Burn Up the Sky

Burn Up the Sky

Courtesy of Buck Seibert

The Airman - April 1964
"Burn up the Sky"
4453rd CCTW and 12th TFW

While McDonnell was tooling up for modifications to the TAC version of the Phantom, the Air Force "borrowed" 27 F4B's from the Navy and began training. Colonel Hogue delivered the first F4B to MacDill AFB, Fla., February 11, 1963. In the meantime, 13 instructor pilots had been trained by the Navy at Oceana NAS. These returned to MacDill to train other instructors in the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Squadron, which had been set up to conduct F4 training. One of the first 4453rd pilots to be checked out by Colonel Hogue was its commander, Col. Frank K. Everest, Jr. ........

Colonel Everest called the F4 a fighter pilot's dream. "Our pilots should take to the F4C with pleasure," he said. "It's an easier plane to fly than some fighters and its equipment is less complicated." The first organization in the Air Force to phase into the F4 is the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, commanded by Col. Harold M. McClelland.........

The first F4 class was composed of 24 pilots assigned or attached to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Mark V. Wilson. It is one of the four squadrons in the 12th. During the 11 week course, pilots compiled 30 flying hours in the Phantom. After two familiarization rides, the class was divided into 12 two man crews who practiced instruments, low-level and high-level navigation, radio and radar navigation, air to air intercepts, dive-bombing, rocketry, low-level bombing, close ground support, nuclear delivery, in-flight refueling, and formation. The fighter pilots learned to work as part of a two man team. The front seat pilot is the aircraft commander, who makes the landings and takeoffs, flies the aircraft, and handles the armament. The rear seat pilot, the pilot systems operator, also flies the aircraft but he must also operate the Phantom's sophisticated radar and navigation equipment.

Besides the ground school attended in conjunction with the 11 week, 30 flying hour course, pilot systems operators got an additional 250 hours of classroom work in radar and navigation. The first class graduated December 5, 1963, and the second one January 10, this year. (1964) All flying was done in the F4B the Navy training version of the Phantom.

Piloted by Brig. Gen. Gilbert L. Meyers, commander 836th Air Division, the first F4C arrived at MacDill on November 20, 1963........The 12th is now receiving the F4C's in quantity, and the wing is fast becoming the most powerful retaliatory force in Tactical Air Command.

Yet, even with the Phantom, it is doubtful that many TAC fighter pilots will be walking on water. But, as one young pilot said after his first Mach 2 run, "Who needs to? With this airplane, we'll burn up the sky!"

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