F-16 canopy returned from Iraq

Vulcan · by **Vulcan** » 06 Apr 2004, 04:45

I will not give you much detail on the canopy right now. You guys can see the name on the canopy as well as the tail number. You tell me what you know about this canopy and I will tell you more about it.

I will tell you that the canopy has been a war trophy in Iraq since 1991 and is in pretty good shape as you can see. If anyone can help me track down the ground crew and the pilot that was flying the plane at the time it was shot down, I would really appreciate it!

I will post the names of the ground crew later. You guys have some fun with this and I will check in next week as I will be out of town until Saturday. The canopy will be going to a good home so don't be looking for it on eBay any time soon!

Vulcan · by **Vulcan** » 06 Apr 2004, 04:53

Does anyone have pics of this canopy with a plane under it? I would like to get a pic of the plane intact if at all possible.

habu2 · by **habu2** » 06 Apr 2004, 05:29

<a href="f-16_serials_airframe-2283.html">87-0257</a>, Block 30F C model with 614 TFS 401 TFW was shot down by a SAM 19 January 1991 west of Tallil AB, pilot captured and held as POW, released on 13 March 1991. Pilot was Capt Harry M (Mike) Roberts of Savannah GA.

Found an email for Bill Hinchey, 401AGS Crew Chief, Acft. 87-0257 here: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/ ... /call.html

How am I doing so far?

Habu · by **Habu** » 06 Apr 2004, 06:39

I wasn't even gonna bother....

habu2 · by **habu2** » 06 Apr 2004, 15:27

I didn't find any pics online, haven't had a chance to go through my collection yet...

You tell me what you know about this canopy and I will tell you more about it.

OK, your turn....

stutler · by **stutler** » 06 Apr 2004, 17:18

Hello
I am new to the site, But I was suprised to see this canopy. I was a crewchief with the 614th Tail Number 87-0242. I remember the day 257 went down. It was the first daylight raid over Baghdad. I think I might have some pics of it before it went down. We actually lost 2 that day. The other was 87-0248. I will see if I can find them and post them.

Jon · by **Jon** » 06 Apr 2004, 17:29

CORRECTION:

Pilot was NOT Capt. Roberts, he was ironically in another aircraft destroyed the same day, the pilot of 87-0257 was Maj. "Tico" Rice. This information comes straight from the crew cheif of that aircraft. 0257 was the spare that day and Tico had to jump in it quickly to carry on with the mission. These records are often wrong in most books.

Jon Somerville

habu2 · by **habu2** » 06 Apr 2004, 18:35

Hard to doubt the crew chief but all records I have seen show Tice was flying 87-0228 when he was shot down on the same day as Roberts in 87-0257. If -0257 was the spare that day then how did it get shot down?

Jon · by **Jon** » 06 Apr 2004, 19:21

Habu2
Sure, here's a little more background:

Tico's aircraft had a mechanical problem. He had to jump into 87-0257 as it was the spare that day. This is a great story by the way. Tico has a superstition to spit in the exhaust of before a flight. He did not have this chance that fateful day. Now not only that I have personally confirmed this with the crew chief. I also spoke to the crew chief of the other F-16 shot down that day who independently confirms the same story.

I don't want to give out any names yet, but I have contacted both crew chiefs regarding this canopy. Perhaps they can post as well to support the fact that for the most part records are wrong regarding the 2 aircraft lost that day.

It is an amazing coincident that Harry was shot down that same day and the aircraft with his name on it was also shot down. For the most part, you rarely fly the aircraft with your name on it.

Thanks
Jon Somerville

Habu · by **Habu** » 06 Apr 2004, 19:31

Yeah, that is an eerie coincidence.....

stutler · by **stutler** » 06 Apr 2004, 19:32

Habu2
Just to confirm this, Tico's jet which I fat thumbed earlier was 248, that one had a problem in chalks. I cant remember exactly but it was a last second scramble to get him in 257. Yea he didn't spit in the exaust either. I was next door launching out another jet on this strike package. 18 ship all together. 16 came home. We were busy that night cause they all punched their tanks. I have the actual videos of the jets getting shot. Roberts you can see through a HUD tape and Ticos you can hear him getting hit and flying out. We had a combat photo guy in our unit who made the tapes for us. The 3rd jet we lost was 87-0224. that was over Kuwait. Hope this helps

Habu · by **Habu** » 06 Apr 2004, 19:42

Can you provide said vids?

habu2 · by **habu2** » 06 Apr 2004, 20:03

habu2 wrote: If -0257 was the spare that day then how did it get shot down?

Jon, sorry I just re-read your post and see the pilot jumped into the spare, not from it... duh...

habu2 · by **habu2** » 06 Apr 2004, 20:21

OK we have several tail #s flying around this thread, I realize one got fat-fingered but I can't tell which. From the database on this site and other records I have, we lost the following F-16s in combat during the opening days of the air war:

87-0228 on 19 Jan 1991 - Tice - POW
87-0257 on 19 Jan 1991 - Roberts - POW
87-0324 on 24 Jan 1991 - pilot rescued
84-1379 on 15 Feb 1991 - Cormier - KIA
84-1218 on 17 Feb 1991 - Thomas - rescued
86-0329 on 20 Feb 1991 - pilot rescued
84-1390 on 27 Feb 1991 - Andrews - POW

So if Tice was flying -0257 was Roberts in -0228?

I have read that 87-0224 crashed on 21 Jan 1991 but was it a combat loss? Not to trivialize its loss, just trying to figure why it wasn't shown in the loss lists I found.

I'm not saying this list is complete or even correct, just the info I have available. Any comments/corrections appreciated.

Jon · by **Jon** » 06 Apr 2004, 20:28

Hehehe, that would be confusing