We have a "Deuce" Down!
When I was working a shift in the Search Tower we had some real excitment. The radar scopes have a feature called selective identification Feature (SIF) to help identify aircraft based on coded radio transmissions sent in response to a query from the radar site. Among the features is tha capability to enhance the target's location visibility by "painting" a highly visble arc highlighting the target on the scope. Multiple, closely spaced arcs may be painted depending on the particular settings employed. A "paint" with four such arcs indicated a friendly aircraft that had declared an emergency. The four arc response was used only for a true emergency and not for simulatated emegency drills or such other training. When you saw four you knew somebody was in deep trouble.
That one night I saw the scope in my maintenance area paint a four arc reply and I knew this was a real emergency. I listened on the squak box and heard the pilot reporting multiple problems with the aircraft. He had basically lost all power and all emergency backup systems. He was going down!
When I heard "I'm Punching Out!", that meant he was ejecting. The radar paint also showed a chaff cloud which is a fine metal foil designed to enhance the targets visibilty to aid in locating the ejecting pilot. Here is the result of that emergency.
That one night I saw the scope in my maintenance area paint a four arc reply and I knew this was a real emergency. I listened on the squak box and heard the pilot reporting multiple problems with the aircraft. He had basically lost all power and all emergency backup systems. He was going down!
When I heard "I'm Punching Out!", that meant he was ejecting. The radar paint also showed a chaff cloud which is a fine metal foil designed to enhance the targets visibilty to aid in locating the ejecting pilot. Here is the result of that emergency.
On March 25, 1968, F-102A, 56-1396 suffered an engine failure about 185 km (100 NM) east of Keflavik. The pilot successfully ejected after gliding approx. 75 km (40 NM). He was picked up by a rescue helicopter. During this time two Selfridge based HC-97s were stationed at Keflavik on a trial basis, and one of those was overhead within 20 minutes, and directed the rescue helicopter to the site.
The photos and report are courtesy of Lee Corbin, a U.S. Navy man stationed at Keflavik who worked on maintaining the various Navy aircraft at Kaflavik. Those specifically included the C-117 (an improved version of the workhorse C-47) craft that were used to transport personnel, mail and supplies to the radar sites.
Lee also provided a copy of the letter exchanged between Hq. IDF and Iceland's Foreign Minister and a picture of what F-102-396 looked like before the accident.
The photos and report are courtesy of Lee Corbin, a U.S. Navy man stationed at Keflavik who worked on maintaining the various Navy aircraft at Kaflavik. Those specifically included the C-117 (an improved version of the workhorse C-47) craft that were used to transport personnel, mail and supplies to the radar sites.
Lee also provided a copy of the letter exchanged between Hq. IDF and Iceland's Foreign Minister and a picture of what F-102-396 looked like before the accident.