Rockwell T-2C Buckeye 158605 and North
American T-39D Sabreliner 150987, which
had an extended nose.
Types serving with TPS, but not in regular
Navy service, that we saw included Bell
OH-58A Kiowa 71-20554, Northrop T-38B
60-0582 and Beech U-21 Ute 67-18096.
Perhaps the oddest aircraft in the eet was
Schweizer X-26A 76-0086, a glider used to
teach students about yaw/roll coupling.
Other aircraft of interest present included
UP-3A Orion 150528 of VXN-8 in a full
colour scheme. Used for oceanographic
research, it was based at ‘Pax’ River.
Lockheed EC-130Q of VQ-4 162312 also
featured, and was used for the TACAMO
(Take Charge and Move Out) role. It would
trail a very long wire antenna and transmit
messages using very low frequency (VLF)
to communicate with ballistic-missile
submarines under the surface.
There were also three Grumman F-14A
Tomcats from NAS Oceana-based VF-101
‘Grim Reapers’ in an all-over grey scheme,
while the billed highlight of the show was
a performance by the Blue Angels ying
F/A-18s.
On the way out we made a quick stop, as
the traffic went past stored Convair 880-22M
N48063, acquired as a spares source for the
sole UC-880 operated by the US Navy.
It was then a 70-mile (113km) drive south
to Fredericksburg, Virginia, to stay the night.MUSEUM DAYS
The next couple of days were spent at a
relaxed pace visiting museums in Virginia.
First was the Marine Corps Air-Ground
Museum at Quantico. The indoor exhibits,
housed in 1920s-vintage hangars, included
Boeing FB.5 A7114, Thomas-Morse S4B/C
Scout NR66Y, Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat
12114 and Vought F4U-4 Corsair 97369.
Outside, exhibits included Douglas C-117
50834, Beech C-45F 90536, Douglas EF-
10B Skyknight 124618 (this design was the
rst tactical jet to be converted to the role of
electronic warfare) and F-6A Skyray 139177.http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 79Above left: Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
51-1786 on display at the Air Power Park
and Museum at Hampton, Virginia, in the
markings of the Thunderbirds USAF display
team.
Left: Operated by Guatemala City-based
Lineas Aereas Mayas, Douglas DC-6A TG-
SAS was one of the many propliners at Fort
Lauderdale, Florida. The sole aircraft in the
company eet, it was con gured for cargo
operations.Left: In the days of drab grey military aircraft
it was great to see McDonnell Douglas F/A-
18B Hornet 161249 in the bright colours of
the USNTPS.
Below left: US Navy Test Pilots School U-6A
150191 was among the interesting aircraft on
display at NAS Patuxent River. This might
seem an unlikely type for test pilots to y but
few fast jet pilots would have experience in a
tailwheeled, radial piston-powered aircraft, so
it was an ideal to teach new skills.78-82_talesDC.mfDC.indd 79 04/01/2016 13:42