LA Speed Story

Chris Kelley said:

My folks used to work on F-111's out of McClellan. Never understood why the retired that platform so early. My dad had a theory that since McClellan was their main maintenance hub they shut down the F-111's because they wanted to close that base. According to him there were still a lot of ill feelings from WWII when McClellan got a whole bunch a Liberty bombers on a top secret mission. The base personal were told they were stopping by for a quick checkup before heading off to do their thing. For some reason all the engines were running extremely lean, like major wear on the engine lean. So the mechanics all went and did their jobs and returned the engines back to specs. Later when the pilots of those Liberties were splashing down before mainland Japan on their secret bombing run on Tokyo...they were kinda pissed. No one bothered to tell the mechanics to keep the engines lean, but that didn't much matter and left a permanent black mark on the base.

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I was in the Air Force from 79 to 83. Integrated Avionic and Computer Test Station Specialist. Got my training in Denver at Lowery then spent a year in Clovis New Mexico and 2.5 years at RAF Lakenheath in England.

The Electronics in the F111 was developed in the 60's and it was a solid state airplane. It was way ahead of it's time for what it could do, but every time they tried to upgrade some of the components to chips from transistors, diodes, and resistors they had issues and I think it was not worth upgrading the entire electronic package to digital with the age of the air frame. It was an expensive bird to keep in the air ( not by today's standards). The B1 was supposed to be it's replacement, but the cost of production kept it from being produced in the numbers needed and then stealth technology came along. The only reason the plane lasted as long as it did was they could not develop another plane as flexible.

I worked on the Pave Tack development team which was an entirely digital system and it rocked. We could throw a bomb 7 miles and land it on a dime.
Also worked on the Navigation system on the Space Shuttle. It was taken from the F111 originally.

Definitely best time of my life up to getting the Rocket. (getting married and having kids is in the top 5 also.)

I was a proud member of the Earls of Feltwell and Warsaw Pact Central Heating. Aim High.

Chris Kelley said:

My folks used to work on F-111's out of McClellan. Never understood why the retired that platform so early. My dad had a theory that since McClellan was their main maintenance hub they shut down the F-111's because they wanted to close that base. According to him there were still a lot of ill feelings from WWII when McClellan got a whole bunch a Liberty bombers on a top secret mission. The base personal were told they were stopping by for a quick checkup before heading off to do their thing. For some reason all the engines were running extremely lean, like major wear on the engine lean. So the mechanics all went and did their jobs and returned the engines back to specs. Later when the pilots of those Liberties were splashing down before mainland Japan on their secret bombing run on Tokyo...they were kinda pissed. No one bothered to tell the mechanics to keep the engines lean, but that didn't much matter and left a permanent black mark on the base.

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Wow, it all comes back to keeping the right guys in the loop of comunication eh!!

Chris Kelley said:

My folks used to work on F-111's out of McClellan. Never understood why the retired that platform so early. My dad had a theory that since McClellan was their main maintenance hub they shut down the F-111's because they wanted to close that base. According to him there were still a lot of ill feelings from WWII when McClellan got a whole bunch a Liberty bombers on a top secret mission. The base personal were told they were stopping by for a quick checkup before heading off to do their thing. For some reason all the engines were running extremely lean, like major wear on the engine lean. So the mechanics all went and did their jobs and returned the engines back to specs. Later when the pilots of those Liberties were splashing down before mainland Japan on their secret bombing run on Tokyo...they were kinda pissed. No one bothered to tell the mechanics to keep the engines lean, but that didn't much matter and left a permanent black mark on the base.

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Wow... talk about some cool insight... (cool for the knowledge... NOT the result...) Thanks! I'm still active duty but alas I will have to hang up my hat in the not too distant future...
-MIG

Just got back from my trip. Stopped by Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green Kentucky and could not resist.
Sometimes it is better to ask forgiveness instead of permission.

BillyIndiana said:

Sometimes it is better to ask forgiveness instead of permission.

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Hey... that's how I do business!! ;-p
-MIG

BillyIndiana said:

This has nothing to do with motorcycles, but a lot to do with speed.

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Really enjoyed that.

BillyIndiana said:

F111F and a Rocket

• BillyIndiana
• Aug 27, 2017
• 1

Just got back from my trip. Stopped by Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green Kentucky and could not resist.
Sometimes it is better to ask forgiveness instead of permission.

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Thats my moto....

Mittzy said:

Thats my moto....

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With that much text I hope they spell it for you correctly when you get it tattooed as they are the worst spelling errors of all.