Unique Accomplishments by B-66 Personnel

Anecdotes
Unique Accomplishments by B-66 Personnel

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Jack McClenny received the first B-66B 1,000 hour plaque

B-66 Split Spoilers By Clifford A. (Polly) Parrott, former B-66 Technical Representative.

Reference: Paul Henkel, Dick Starke and 1st Lt Webster.

Trying to control a B-66 with split spoilers deserves more than multi DFC's in my book, especially when all the experts on the ground either say nothing or go to the other extreme and advise ejecting.
A subsequent accident investigation would give you a multitude of reasons why you shouldn't eject and bring the aircraft to a safe landing with "No sweat."

I remember both "Incidents" and remarked that a safe outcome was only possible because of the great pilots steering the aircraft. You are both number one in my book of "Non medaled" heroes.

I have always been proud to be associated with B-66 aviators, still am. My old tattered book says that "They are a cut above the rest." Details at:

Record speed for an RB-66C by Dick Starke

I may have achieved a record speed for an RB-66C when I dove at full power from 37,000 ft to about 300 ft to escape the two MIG 15s that intercepted us off the north shore of the Black Sea. We accelerated to .98 mach quickly from our .8 mach cruise and I held it straight down until about 5,000 ft when I pulled out. I pegged the G meter both negative and positive but saved the plane and crew. Victor Mayer was Raven one. No medal but thanks from the crew was enough.

First EWO to Fly the EB-66E Model by Norm Kasch, EWO

I ran the OT&E test on the first EB-66E at Eglin AFB during the summer of 1967. So I guess I have the distinction of being the first EWO to fly the new "E" model. The pilot on the test was Hoss Cordoni and the nav's were Billy Graham and I think, Vince Chase. The EB-66Es went directly to the war effort when they were all modified.

I also had 2 tours in Southeast Asia. Takhli in 1966 and Korat in 1972. Where, according to my AF Form 5, I completed 122 combat missions over NVN and 405 hours combat time.

Most Engine Failures by Terry Buettner
39th TEWTS, May - Sept 1972 and 42 TEWS, Oct 72 - Oct 73

I may have a record on the novel side. I had 425 hours in the pig, and had five engine failures. The first was during training, my first refueling ride, I took raw fuel down the number two engine and it blew out. A week later, on takeoff, the number one engine shredded itself, ingesting a few compressor blades. Several months later, in Thailand I lost oil pressure on number two, and had to shut it down. A month after that during a practice circling approach the number two engine just flamed out. Two months later, while flying as an IP, and checking out a new guy, we had a compressor stall and flameout on number one in the final turn from an overhead pattern. By contrast, Dan Christian had about 4000 hours in the airplane, and said he had three engine failures. Two of his were while he was flying with me at Shaw.

Unique Accomplishments by Pete Dunn

I flew 100+ Rolling Thunder missions (41st TRS, Takhli, 1966), and became one of the two squadron Flight Examiners and was on test hop status, yet never attended the B-66 crew training school at Shaw or anywhere else, having been checked out by OJT at Takhli.

This is how. In early 1965 I volunteered for Vietnam, and went from a B-52 crew straight to Brigham Control in Udorn, Thailand, where I set up and ran the system which controlled most of the Rolling Thunder radar control operations. This was due to my earlier training as a GCI controller in the old primitive manual systems they were using in SEA. Some time later the B-66s arrived in Takhli, and came under our control as they headed north. I have a distinctive accent, and was immediately recognized by several old friends and navigator school colleagues, who invited me down to Takhli.

During my rare days off I hopped the C-130 shuttle to Takhli and was invited to fly a mission as the gunner's seat was now empty, the guns having been removed. I flew a couple of Round Trip missions while there, and on subsequent R&Rs flew still more, and was able to interpret Mig warnings for the crews as their controllers did what we did. On the way back from the north I often exchanged seats with the navigators and navigated back to Takhli.

After a few weeks and several visits the Ops Officer, Major Hatfield, came into the flight planning room and asked. "How many missions has Dunn got?" The answer was about a dozen. "Check him out," he said, and after further preparation this was duly done successfully. Not long after, I directed the hairy air refueling hookup between a flamed out F-105 in Robbie Risner's flight and a tanker, the incident now having been written and talked about many times since then, and was given my choice of assignments. I asked for Takhli, as I had many missions over North Vietnam by then, and was duly assigned. I was crewed with new pilot Tom Cromin, and ravens Dave Zook, Larry Staringer, Steve Thornton, and Nutter Wimbrow, the latter two sadly being killed later-- Nutter in a B-52 over Hanoi in Linebacker II and Steve in a B-57 accident in the Yukon.

I trained and checked out many Navigators as they cycled into Takhli, and was always amused at the puzzled reaction of the many who asked when I had gone through Shaw, as my answer truthfully was that I had never been through the school in my life... I just sort of picked it up along the way.

Unique Assignments by Paul Duplessis

After completing a 2-year remote assignment in Japan as an Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) officer in 1956, Captain Duplessis was assigned to the 9th Tac Recon Sqdn at Shaw AFB, SC and remained there for 10 years, including: establishing and heading the 363rd TacReconWing's EWO Standardization & Evaluation Section for 5 years, went TDY (7.5 months ) at Takhli RTAF (July 1965 and March 1966) where he completed 100 combat missions. In his spare time, he wrote the first draft of the PACAF EB-66 EW Operations Manual; was the EWO member of the 2nd AirDiv Theater Indoctrination Team that briefed incoming Tactical Fighter units on Rules of Engagement; went TDY to the Phillipine Islands to give a classified presentation on Takhli AB EB-66 Electronic Warfare operations; and finally, he went TDY the Warner Robins AFB, GA to justify the squadron's requirements for a particular type of chaff that was no longer in production.

Contributions to the JCS Joint Operational Planning System by Paul Duplessis

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Operational Planning System reached a most significant milestone in October 1980 upon publication of procedures for inclusion, for the first time, of Command Contingency-Wartime intelligence information requirements as a standard feature in their Operational Plans. This initiative by Col Duplessis reaped very substantial benefits for both the Commands as well as Defense Intelligence activities in the form of a clear expression of requirements which will enhance responsive support by intelligence resources.

See letter of Appreciation from the National Security Agency (NSA)

ORIGINATION OF THE B-66

The Douglas B-66 Destroyer was a Tactical Air Command light bomber based on the United States Navy's A3D Skywarrior, and intended to replace the Douglas B-26 Invader. A RB-66 photo-reconnaissance version was ordered simultaneously.

At first, the Air Force thought the conversion would be an easy matter of removing the carrier-specific features, so no prototypes were ordered, just five pre-production RB-66A models (the reconnaissance mission was deemed higher priority). The list of modifications grew, and before long, the easy conversion became a substantially new aircraft. Many of the changes were due to the Air Force's requirement for low-level operations, while the Navy plane was a high-altitude bomber.

The first RB-66A preproduction aircraft flew in 1954, while the first production RB-66B aircraft flew in early 1955. Deliveries to the USAF began in 1956, and 145 of this model were produced. They were used as the major night photo-reconnaissance aircraft of the USAF during this period.

Meanwhile, 72 of the B-66B bomber version were built, 69 fewer than originally planned. Thirteen B-66B aircraft were modified into EB-66B electronics countermeasures aircraft for the Vietnam War. The RB-66C was a specialised electronic reconnaissance and ECM aircraft with a crew of seven; 36 were built. The additional crewmembers occupied what was the camera/bomb bay of other variants. RB-66C aircraft had distinctive wingtip pods. They were used over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and later over Vietnam. In 1966, they were redesignated EB-66C. The final B-66 variant was the WB-66D weather reconnaissance aircraft, 36 of which were constructed. The EB-66C/E had left USAF service by 1973.

One RB-66B is at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.

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