Wolfpack Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 (edited) On 4 July 1952 the 31st Fighter Escort Wing executed Operation Fox Peter One, the mass movement of the entire wing from Turner Field, Georgia, to Misawa Air Base, Japan, using aerial refuelling to fly non-stop from Turner to Travis AFB, California, and from Travis to Hickam AFB, Hawaii with no alternate landing sites or divert fields,. The unit then island-hopped across the rest of the Pacific with stops at Midway and Wake Island; Eniwetok Atoll; Guam; Iwo Jima, and Yokota AB, Japan. The sheer magnitude of the accomplishment was sufficient to name the 31st Fighter-Escort Wing as the recipient of the first-ever Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. This movement included the longest over-water flight attemptedto that date, and was the first trans-Pacific mass flight of jet aircraft.At 9 a.m. on the 4th of July, Colonel David C. Schilling, 31st Fighter Escort Wing commander, took off from Turner field and flew the 1,800 nautical miles to Travis AFB, Calif., non-stop. Refuelled en route by 24 KB-29Ps over Texas, this served as the rehearsal for the main event, designated Fox Peter One.Fifty-nine F-84Gs followed. Having conceived and tested the idea of mass movements of aircraft over the Atlantic in a series of operations before taking command of the 31st, it was only fitting Schilling lead the operation. This was the first such Pacific attempt--hence the name,Fox Peter One (Fighters, Pacific, Number 1).After the air-to-air refuel over Texas, the 60 fighters touched down at Travis AFB, California. The flight from Turner to Travis took almost 7 hours of flying.Upon landing, the enroute maintenance support teams worked around the clock to ensure the jets were ready for the longest over-water leg of the flight.On 6 June, the first package of about 20 fighters, again led by Colonel Schilling, took off for Hawaii. Another package would follow the next day, with the final leaving on the third day. The journey was not without difficulty--Colonel Schilling had to turn back on that first day when a vital piece of equipment was damaged on his aircraft during a refuel. However, his disappointment was tempered by the experience he gained. He said, "The silver lining in this case turned out to be that in witnessing this initial over-the-Pacific refuelling, I was able to return to Travis with data which proved of great aid to the pilots in the two succeeding flights."Thus the wing proceeded to Japan, hopping from one stop to the next until tragedy struck on July 15. While on final approach to Iwo Jima, one of the aircraft experienced catastrophic structural failure. The pilot, Lt. Col. Elmer G. DaRosa, was killed. The arrival of the last aircraft in Japan on July 16, less than two weeks after leaving Georgia, marked Fox Peter One as a resounding success.The 31st Fighter Escort Wing would not return to Turner Air Force Base until the latter part of September, with the remaining crews returning the first part of October. As a tribute to that historic flight, here's my take on it, using an Academy Boeing KB-29P and a Hobby Boss Republic F-84E. W Edited October 13, 2013 by Wolfpack 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honeybee Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Well I really like that Dayo, and in 72nd too. Your eyes must be nearly falling out. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 nice little dio looks great nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Very nice indeed,....love the dio and the natural metal finish is superb, a credit to the original operation. Cheers Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod bettencourt Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 How cool is that, nicely done Ian. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Very nice indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Great stuff Ian, that'll look real good on the table, if it'll stand the weight ! Are you taking this and the 'four burnin' six turnin' to Telford fella if so will you be going for 'the minimum number of models able to be squeezed on to one table' category ? if your table is near ours again I'll forewarn everyone that localized structural damage may occur at some point....... (Just one thing though have you forgotten to remove the masking tape on the smaller inner rear turret windows ? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Nice work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 That is awesome work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomastmcc Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 very nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafrobbo Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Absolutely love it. Thank you for the inspirational history detail too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 Thanks folks. It only took 6mths, what with waiting for the base.He might be late, but Eddie delivers. Andy. They only had the one side window at the tail, presumably because there wasn't a gunner there. SAC will not be at Telford this year, no transport d'ya see. Paul. It's spelt Deo. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stryker Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 I do like the way you decided to display it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 It had to be something different to the 'Parked on an apron' display. I don't even know if they were ever parked together. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim T Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Stunning work as usual. And I was worried you were going soft with all those tanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Great diorama, well made Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 It's spelt Deo. Erm.......!! They only had the one side window at the tail, presumably because there wasn't a gunner there. Sorry mate, optical illusion, I was looking at photo 4 which has the light reflecting off the thing..looking more closely I can see it in the other shot now........................age + eyesight !! What's happened to the transport ?..................not lost somewhere over the Arctic I hope.... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 What's happened to the transport ? Transport? Transport? Oh, that transport. No. it's in Oxfordshire (Antarctic?) Haydn of the USAF Sig, has pointed out to me, the error of my ways. The refuelling boom is upside down. Good job it's not stuck in. Must remember to put it on the right way round in Glasgow this Saturday. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Awesome work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderjug Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Bet he breaks it before Glasgow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted October 16, 2013 Author Share Posted October 16, 2013 Bet he breaks it before Glasgow. I know what I will break before Glasgow. someones Sherman! W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the MDman Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 I like a good story behind a model. Very well executed too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiff guy Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 nice work well done. Glenn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallmonk Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Saw this in the Glasgow show looks even better in real life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 Just to make Thunderjug's day, it not only arrived in Glasgow in one piece, it got home in one piece too. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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