Base Visit: Eglin AFB 1980 and 1981

[Old Viper Tester]

In 1980, Eglin AFB was an Air Force Systems Command base. The host unit was the Air Force Development Test Center with its flying activities under the 3246th Test Wing. Tenant units with flying operations were the Tactical Air Warfare Center (TAWC) and the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, both were Tactical Air Command units. TAWC fight operations were accomplished by the 53rd Fighter Weapons Wing and the 4485th Test and Evaluation Squadron. The USAF Armament Museum is also located at Eglin AFB.

 

A-10A 73-1668, 3246TW

 

A-10A 79-0166, 4485TES

 

F-4C 64-0817, 3246TW

 

F-4C 64-0875, 3246TW

 

RF-4C 63-7742, 3246TW

 

F-4D 65-0698, 3246TW

 

F-4D 66-8699, 3246TW

 

F-4E 66-0295, 4485TES

 

F-4E 66-0308, 4485TES

 

F-4E 67-0265, 3246TW

 

F-15A 77-0064, 4485TES

 

F-15B 77-0161, 3246TW

 

F-16A 79-0328, 4485TES

 

F-16A 80-0551, 4485TES

 

F-111E 68-0058, 3246TW

 

T-38A 61-0874, 3246TW

 

T-38A 70-1571, 3246TW

 

T-38A 70-1557, 3246TW

 

Some Armament Museum aircraft...

P-51D 44-13571 (Cavalier Mustang 68-15796)

 

P-47N 44-89320

 

F-101B 56-0250

 

CIM-10A 55-22010

 

BQM-34C

 

Thanks for looking,

Sven

Old Viper Tester

 

[Mr T]

Thank Sven, lovely photos. Mine from contemporary Mildenhall Air Fetes, tend to be a lot greyer! 

[Richard E]

A fascinating and diverse collection of front line USAF hardware from the eighties - it's a group build in one post.

 

Curious about the store positioned underneath the F-111E: it looks like an auxiliary fuel tank...?

 

3 hours ago, Mr T said:

Mine from contemporary Mildenhall Air Fetes, tend to be a lot greyer! 

 

I think I remember there being more rain in Suffolk than in Florida

 

 

[Mr T]

Definitely, I first went to an Air Fete in 1979 with some IPMS Sheffield friends. It was wet, we warmed and dried  ourselves in the exhaust of the Vintage Pair that arrived. 

[Old Viper Tester]

18 hours ago, Richard E said:

Curious about the store positioned underneath the F-111E: it looks like an auxiliary fuel tank...?

It's one of the PAVE MOVER candidates being evaluated. An attempt to give the F-111 a JSTARS-like capability long before JSTARS existed. That 'blivet' is mounted to the weapons bay and actually flown as pictured. Surprising that it met SEEK EAGLE requirements for landing gear and ground clearances. Can't imagine what it did to the lateral stability of the aircraft.

 

I was in such a rush taking the flight line pictures that I hadn't realized what I had photographed until I got the slides back. Wish I had gotten more detailed shots of it.