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clutch

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Just join IPMS and wanted to say hello. I have been modeling most of my life and find that as the years go by, being able to sit down with a new kit is as exciting at 67 as it was at 15. Wonderful hobby.

 

bob

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Clutch......................... sounds like you might be an auto builder. Or maybe a pinch hitter on the local baseball team!

Welcome aboard.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thank you all for your greetings. Actually Clutch, like any nickname is bestowed upon you by others. You never pick your own nickname. Clutch was the first name of a cartoon character in the sixties, Clutch Cargo. Somehow, while in the Air Force, Vietnam, I ended up with it.

Having been an Air Traffic controller, my passion is aircraft....Vietnam era. Having worked with everything from t-33's to F-4's and F-105's my unbuilt collection tends to be lopsided. Thanks again for the welcome. Now I just have to figure out how to manuver thru the forum.

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Phantoms and Thuds are my personal weakness when it comes to models. Can't pass up a chance to buy another Thud or Phantom. Now if I just actually finish one. Where were you station In Country?

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Pleiku.......a1's, o1's, o2's, f100, f4,s and one very nasty looking ac-130 that took my breath away.

In Japan it was f4c's, Japanese f_86's and f104's which they loved. The navy would come over frequently and always requested high speed low approaches prior to landing until the base commander put a stop to it. A navy f4 at 75 feet going vertical and ballistic prior to the end of the runway could by quite noisy.

Pleiku....a1's, o1's, o2's, f100, f4,s and one very nasty looking ac-130 that took my breath away.

In Japan it was f4c's, Japanese f_86's and f104's which they loved. The navy would come over frequently and always requested high speed low approaches prior to landing until the base commander put a stop to it. A navy f4 at 75 feet going vertical and ballistic prior to the end of the runway could by quite noisy.

Edited by clutch
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The closest I came to Phantoms were the T-birds back in the early 70's at Toledo Express airport. Noise and smoke...the smell of half burned JP-4 lingering in the air....smells like....victory. Just got an old AMT 1/48 F-4C/D kit overthe weekend at a flea market. Add that to the pile.

 

104's are another weakness, live the German G's as a topic build.

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Welcome aboard Bob. Have a great time!

 

Mark

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I recall a UH-1 requesting a PAR approach at Pleiku one morning. Gave us a bogus call sign and C-7 type. Very slow and STOL capable so his speed was nothing unusual. He lined up for a 10 mile final.

If your familar with PAR radar it presents azimuth and elevation information on a split screen. At any rate, I'm callng corrections to him and all of a sudden the aircraft stops at about 6 miles. Stops dead at 1200 feet and just sits there. Dumbfounded at first I asked "say again type of aircraft?" whereupon he laughed peeled off from the approach and responded with "we're just messing with you GCA".

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As a former Army Huey Pilot I would have to say I am sorry that one of my former colleagues would do such a wisecracking stunt. The reality is that we had a lot of respect for both Air Force and Army Air Traffic Controllers [even a few Navy ATC]. The sky's over Vietnam were unbelievably dangerous, not from enemy fire, but from us knuckleheads possibly crashing into each other. Whenever a ACT gave me a instruction or a warning I took it very seriously! Robert, Thanks for your service and for keeping me and other wisecrackers from having a real bad day! Dan King , Greyhound 10, 240th AHC Bearcat, 1969/70, VNAF Contractor 1973

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Nothing to apologize for. Just recalling a highlight of my time as an air traffic controller. We all laughed in the rapcon and went on with our business. I was so impressed by what you guys did that I almost re-enlisted into the Army to become a Huey pilot. Life took me someplace else however. You guys were my heros. Thank You for your service.

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