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  MSgt. Joe Chew (Ret.)

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Name MSgt. Joe Chew (Ret.)
Country
Unit 388th Fighter Wing
Crewing F-16s from 1978 until 1994
Contact jachew1 Send me a private message
Website
Aug 78, 34th TFS Hill AFB UT F-4D; Feb 79 - Apr 83 16th TFTS Hill AFB UT F-16A/B; Apr 83 - Oct 87 4450th Tactical Group F-117 A Tonapah Test Range NV; Oct 87 - Jan 90 USAF Thunderbirds Nellis AFB NV F-16 A/B, #4 Crew Chief (Slot) and #8 Crew Chief (Advance Crew Chief); Jan 90 - Jan 91 36th FS Fabulous Flying Fiends Osan AB Republic of Korea F-16C; Jan 91 - Apr 94 649th CLSS Hill AFB UT F-16 (Depot); Apr 94 - Apr 98 555th FS/31st LSS (MAT Instructor), 31 MXS TA/Crash Recovery/Pro Super Aviano AB Italy F-16C; Apr 98 - Jun 99 412 TES Edwards AFB CA F-22A Combined Test Force.

Current or Favourite assignment

The 16th TFTS was the first F-16 unit in the Tactical Air Command. A number of people from the flight test program were in our squadron and the made a positive impression on me, then young airman in the squadron. To be new to the Air Force and be thrust into a squadron with so much talent and enthusiasm, was absolutely infectious. I worked swings and could not wait to get to the flightline and work on our jets. The General Dynamics Tech Reps were awesome and went out of their way to help those of us that showed an interest in learning more about the jet. Times and people like we had do not come along every day and I was extremely fortunate to play a small part of the Viper’s history I will never forget the great people and the our jets with the Blue Tail Flash.

My Jets & Assignments

 		78017 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 16th TFTS
Period 1979 - 1983
Current:   F-16A Block 1 [ scr]
First F-16 with my name on the canopy rail. Then Captain Sergio Del Hoyo was my pilot. I loved my jet and my job. The unit was the 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (TFTS) and not the 16th TFS as identified above. Great people, and an exciting time as the Viper was new to the USAF. It was great to be a young airman crewing a new jet. Would do it again in a flash.
F-117 Nighthawk
Unit 4450th Tactical Group
Period 1983 - 1987
If I told you I would have to kill ya:)
Unit USAF - Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" [History]
Period 1987 - 1990
Not enough space here. First year I worked nights on the #4 jet. Second year crewed the #4 jet the "Slot" for then Maj. David Robinson. My first flight on a Thunderbird jet was with Maj. Robinson and he made the event a truly special day. Earlier that year I flew in the pit with him and on a flight from the east coast back to Nellis and enjoyed my first experience with a Thunderbird formation flight. I will NEVER forget the sight of the other Red, White and Blue jets as they joined up and we flew over the C-141 with the 'team" waving to us. My last year I crewed the #8 jet the Advance jet. Was fortunate to fly with my pilot Maj Tim Hoy in our F-16B. An awesome time.
Unit 36th Fighter Squadron "Flying Fiends" [History]
Period 1900 - 1991
Fabulous Flying Fiends. Nuf said.
F-4 Phantom II
Unit 649th (2952nd) Combat Logistic Support Squadron (CLSS) F-16/F-4
Period 1991 - 1994
Unit 555th Fighter Squadron "Triple Nickel" [History]
Period 1994 - 1998
31st LSS MAT Instructor, 31 MXS TA/Crash Recovery/Pro-Super. Italy was awesome!
F-22 Raptor
Unit F-22 Combined Test Force, 412th TES Edwards AFB CA
Period 1998 - 1999
Visitor Comments
Joe Chew
Meathook, Feb 11, 2008 - 03:28 PM

Joe - you the man. it was fun working with you and then seeing you while I was deployed to Aviano, Italy.

We had many a great times, give my best to your family buddy - Meathook

Great Times
dale sullivan, Aug 17, 2008 - 07:47 PM

Hey Joe, Been a long time. We were on the Thunderbirds together, I was an engine tech and worked nights with Meathook!! Drop me a line..

Dale

Hill AFB
Todd LaVallee, Dec 19, 2008 - 12:40 AM

Hey Joe, I dont know if you remember me or not but i was your asst. crewchief at Hill on 78017,learned an awful lot from you.Good to see you did well.

Todd

FunnyMan
Mike, May 20, 2009 - 04:54 PM

Joe,

Hope this finds you well. Had some good time at Depot. Drop me a line.

Mike

take me back on the "way back machine"
allan williams (chilidog), Jan 31, 2010 - 09:59 PM

joe, i can't believe this is my first time on the f-16 crew chief blog as long as i was in the program. we had some great times at hill and on the first f-16 bomb comp team. guess i need to put my info on this page. call me sometime. time slows for no man. it's like being in full ab in the viper and in the blink of an eye, here we are in the current day looking at block 52+ jets. see ya bro....zooooooooooom!

Good Times
Ric Blomgren, May 26, 2010 - 05:05 AM

Had a blast in those early years with bomb comp, T-Birds, and all those early TDYs. Remember you well and happy to see a great career. I liked the block 1s best of all. The two I crewed 001 and 008 I think 001 is on a pedestal at langley.Wow long time. Hope to hear from you sometime. Msgt Ric Blomgren Ret.

Remember When
bababooey, Oct 14, 2010 - 07:57 AM

Hey Joe,

Remember me? Everyone always called me bababooey because I messed stuff up all the time working the number 3 tail number at nellis? Anyways remember that time I pissed all over the stick in the cockpit of tail #1? Man that was good times!

16TFTS
Joni (Wilson, Sawyer)Kelsey, Oct 28, 2010 - 03:15 AM

I was an Electrician in the 16th from 1979 to Oct 1982, God i loved it back then, it was so cool to be a part of that. Fixing jets out @ Michaels Field, Going to Yuma, Going to Kelley Field, Putting viper stencils all over everyone else's jets. I still have my " Viper" t-shirt! Take care







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