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Newbie Joined: Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 4 Status: Offline

I was at TJ in January 1984 when the 1st delivery of aircraft arrived. I was on the back of a tug parallel to the runway when the 3rd (I think) of 5 aircraft were landing being delivered from the factory. The pilot had silenced his alarm when circling the field and forgot about it when he attempeted to land with his gear up.

Does anyone have any links/info on the tail number or anything?

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Can't remember the tail, but I was there. The remaining jets landed at ZAB and came in the next day. I do believe it was a jet that ended up in the 612th after repairs.

Newbie Joined: Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 4 Status: Offline

It actually could have flown again the same day with a new ECS panel, a new centerline and a new left 370, but after Big Bertha dropped it twice, it had to go to depot for a spar replacement. I do believe it came back, and yes, it was the 612th! I was hoping there was an official report on it to show my wife and step-son.

Newbie Joined: Apr 11, 2008 Posts: 8 Status: Offline

Believe it was Shaw F-16A 81-0779, but it was on 19 March 1983. Jet landed on three external tanks, didn't hurt it much. Then the crane dropped it about 4 feet during recovery. That hurt it worse. Embarassed

Newbie Joined: Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 4 Status: Offline

Yes, I think it was 81-0779!!!! Thanks!

Regular User Joined: Jan 13, 2008 Posts: 46

Hi,

If 81-0779 was the aircraft involved, the others were probably 81-0773, 81-0774, 81-0777, and 81-0778. All of which I have the same delivery date (15 March 1983), although on 81-0779 only I have an additional note saying that it actually arrived at Torrejon on 19 March 1983...

HTH,
Joris

P.S. Last week I went past Torrejon de Ardoz for some Spanish tail spotting, what a big ramp!

F-16A 81-0779 is updated in our database. What squadron was this aircraft, and the other four, going to belong to? I know it went to the 612th after being repaired. Any one also remember when it was returned?

Really appreciate these updates, so thank you!

Oh yes, and F-16A 81-0779 was later written-off by the 169th FS on September 11, 1993.

Newbie Joined: Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 4 Status: Offline

All five were coming into and going to belong to the 612th, the first squadron at TJ to get the F-16. I was WCS on F-4s and cross trained at TJ to "C" shop on the F-16.

Quote:

All of which I have the same delivery date (15 March 1983), although on 81-0779 only I have an additional note saying that it actually arrived at Torrejon on 19 March 1983...

Thats about right, all of TJ's jets were "delivered" to Shaw slick. At Shaw they had tanks hung and coordinated tanker support to fly over the pond. I'm not sure, but I don't think any of them actually got assigned to Shaw - they just stopped there for a week or so prior to the hop over. Some jets ended up staying there for up to a month before coming over.

It wasn't the last to land on its belly - 614th had one do it about 1986 - last sortie of a surge day.

The aircraft never went to Depot for repair. A CLSS team was brought in from Hill to replace the cracked former. It took 'em less than a week to refit and it took three months of bickering between TAC and USAFE on who was going to pay the bill. USAFE blamed TAC because it's the 2d Air Delivery Sqdn's (TAC) job to ferry aircraft over the pond.
I was there, too. I was the Pro Super for the 613 Squids at the time and later worked with the 612th prior to getting our own aircraft a year later.

Heck, I remember when the 613th lost two aircraft in two different countries at about the same time. We lost one on an FCF return when the pilot was diagnosing a burnt out nose gear light and ran off the runway collapsing the nose gear. At the same time we had some green Lt Col land too long on the runway at Incirlik and went into the overrun and the nose gear collapsed when it engaged the last chance barrier.
Both aircraft were boxed up and sent to Hill. Sorry, can't remember tail numbers, but at least I didn't have to wait in Incirlik for a CLSS team to box up an aircraft.

I was there when the TJ gear up happened. The pilot's last name was Wenzel, I believe. All the jets were being delivered to the 612th, which was the first squadron at TJ to convert from the F-4D. The aircraft was essentially undamaged after landing on the empty centerline tank. It was a lot worse off after having been dropped. All of us young LTs decided it was time to split after they dropped it. There were a lot of O6's and one O7 around for the arrival, and they were not real pleased. The Spanish AF was there too, politely concealing there smiles at the American buffoonery. The jet eventually made it back to TJ after a long repair back stateside.

So one post said repaired within a week the next said repaired after months, even a trip back to the US. Which one is correct?

Also all you ACC/DCC's, make sure you add your profiles here:
http://www.f-16.net/crewchiefs.html

Elite Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2453 Status: Offline

Did the pilot get out of it when it went down in Nevada in 93?

Newbie Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 18 Status: Offline

engine failure, he ejected safely

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F-16 gear up Torrejon 1984