Tony Kambic
Airman 1st Class
Richard Bach, a noted aviator and author, wrote his first book about a mission he undertook as a NJ Air Guard pilot serving in Europe. He was with the 108th Fighter wing, 141st FS, flying F-84F. This book describes a mission where he had to fly some Top Secret documents from Wethersfield, UK to Chaumont, France, through some weather over the European continent.
I just found this book at our condo library and read it, and he had lots of interesting notes about flying the F-84F. But there I also found a problem with the story. Throughout the book, he comments on flying the F-84F and also repeats many times the tail number when communicating with Air Traffic, "Air Force Jet Two Niner Four Zero Five". In the back of the book is a missing sheet indicating F-84F 29405.
So I go you know where, Joe Baugher's Website. Located (5)-29405 and it is indicated to be a T-33 A-1, 9405 (MSN 580-7515) Massachusetts ANG. Struck off charge Oct 4, 1962 at Olmsted AFB, PA.
In the 1952 series, F-84F start at 52-6355 and run up to 52-9128. They start again at 52-10910.
There is a 51-9405 F-84F: From Baugher:
51-9405 1956: USAF 506th SFW. 1956-57: USAF 12th SFW. 1957-61: New Jersey ANG 141st FS. 1962-64: USAF 366th TFW.
1964: Indiana ANG 163rd TFS/122nd TFG, Baer Field, Fort Wayne, IN. To MASDC as FA225 Aug 16, 1971.
Declared excess Apr 14, 1972 To New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM
This seems to fit: Not sure how this writer produced a book in 1963, including a mission report page, probably just a few years after this flight, with such a seemingly glaring error. Maybe someone else can figure out if I am missing something.
Tony
I just found this book at our condo library and read it, and he had lots of interesting notes about flying the F-84F. But there I also found a problem with the story. Throughout the book, he comments on flying the F-84F and also repeats many times the tail number when communicating with Air Traffic, "Air Force Jet Two Niner Four Zero Five". In the back of the book is a missing sheet indicating F-84F 29405.
So I go you know where, Joe Baugher's Website. Located (5)-29405 and it is indicated to be a T-33 A-1, 9405 (MSN 580-7515) Massachusetts ANG. Struck off charge Oct 4, 1962 at Olmsted AFB, PA.
In the 1952 series, F-84F start at 52-6355 and run up to 52-9128. They start again at 52-10910.
There is a 51-9405 F-84F: From Baugher:
51-9405 1956: USAF 506th SFW. 1956-57: USAF 12th SFW. 1957-61: New Jersey ANG 141st FS. 1962-64: USAF 366th TFW.
1964: Indiana ANG 163rd TFS/122nd TFG, Baer Field, Fort Wayne, IN. To MASDC as FA225 Aug 16, 1971.
Declared excess Apr 14, 1972 To New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM
This seems to fit: Not sure how this writer produced a book in 1963, including a mission report page, probably just a few years after this flight, with such a seemingly glaring error. Maybe someone else can figure out if I am missing something.
Tony
