Memory Joggers From Ben Shuppert

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Ben was Maintenance Control Officer for the 355th TFW in 1966. He has an excellent collection of  slides.  Some will be in this section and others linked to the interactive base map in the future.  His set of photos taken over the base from the "Pedro" rescue helicopter give great overviews.

  A flight of four F-105s ready to hit afterburner for takeoff.  A fifth "spare" is waiting in case one of the four has a problem.  This is the north end of runway, with the planes taking off to the south.

Aerial shot of a KC-135 tanker landing.  From his shadow you can see that he is trying to grab every inch of runway he can.  Takeoff with a full fuel load was even more critical.  As part of my duties in the tower I would monitor the winds as each tanker took off for sudden changes and relay any directly to the pilot.  The navigator would call off the groundspeed at each 1000 ft marker in case there was not enough speed to rotate.

   

Great shot of two B-66s ready for takeoff.  One is still not wearing camo paint.  Takhli Hill in the background.

Takhli's Passenger Terminal and 'base operations'.  Actual war operations were conducted from the Tactical Operations Center.  Note that Col Robert Scott is the wing commander at the time of this photo.

   

When it rained, it often poured.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  'Nuf said.  Funny thing was this could all be gone in a few hours and dry again.  (Boat background seemed appropriate!)

The sign says 355th Comm Arm and Elect Sqdr.  It could pass for the base swimming pool the day Ben took this one.  F-105s on parking ramp in background.

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