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  SSgt. Gary " Tripod" Waldrop

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 Name SSgt. Gary Waldrop
Country
Unit 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Fighting 612th"
Crewing F-16s from 1982 until 1988
Contact LtColGaryWaldrop Send me a private message
Website
I started out crewing 81-0758 and then I switched over to 83-1169 ( The Killer B ) and completed the acceptance insp. I crewed for about 3 yrs and then I graduated from Emery Riddle and then went on to OTS Lackland AFB TX again, Pilot training at Sheppard AFB TX and then to McDill AFB FL. Once that was completed I went back to Torrjon AB Spain and to the 612th again. After that I went to moody AFB GA 83-1105. Once I got out I went in the reserves at Homestead AFB FL.

Current or Favourite assignment

The sense of family, we were all in it together no matter what. Very tight group. My last base was Moody and it seemed like everybody was out for themselves. Homestead was a little better. Mostly the location was killer.

Deployments

Went to Incirlik on a regular bases. Also went to Greece, England, Italy, Germany

My Jets & Assignments

 		81758 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Fighting 612th" [Unit History]
Period 1982 - 1985
Current: 81758   USAF 119 FIS F-16A Block 15 ADF [ w/o]
It wa assigned to Maj Gen Al Logan and It was photographed over a bull ring in Madrid. The photo never took place. We were not allowed to fly an F16 over the city of Madrid so a photo was taken of a bull ring and 81-0758 was superimposed over the bullring. If you look thru the canopy you can see the contrast difference. 758 later crashed off the coast of New Jersey killing the pilot
83105 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 68th Fighter Squadron "Lightning Lancers" [Unit History]
Period -
Current: AAFG0370   USAF AMARC F-16A Block 15 [ sto]
Did not really crew the jet persay. I was asigned to fly it. When I got to Moody AFB they told me there were no F-16 crewchiefs on the base. Moody was starting the transition from F-4 to F-16 and they were not happy about it. There was only one F-16 at the time on the base. I signed out a tool box and crewed and flew it myself after they told me I would be flying back seat F-4s for a while. This did not go over well. There were other F-16 pilot flying back seat but they did not know how to crew.
83169 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Fighting 612th" [Unit History]
Period 1983 - 1987
Current: 83169   F-16B Block 15 [ i/a]
Loved the aircraft. First flight inan F-16 was in the bird in Turkey. The killer bee. Now a training aid at ET Eglin Test. It caught in fire and shelled out the jet engine.
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