RAF F-117 pilots
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Bandits
They were also the first American night fighter squadron in WWII I think - which is why they took that designation.
417th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron I believe.
417th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron I believe.
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First US night fighter squadron was the 6th NFS in the Pacific.
Next came the 414th -417th, trained in the UK on Beaufighters, served in North Africa, Italy, then into southern France and Germany. 417th was not the 'Bandits' at that time.
417th later flew F-86s, one CO being Yeager, then equipped with F-100s in Euripe, moved to New Mexico, finally F-4s into Vietnam until their deactivation.
The F-117s were the 415th (ops), 416th (ops) and the 417th was the training unit and the 'Bandits' as they had become. They moved from Tonopah to Holloman in the early 1990s. Became the 7th, 8th, and 9th Fighter Squadrons while there.
Sorry, 'geek' mode to off.
Next came the 414th -417th, trained in the UK on Beaufighters, served in North Africa, Italy, then into southern France and Germany. 417th was not the 'Bandits' at that time.
417th later flew F-86s, one CO being Yeager, then equipped with F-100s in Euripe, moved to New Mexico, finally F-4s into Vietnam until their deactivation.
The F-117s were the 415th (ops), 416th (ops) and the 417th was the training unit and the 'Bandits' as they had become. They moved from Tonopah to Holloman in the early 1990s. Became the 7th, 8th, and 9th Fighter Squadrons while there.
Sorry, 'geek' mode to off.
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Thanks for the info.
Paul Crickmore's book says of the squadrons you list above:
"The new designations had a firm foothold in history being the first US Night Fighter Squadrons of WWII".
Not totally innacurate then - just not the whole story?
Paul Crickmore's book says of the squadrons you list above:
"The new designations had a firm foothold in history being the first US Night Fighter Squadrons of WWII".
Not totally innacurate then - just not the whole story?
"Bandit" is the callsign awarded after a pilot becomes qualified in the F-117 aka "Stinkbug."
Thus 'Bandit 685' would be the 685th pilot to qualify in the jet.
Bandit was one of the original F-117 squadrons at Tonopah.
I think.
Thus 'Bandit 685' would be the 685th pilot to qualify in the jet.
Bandit was one of the original F-117 squadrons at Tonopah.
I think.
The F-117 "Bandit" numbers were a continuation of the Bandit call signs assigned to the 4477th TES 'Red Eagles' at TTR. Although itself a classified unit, the 4477th TES actually served as a cover for the even more black 4450th TG and its F-117s.
That, of course, explains why the Stink Bug's Bandit numbers start in the 80s (IIRC) and not at zero (0).
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The F-117 "Bandit" numbers were a continuation of the Bandit call signs assigned to the 4477th TES 'Red Eagles' at TTR. Although itself a classified unit, the 4477th TES actually served as a cover for the even more black 4450th TG and its F-117s.
If you read Paul Crickmore's book carefully there is no mention in Dave Southwood's account of where the flying took place from! Also, this evaluation was flown in 1986 not 1985 as Jackonicko states. Just to keep the record straight...
Old thread revival:
I talked to Crickmore today; he said that he is 99% certain that the location of the first RAF exposures to the F-117 were at Groom Lake.
He also added that both men had assumed the "Bandit" call signs of two USAF pilots (who were on leave) in order to keep the visit low-key. When the two men checked in on the radio, complete with Limey accents, the radios went mad!
I talked to Crickmore today; he said that he is 99% certain that the location of the first RAF exposures to the F-117 were at Groom Lake.
He also added that both men had assumed the "Bandit" call signs of two USAF pilots (who were on leave) in order to keep the visit low-key. When the two men checked in on the radio, complete with Limey accents, the radios went mad!
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Since it's not my book (dammit!), I'll put a plug in for:
mentioned above.
There is a really good book titled "Red Eagles" about the USAF MiGs at Tonapah out now.
I highly recommend it.
The F-117 "Bandit" numbers were a continuation of the Bandit call signs assigned to the 4477th TES 'Red Eagles' at TTR. Although itself a classified unit, the 4477th TES actually served as a cover for the even more black 4450th TG and its F-117s.
There is a really good book titled "Red Eagles" about the USAF MiGs at Tonapah out now.
I highly recommend it.
Just finished it, a good read.
It was my understanding from the book that the Mig program was classified for no foreign release. That would make it problematic for the RAF (unless the RAF was exempt ) to have been involved heavily till the F117 left TTR as the two shared the same airport and as such pilots were "read in" on the Mig program.
It was my understanding from the book that the Mig program was classified for no foreign release. That would make it problematic for the RAF (unless the RAF was exempt ) to have been involved heavily till the F117 left TTR as the two shared the same airport and as such pilots were "read in" on the Mig program.
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Since this thread has appeared again and further to keep the record straight Jackonicko is not right when he says:
It was A Sqn in those days. Then later Fixed Wing test Squadron and then later still FJTS. It was also Colin Cruickshanks.
Attention to detail matters.
Colin Cruikshank and Dave Southwood of FJTS who had five flights each in 1985 at Groom Lake.
Attention to detail matters.
John F
On the BBC documentary Test Pilot, in 87/88, Dave Southwood was featured on it as one of the students? Can're recall if he was one of the students (Harry Fehl of the Luftwaffe) that went to Pax River to preview' the Admiral's Barge' F-18B or the S-3B Viking?
On the BBC documentary Test Pilot, in 87/88, Dave Southwood was featured on it as one of the students? Can're recall if he was one of the students (Harry Fehl of the Luftwaffe) that went to Pax River to preview' the Admiral's Barge' F-18B or the S-3B Viking?
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It was my understanding from the book that the Mig program was classified for no foreign release. That would make it problematic for the RAF (unless the RAF was exempt ) to have been involved heavily till the F117 left TTR as the two shared the same airport and as such pilots were "read in" on the Mig program.
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