couldn 't use the goggles for protedion
chilled feet and hands was rubbing with snow, because the melting and freezing snow froze on
rubbing with alcohol , rubbing with gasoline, or just them . A few men smeared oil or grease on their faces
simply rubbing . One survivor, who admitted being to prevent sunburn .

TAC ATTACK 19
Winter Survival milky. There is no horizon , no shadow. In a white-out,
a person on the ground has to probe his way.
Living under emergency conditions in severe cold
FATIGUE can be exhausting, as the survivors' stories prove. All
Perhaps the most common complaint was a pro- attempts to work in cold and in strong winds required
gressive weakness when rations were limited . Fa- expenditures of energy beyond the expectations of
tigue set in quickly, so that work periods had to be the survivors. Walking in deep snow or against the
limited to a few hours or to less than an hour in some wind quickly exhausted them . Often they were too
cases. They tended to stumble more frequently in tired to build shelters on the trail and simply wrapped
traveling and to misjudge their movements, bumping themselves in parachutes before falling asleep . Even
and bruising themselves in normal activities . Some breathing in the cold climate seemed to take more
reported being wet all the time from repeated falls effort. The shortage of food and the altitude often
because they were too weak to walk normally. Ankles contributed to their discomfort. Most survivors report- .
in particular suffered from cold and bruises , which ed they were always fatigued , always tired.
seemed to remain painful for longer periods of time Once rescued , more than half needed no medical
than usual. attention other than rest. In other cases , severe
Peculiar attacks of dizziness were mentioned effects from exposure and lack of food were evident.
twice . In one case, they had trouble standing upright The effects of frostbite and frozen limbs were the
and seemed unable to orient themselves in the most serious.
snowy landscape. In another story, the survivor re-
ported that while digging on a snowy, hazy day, he CLOTHING
stopped and tried to stand up; he promptly fell down , The comment " inadequate clothing " occurs so
frequently in the survival stories that preparation for
an emergency was obviously lacking . They wore
whatever clothing they wanted for the flight. When an
emergency occurred, they often suffered from their
poor choice unless additional apparel was carried in
the plane or dropped to them later.
Wool clothing, summer underwear, coveralls, and
flight jackets with gloves , helmet , low shoes and/or
flying boots of some type made up the typical
clothing of most of the downed flyers . Only a few flew
suitably dressed for the experiences that followed .
Those few had been carefully prepared either
through previous emergency experience, survival
indoctrination , or just considerable thought on the
subject.
Most of the comments on clothing concerned
footwear . Gloves weren 't mentioned, except for the
remark that they got wet. Hats were mentioned only
once by a survivor, who reported he made one out of
the fur collar of his flying jacket.
Clothing in several thicknesses was preferred so
unable to orient himself in a vertical plane . He said that layers could be removed while working or walk-
his semicircular canals failed to give him any indica- ing and then put on during rest stops and in the
tion of up from down . He found he could keep erect cooler hours of the day. The survivors constantly
only when looking at the wreck of his aircraft, using it reported great difficulty in keeping their feet warm
as an artificial horizon . These survivors may have while resting. Thoughts of frozen feet and gangrene
been weak, but even people in good condition plagued them. To combat cold feet, they rested or
sometimes react the same way in a "white-out. " slept with both shoes and socks on , wearing their
When the light reflected by the snow is as intense as mukluks or shoe pacs or with their feet wrapped in
that from the sun, everything appears hazy and extra layers of parachute cloth .

20 DECEM BER 1981

 Proper footwear was the exception rather than the
rule . Leather oxfords, combat boots, hightop leather
shoes , and tennis shoes were all inadequate or
unsatisfactory. Most of those who mentioned muk-
luks approved them as ideal footwear for cold weath-
er survival. They praised their convenience, comfort,
and insulating properties when properly used . One
man thought rubber footwear was possibly the most
practical because snow wouldn 't stick to it. Leather
footwear tended to freeze and was described as like
armor, concrete, or rocks .

directly or drank it melted suffered from diarrhea. In

others, it caused severe gas pains and belching.
They discovered that snow is difficult to melt and that
tremendous quantities must be heated to supply
even a small amount of water. Many concluded that
melting snow is not worth the effort, for drinking water
can be obtained from ice with less energy and fuel.
Both ice and snow had to be melted for drinking
water in containers . They found it best to save one
Emergency repairs to clothing were usually made container for melting ice alone, because of the
with pieces of parachute or tarpaulin sewn with difficulty in cleaning those used for cooking or other
unraveled shroud lines. All survivors praised the purposes . One observant survivor noted that a solid
parachute as emergency material and valued it block of ice melts as quickly as small cubes or
highly. All groups carried one or more parachutes shaved ice. Several mentioned that if the water was
with them , and every individual saved whole or allowed to heat a little after the ice had melted
selected parts of parachutes for shelters, bedding, completely, it kept better and provided a more
insulation , repairs , and clothing. satisfactory drink than when only slightly above the
freezing point. Some found that a constant water
WATER supply could be maintained by adding ice and snow
In spite of the abundance of ice , snow, and water as needed to a container of water in their shelter.
almost everywhere, many of the narratives mention
difficulties in procuring drinking water. Snow is not as PLAN AHEAD
satisfactory a source of drinking water as ice , yet It should be obvious from these reports that our
many survivors used it. Two injured men were de- physical condition and dress may well determine
pendent for water on the snow they could reach how we return to civilization-or if we will-in a
through the plane window. Various survivors who ate survival situation. Such things as injuries, the length
snow reported that their hands , lips, tongues, and of the ordeal, the environment, and other variables
mucous membranes were soon chapped , cracked , will cBrtainly have a bearing on the outcome, but we
and bleeding . Snow proved unsatisfactory in other have no direct control over these things . So now,
ways . Many reported, " No matter how much snow we while we're sitting around the hot stove, before we
sucked , we couldn't quench our thirst. " At least 10 leave for our next flight, we need to give some
individuals complained that eating it caused a burn- thought to where we 're going and what we'll do and
ing sensation in the throat. One man noted that he what kind of country we fly over. Let's hope for the
and several other members of his party who ate snow best, but prepare for the worst. ___:::-

TAG ATTACK 21
 starter; there was evidence of leaking . This informa-
tion was entered into the aircraft forms as a red-X
item. Two days later the duct was supposedly re-
paired by an airman and inspected by his supervisor
the same day. Actually, the supervisor inspected the
wrong area of the jet fuel starter. But the red X was
cleared from the forms . The aircraft was released
from phase inspection and put on the flying sched-
ule. The first time it was used , the starter caught fire.

TROUBLESHOOTING:
CAUSE OR EFFECT?
On base leg for a gunnery pass, the F-4 pilot
noticed a fire light on the right engine. He pulled the
throttle to idle; the light stayed on. The pilot shut the
chock talk engine down; the light stayed on for 5 minutes and
then went out The pilot made an uneventful emer-

... ilfAdutu aM iltdduu£U gency landing . The investigators found that a con-
nector on the aft fire loop of the right engine was

wifl£ ' ~ dalu.

dirty. After they cleaned the connector, the system
checked good.
About a week later, the airplane was scheduled to
fly . At 100 knots on takeoff, the fire light came on. The
JET FUEL STARTER FIRE pilot aborted, shutting down the right engine. The fire
light stayed on, and the aircrew exited the airplane
While the pilot was starting the number 1 engine after shutting down the left engine in the dearm area.
on an F-15 overseas, the crew chief noticed smoke This time the investigators found the aft fire loop
coming from the jet fuel starter duct The pilot saw shorted to ground on door 83. Maintenance removed
the AMAD (aircraft mounted accessory drive) light and replaced the loop. The airplane flew 11 flights
flash and then come on steady, so he pressed the without incident.
AMAD light and fired the extinguisher. The pilot then On the 12th flight , the pilot noticed the right fire
exited the airplane . light after being airborne about 20 minutes. He
The aircraft had recently gone through its first pulled the throttle to idle, and the light remained on .
periodic phase inspection. During a quality verifica- When the pilot shut down the engine, the light stayed
tion inspection the jet fuel starter duct was found not on , although it flickered out twice during the return to
seated correctly on the aft flange of the jet fuel base . The landing was uneventful.
Again the investigators found a short to ground on
the right engine's aft fire loop. Again it was in the area
of door 83 . This time, they investigated further; they
found the fuel drain line was contacting the fire loop
and causing the short The reason was that the fuel
line clamps were incorrectly installed . Vibration
caused the intermittent contact in the area of door
83 . They reinstalled the clamps and replaced the fire
loop. That finally solved the problem.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty in troubleshooting is
in separating cause from affect. The short in the loop
was the result of the clamps being installed wrong; it
was a link in the chain , not the cause . Sometimes we
need to take it one step further back in the chain to
find the true cause . Otherwise, we're just treating the
symptom .

22 DECEMBER 1981
 Runaway RF-4

A tter flying a mission at a deployed location, the

RF-4 was parked with its tail toward a tab-vee
entrance. The ramp where it was parked had a 5-
degree slope. Two crew chiefs helped recover the
aircraft, and one of them chocked the left main gear.
Then the aircrew shut down the engines and left the
airplane. It was time for a shift change, so both crew
chiefs also left the airplane; they thought both main
gear were chocked. The airplane rambled across the taxiway and struck
About half an hour later, the crew chief from the the right rear of the second fuel truck. It hit the truck
second shift came out to do an intake inspection. with its right wing and was turned to the right, but it
While he was inside the intake of the number 2 kept on rolling into the refueling pit. The left drop tank
engine, he felt something strange: the aircraft felt like banged into part of the refueling pit's plumbing. The
it was moving . He looked outside; sure enough, it nose gear jumped a curb and a hot-pit refuel ing
was. He scrambled out and got off the runaway. The cover; the right main gear just jumped the curb. The
crew chief thought about trying to chock it again, but aircraft finally came to rest wit.h the left main gear in
by now it was moving too fast. the refueling pit, the right main gear off the taxiway on
The aircraft rolled towards a couple of fuel trucks an unstressed surface, and the nose gear sunk 6
that were parked near a hot-pit refueling area across inches in the grass and mud .
from the tab-vee. The driver of one of the fuel trucks While all this was happening , the guys who were
looked up and saw the RF-4 bearing down on him. responsible were long gone. Bet it was a shock when
He cranked up his truck and drove out of the way. they came looking for their airplane the next morning .

CARELESS DRILL They all began after the airplane had been struck by
a bird, which extensively damaged the right variramp
and the inside of the intake duct. A depot team
T he F-4 aircrew climbed into the airplane and got repaired the damage; but in doing so, they apparent-
ready to start engines. When external electrical pow- ly drilled into the F-4's electrical wiring. After the
er was applied, both wing tanks jettisoned. The crew drilling , 206 wires had to be spliced. That created
chief was able to put out the small fire that resulted ; plenty of opportunity for the spurious voltages which
and no damage, other than the loss of the tanks, plagued the aircraft.
resulted . Since all the switches were in the correct This case should remind us when we're working on
position, a spurious stray voltage seemed to be the aircraft that there are critical items- wire bundles,
cause. hydraulic lines, flight control cables, and the like-
The incident was the culmination of a series of just under the skin . Our airplanes simply can 't toler-
electrical problems this aircraft had been suffering. ate carelessness.

TAC ATTACK 23
CHOCK TALK HI-PAC RUSSIAN ROULETTE
MOO SQUAD BLOWS CANOPY A crew chief and his assistant were getting ready
to put air in the nosewheel tire of an RF-4. They were
An AT-38 was preparing for a functional check using a hi-pac (MC1 A compressor), which the crew
flight following a 300-hour phase inspection. While chief started. After the pressure built up, the crew
holding short for the runway, the pilot heard a whin- chief checked it. The needle was bouncing around
ing noise and decided to open the canopy to investi- 50 psi on the low-range gage. Using the high-low
gate. As he pulled back on the canopy handle, the pressure regulator, he set about 2,500 psi on the
canopy opened so suddenly and forcefully that it high-range gage.
separated from the aircraft. As it came off, it hit the The crew chief checked with his assistant to see if
rear canopy, damaging it also. he was ready to begin servicing. He was, so the crew
chief cracked open the high-low service valve. They
couldn't hear any air flowing; the crew chief opened
the valve a little further. Suddenly, they heard a loud
hiss, followed by an explosion. The tire had blown .
Debris struck the assistant crew chief in the left eye,
permanently blinding him.
When the compressor was later checked, both the
high-low service valve and the high-low pressure
regulator valve were defective. The service valve
would not seal completely; indications were it had
been overtorqued . The malfunctioning high-low
pressure regulator valve would not allow the operator
to accurately set or control air pressure on the low-
range gage. When the regulator valve was moved to
increase pressure, the low-range gage stuck at 50
psi . Actual pressure increased, but the gage re-
mained at 50 psi. Pressure could be increased all the
way into the high range without the low-range gage
The way the canopy separated led the investiga- reading above 50 psi . In this case, the high-range
tors to suspect that the cockpit had overpressurized. reading of 2,500 psi was the accurate reading ; the
In the course of investigating the pressurization low-range reading was meaningless. The high-pres-
system, they found an illegal modification. Someone sure air blew the tire immediately.
had attached a tube to the cockpit pressure relief As the investigators checked other hi-pacs, they
port, apparently to make pressurization checks on found the regulator problem was an epidemic. Nine
the aircraft easier. The tube was about a quarter of air compressors were inspected, and seven of them
an inch in diameter and had a fitting on the end like a had bad regulators. Not only that, most of the work-
hydraulic line. ers knew the hi-pacs weren 't working right. But their
Maintenance training emphasizes capping open supervisors didn't know about the problem . Frustrat-
hydraulic lines. So during phase inspection, the ed with the faulty equipment, the workers devised
illegal tube to the pressure relief was mistaken for a their own ways of working around the problem. They
hydraulic line and capped. With the relief port began using the service valve as a regulator. That, of
blocked, pressure rapidly built up when the canopy course, contradicts the tech data, which warns
was closed . When the canopy was then unlocked , against using high-pressure air to service tires.
the overpressure caused it to separate. A one-time violation of tech data can often cause a
This is an example of why modifications must go mishap; but when normal work routines disregard the
through a long process of cbordination before they tech data, a mishap becomes the certain result. It's
are approved . Any change we make will affect others no longer a question of whether, but when . By not
in ways that haven't crossed our mind . When we reporting the malfunctions and getting them fixed,
have an idea for a modification , let's use the system the workers in this unit were playing Russian roulette
instead of short-circuiting it. with hi-pacs.

24 DECEMBER 1981
 Aggressiveness

by Captain Jeffrey R. Riemer

F-16 Acceptance Test Pilot

Aggressiveness: What does it mean to you? It

seems that it means something different to everyone
you ask. The dictionary defines Aggressiveness as
" Energetic pursuit; devotion to a cause; bold self-
confidence in expression ." I think we can all agree
with these, but I thought it would be interesting to poll
a cross section of pilots and come up with a compos-
ite definition directly related to flying.
To ask this question of only one command, like
TAC, SAC , or MAC, would definitely skew the defini-
tion to the type of flying being done; so I took the
opportunity while recently serving in an ATC wing to
poll pilots from all the major flying commands (TAC ,
MAC, SAC , and ATC). The following are some of the
definitions I received :
• Ability to make a decision concerning control
inputs.
• Acting in a timely manner · to implement deci-
sions.
• Definite, confident aircraft control.
• Attitude to fly the best mission possible in the
most efficient and common-sense way.
• Ability to see small changes and correct them
quickly and smoothly.
• Desire to be on top of things, constantly thinking
ahead .
• Attitude of taking charge.
• Flying the aircraft; not letting it fly you.
• Maneuvering your aircraft as necessary to pro-
duce positive results.
Comments like these were numerous. By cutting
and pasting the inputs, I formulated the following
composite definition which I think all pilots can relate
to and benefit from : dom, and judgment that produces the best job in the
Aggressiveness : A positive attitude toward mis- most efficient and common-sense way. It's an eager-
sion accomplishment that results in maximum suc- ness to correct deviations and strive for perfection ,
cess through precise aircraft control. To achieve which results in you making the aircraft do what you
maximum success, it may require smooth control want it to while maintaining flying discipline and
inputs or abrupt control inputs; but in all cases, these safety. And lastly, it's knowing your procedures, your
inputs should be appropriate for the situation . It's a personal limits, your aircraft's limits, and exploring
take-charge attitude tempered with knowledge , wis- these limits safely, but with GUSTO. __::::...

TAC ATTACK 25
 Down to earth

niques you have learned, including the use of re-

straint devices, the greatest life savers since the
invention of the automobile " killer."
Some common excuses for not wearing seat belts
are : (1) "I might be saved if I'm thrown clear of the
car in an accident" ; (2) "If I wear a safety belt, I might
be trapped in a burning or submerged car"; (3) "I t
takes too much time and trouble to fasten my safety
belts"; or (4) " I'm uncomfortable and too confined
when I wear a safety belt. " None of these are good
reasons to die or be severely injured . The facts are
that your chances of being killed are 25 times greater
if you 're thrown from the car. Forces in a collision
could throw you up to 150 feet , scraping you along
the ground , hitting a pole , bridge abutment, or some
other object along the way. In almost any collision ,

HOLIDAYS SHOULD BE HAPPY DAYS

by MSgt Bill Hester
507 TAIRCW Ground Safety

"H ol idays are happy days! " We've all heard this
expression many times . But, in a typical year, over
3,900 people in holiday accidents will never see you're better off being held inside the car by safety
another holiday or "happy" day. That's how many belts. Less than one-half of one percent of al l injury-
people are killed on our highways just on Memorial producing collisions involve fire or submersion . Even
Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving , Christ- if either did occur, with safety belts you 're more likely
mas, and New Year's . In addition , over 2,000,000 to be unhurt, alert, and capable of escaping quickly.
people are injured. Considering the time or trouble : if you want to live,
We've also heard , "Figures lie and liars figure "; so I that much time and trouble you can live with . Sure,
won 't carry the numbers bit any further. I just thought seat belts cause some discomfort at first; but, even-
you might like some mind-blowing statistics on holi- tually, you 'll begin to feel uncomfortable without your
day traffic injuries and deaths. All this is just to seat belts .
illustrate the real point: Holiday traffic can be fatal if The point is: Seat belts do save lives. Let's all
you don 't practice all the defensive driving tech- buckle up and ensure our holidays are happy days.

26 DECEMBER 1981
 SMOKE DETECTORS RECALLED BOOZE AND EMOTION
TYNDALL AFB , Fla. (AFNS)-Defective smoke de- The man had been drinking , and he was burning
tectors are being recalled by the Chloride Pyrotector up with anger. Under the influence of liquor and
Division of Chloride, Inc., Hingham, Massachusetts. anger, he left the house, got in the car, and drove-
Faulty commercial and residential battery-operat- but not far. A half mile away, he lost control, crossed
ed smoke detectors are being recalled because a the center line, left the road, and struck a tree . The
potentially defective microchip may prevent the impact destroyed the vehicle . He died 3 days later
alarm from sounding .

from the massive injuries he suffered . Seat belts had

been available, but not used .
Getting angry when drunk isn 't that uncommon .
Booze fuels the emotions. When we're happy, it
makes us giddy; when we're mad, it makes us lose
control. In either case, we don't belong behind the
wheel.
Anger alone increases the risk of an accident.
And , contrary to popular myths, we don't feel better
after blowing our tops . An American Medical Associ-
ation study shows that we feel irritable and tired after
losing our tempers . That means we can't concentrate
well on what we're doing and we 're asking for an
accident. The odds say that we'll gain nothing but we
may lose everything when we lose control of our
tempers .
Some of the detectors were sold through the Army
and Air Force Exchange Service to European cus-
tomers until April 1981 , officials with the Air Force
Engineering and Services Center here say.
Potentially defective detectors are:

• Chloride Pyrotector Models 3077, 3078, and

3079.
• Archer No. 275453.
• Masterguard MGB-360.
• Vanguard 817.
• Protector Systems P365.

Owners should remove the back plate of the

detector and check the model or code number.
Potentially defective models will have a six-digit date
code between 030179 and 031581 .

TAG ATTACK 27
 Holiday Hints

T o help you have a happy and healthy holiday, branches and shedding needles are a sign of dry-
we're passing on some tips from the U.S. Consumer ness; fresh needles bent between the fingers won't
Product Safety Commission: break. Tap the tree lightly on the ground; if many
Trees. If you are planning to buy a natural tree, the needles fall off, the tree is too dry. Don't depend on a
most important safety factor is its freshness . The nice green color- trees may be sprayed green to
higher the moisture content of the tree, the less likely improve their appearance.
it is to dry out and become a serious fire hazard. One When you bring a tree home, keep it outside, if
way to insure that a tree is fresh is to cut it yourself. possible, until you're ready to decorate it. Keep its
Tree farms are within a short driving distance of base in water. When the tree is brought in, cut the
many locations. butt end diagonally 1 or 2 inches above the original
Before you buy a cut tree, check it for freshness . cut. Place the tree in a sturdy, stable holder with a
There are several things you can look for: Brittle wide base. For additional stability with a large tree,
fasten it to the wall or ceiling with thin wire from at
least two points. Fill the holder with water until the cut
line is covered; and keep the water at this level while
the tree is in use, refilling it every day if necessary.
Set your tree up a good distance from any heat
source. Don't rely on any do-it-yourself external
flameproofing treatments since they are virtually im-
possible to apply correctly at home. Dispose of the
tree when the needles begin to fall off in large
quantities. This is a sign that it is becoming danger-
ously dry.
Metal trees, on the other hand, present no fire
hazard in themselves. However, they can be the
source of a serious shock hazard if electric lights are
attached to the tree. Sharp metal edges may cut the
cord insulation; the metal needles might touch an
electrically charged component. Either way, the
whole tree will become electrically charged, and
anyone touching the tree and a grounded object at
the same time could receive a severe shock. The
only way to illuminate a metal tree safely is to use
colored floodlights placed in different areas of the
room. Since the flood lights become quite hot, they

28 DECEMBER 1981
should be positioned where children can 't come in When you leave the house or retire for the evening ,
contact with them . be sure that all lights are turn ed off by unplugging
If you purchase a plastic tree . get one made of fire- them from the wall outlet . As with any electrical
resistant material. This doesn 't mean that the tree will appliance , unplug by grasping the plug , not by
not burn , but only that it will not catch fire easily . As pulling on the cord.
with natural trees, you still must keep it away from Though it may provide a sense of nostalgia, never
heat sources. use wax candles on or near a tree; they are a very
Lighting. First, purchase lights that have been serious fire hazard . Any decorative candles should
checked for safety; look for the UL label of Underwrit- always be kept well away from children and any
ers' Laboratories. Then check your tree lights and flammable materials, such as pine boughs .
outdoor lights each year before you use them . Look Ornaments and Trimmings. Avoid placing break-
able ornaments or ornaments with small detachable
parts on lower branches where small children or pets
can reach them and knock them off. Every year many

for frayed wires, loose connections , broken or

cracked sockets , and spots where bare wire is children are treated for cuts from broken ornaments
exposed . Any set that is damaged should be thrown or for swallowing ornament parts .
out or repaired . Careful handling of these products Some traditional hol iday decorations may be
during unpacking, decorating, and repacking will harmful if eaten , and this poses a hazard for young
lessen the chance of hazardous damage. children . Mistletoe and holly berries are poisonous
All lights should be fastened securely to the tree . and may be dangerous if more than a few are
No light bulbs should come into direct contact with swallowed . These plants should be kept out of the
the needles or branches. Curtains and other flamma- reach of children . Don 't use tinsel or artificial icicles
ble materials should also be kept away from bulbs . that contain lead . Discard old tinsel if you aren 't sure
Then, when plugging the bulbs in , don 't overload of its compos ition . Those fire salts, which produce a
extension cords.· Don't put more than three sets of multicolored effect when thrown on a wood fire , also
lights on any extension cord . Keep the cords away contain heavy metals and could cause serious gas-
from the water supply of a live tree . trointestinal problems if eaten .
Outdoor lights should be weatherproof and clearly Finally, make sure that the trimmings you use on
identified as designed for outdoor use. Don 't try to the tree or around the home are noncombustible or
use indoor lights for outdoor lighting . Remove out- flame resistant .
door lighting as soon as the season is over; even Follow these hints in your Christmas decorating ,
these lights are not designed to withstand prolonged and the odds are much better that you 'll enjoy the
exposure to the elements. holiday season . ~

TAC ATTACK 29
 335th SETS F-4E RECORD pletely qualified in this improved version of the
Phantom.
The 80,000th hour was achieved on a normal
ground attack mission . The aircraft commander for
In September, the 335th Tactical Fighter Squad- the mission was Capt Andrew R. Tuson and the
ron "Chiefs" passed 80,000 flying hours without a weapons systems operator was 1st Lt Keith A. Cole-
major mishap . The Chiefs, from the 4th Tactical man . SSgt Wayne Devall was the crew chief of
Fighter Wing , Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, aircraft #73-1180, which flew the mission .
are the first F-4E squadron to do so. The squadron
hasn't had a major mishap since 1969, before it got
the F-4E.
The record is even more impressive because it
includes periods of high-risk operations, including a
deployment to Ubon, Thailand, in July of 1972. The
squadron then participated in Operation Linebacker
over North Vietnam . More recently, the squadron has
participated in CRESTED CAP deployments to Ger-
many in support of our NATO commitment. The 335th
has deployed to Spangdahlem Air Base, Lahr Air
Base, and twice to Ramstein Air Base .
In February of 1980, the squadron began convert-
ing to the new ARN-1 01-modified F-4E; and the unit
became the first operational squadron to be com-

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 tac tally

lAC ANG AFR

THRU OCT THRU OCT THRU OCT
OCT ' 1981 1980 OCT 1981 1980 OCT 1981 1980
ClASS A MISHAPS
AIRCREW FATAliTIES
TOTAl EJECTIONS
I.I.
I. 0
0
0
29
17
2'5
26
17'
27-
1
1
0
6
3
2
11
10
9
0
0
0
1
1
1
3
1
3
SUCCESSFUl EJECTIONS I• 0 2~ 22 0 1 5 0 0 2

lAC'S TOP 5 thru OCTOBER '81

TAC FTR/RECCE . TAC ! AIR DEFENSE
class A mishap free months class A mishap free months
44 33 TFW 105 57 FIS
37 1 TFW 58 5 FIS
36 31 TTW 55 48 FIS
24 49 I TFW 14 318 FIS
23 355 TT'W 5 87 FIS

TAC GAINED FTR/RECCE TAC GAINED AIR DEFENSE lAC/GAINED Other Units
class A mishap free months class A mishap free months cla.ss A mishap free months
114 188 TFG (ANG) 92 102 FIW 147 182 TASG (ANG)
106 138 TFG (ANG) 88 177 FIG 140 193 ECG (ANG)
105 917 TFG (AFR) 54 125 FIG 135 26 'ADS &,4787 ABGp
102 116 TFW (ANG) 37 119 FIG & 142 FIG 131 110 TASG . (ANG)
92 434 TFW (AFR) 27 144 FIW 12 7 USAFTAWC

CLASS A MISHAP COMPARISON RATE 81,/,8 0

(BASED ON ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 HOURS FlYING TIME)
1981 4.0 3.0 3.'2 5.16 6.0 5.9 6.3 6.2 6.i0 5.3
TA
c 1980 2.0 4.0 5.2 4.4 4.7 5.2 5.3 5.2 4.8 5.1
1981 9.3 4.8 4.16 3 ~3 2'.,6 2.2 1.8 1.6 2.4 2.6
AN
G 1980 5.0 7.6 6.6 7.1 6.5 6.1 5.8 5.1 5.0 5.0
1981 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.8 3.4 3.0
AF
R 1980 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 3.7 6.5 8.9 7.9
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUl AUG SEP ·Cl.C1 NOV DEC
* US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1981 -735-019/7