|
Description
| Manufacturer: | Douglas | |
| Base model: | B-66 | |
| Designation: | RB-66 | |
| Version: | C | |
| Nickname: | Destroyer | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1924-Present | |
| Basic role: | Bomber | |
| Modified Mission: | Reconnaissance | |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Known serial numbers
Recent comments by our visitors
| John Walker San Antonio, TX | I was stationed at Chelveston from 1959 through 1962. Assigned to the Radio Radar maintenance squadron. I had just left the A&E building when 460 made it's low pass, starved for fuel and crashed. I watched the navigator eject and land next to base ops. Two days later I was on the equipment recovery crew for any piece of electronic gear.
I also was a member of the Wellingborough Operatic Society for three years which is where I lived. John Walker 07/09/2006 @ 16:43 [ref: 13691] |
| Harlan (Matt) Dillon, TSgt./Ret. Rome, NY | I was introducted to the 66's at RAF Alconbury, Eng. in Jan. '64. I was assigned to a RB 66c squardron. I think it was 10th CAMS. I was an Assistant Crewcheif. In June '65, I was re-assigned to the 42nd at Chambley AB, France. In Oct. '65, I and a bunch of otherts were sent TDY to Takile RTAFB, Thailand. We ferryed 5 BB66 B's to the base. We spent the next 6 months TDY in Thailand.
At the end of Feb. '66 I was ordered back to Chambley to end the TDY. In Aug. '66, Charle DeGaul (sp.??) kicked our butts out of France and I was PCS'd back to Thailand to complete the one year tour (with 6 month TDY credit) to Thailand. In all, I worked with the B 66's for 3 1/2 years. It wsa a great experience for me and I never really enjoyed working on those 66's. If you ever jacked one for a landing gear write-up; well, then you'd understand. The air craft had well lived it's life by the time I got assigned to them. They were designed for bombing and then converted to the three different missions they undertook. 1. Reconning, 2. Weather, & 3. Jammimg. Other areas of pain were trying to hot jet cal those crazy J 71s after an engine change; have you ever taken off the hose redome? . . . or washed one of those beast? or changed the tire or brakes? It was an old bear to work on, but they did their job well, and I was and still proud to say that I got to crew those crazy Douglas Distroyers. I'm looking for someone that went TDY with me on the hush-hush mission to Thailand; farrying over those 5 B models. If you were one of the group; I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to e-mail me. Matt Dillon 09/19/2005 @ 15:46 [ref: 11282] |
| G. Sasser Sylacauga, AL |
I enjoyed reading the comments by Major Starke and it did bring back some memories.. I too remembered the incident he discussed and we were all sort of proud of this fact.. I was assigned to the 42nd Tac Recon Squadron during the 1958 time period and at one time my bird was the ole' hanger queen 460.... I was in the ECM side of the electronics and radar and was more involved with the [at that time] new ALT-6B transmitter. Also I remember the Alt-7 and the APD-4 with all the antenna's mounted in the wing pods. Things were not as good [as far as I was concerned] when we all were assigned to a consolidated maintenance squadron as you lost your sqadron identity... I really enjoyed my assisgnment with the 42nd Tac... After a short stay in England at Bruntingthorpe Royal Air Force station with the 19th Tac I came back to the USA.. I continue to look for versions of the RB66C on display and have not found any on display... If you know where they are displayed please advise. 08/09/2002 @ 12:13 [ref: 5451] |
| Wayne Kemp Collinsville, IL | Was stationed at RAF Chelveston from April '61 till August '62 and worked on the RB66C. Was assistant crewchief on 54-469. My crewchief was A1C Phil Gurnsey. Was there when one (I think 54-468) went down during a landing at Chelveston and 4 were killed.
We moved to TRAB in Toul France in August, 62. Continued to work on the 66s till I rotated in April of 64. Went back in '76 and 2000. In '76 there were quiet a few of the old buildings still standing....in 2000, not much at all. Just a butler building with some chaps overhauling old busses. Some towers in the distance to the North, and a bull that I did not care to tangle with. Stayed pretty close to where the front gate was for safety. Would love to hear from any and all of you folks! Wayne 02/18/2002 @ 11:14 [ref: 4337] |
| Major Richard Starke USAF (ret\'d) Burlington, ND | I flew rb-66c and wb-66d models in the 42nd TRS,10th TRW at Spangdahlem AB Germany and RAF Chelveston in 58 to 6. On one flight from Spang in 1958 we flew along the north coast of the Black Sea. We were intercepted by two Mig 15 fighters because my gunner was asleep. I pushed up the throttles and stood the airplane on its nose, quickly accelerating to .95 mach, the limiting speed of the RB-66 and never saw the fighters again. We were at .8 mach to start and the Mig was not stable above that speed so they were surprised by my maneuver and unable to get in a shot after discovering where is was. A 90 degree turn while headed straight down took us south ofer the Black sea to our destination of Adana AB Turkey. This was described in the Sept. '98 VFW Magazine. The gunner was permanently grounded following my report but no other action was taken. Today I would have been awarded a decoration for my actions which prevented our capture by the Russian fighters. 04/04/2001 @ 17:53 [ref: 1986] |
| Truman Boyd Fayetteville, GA | Worked on B66s during Vietnam War. Assigned to 25th TRW
at Chambley Air Base France and Takhli RTAFB Thailand 1965-1967. These old birds don't get the credit they deserve. They were the only ECM planes the Air Force had to protect the F105s and F4s that were bombing North Vietnam 10/23/2000 @ 14:21 [ref: 929] |
