Growing up in St. Louis with many family and friends employed at McDonnell Aircraft, I was very much aware and in awe of the aircraft produced there. In October 1968 I was a young Marine assigned to VMFA-333 at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. I was never so proud as the first day I walked out onto that flight line and saw before me twenty beautiful brand new McDonnell Douglas F-4J’s. Phantoms Phorever!
Gary Rivard, USMC?…this is Gary Rivard, JBSA-Lackland…
They where a maintenance nightmare, I worked on them all thru my 22yrs in Air Force from 1967 Thru 1989 retirement. The total four years on the F-4s in the service and two years as a civilian crewchier for Collings Foundation. The pilot for Collings Foundation at the beginning of 2000 was Ret. Brig Gen Steven Retichie one of the Veitnam F-4 ACE. Crewed and flew with the F-4 to a few Air Show; The Gen would let me fly the F-4 to the base of air show. I see why pilots loved to fly the old bird.. What a Blast. ! But working on her was a different story.. No job was easy.. send hours of taken a part to get to the componet that needed replaced. Gen Retichie was a wonder person and a lot fun to work with.
Growing up in St. Louis with many family and friends employed at McDonnell Aircraft, I was very much aware and in awe of the aircraft produced there. In October 1968 I was a young Marine assigned to VMFA-333 at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. I was never so proud as the first day I walked out onto that flight line and saw before me twenty beautiful brand new McDonnell Douglas F-4J’s. Phantoms Phorever!
Gary Rivard, USMC?…this is Gary Rivard, JBSA-Lackland…
They where a maintenance nightmare, I worked on them all thru my 22yrs in Air Force from 1967 Thru 1989 retirement. The total four years on the F-4s in the service and two years as a civilian crewchier for Collings Foundation. The pilot for Collings Foundation at the beginning of 2000 was Ret. Brig Gen Steven Retichie one of the Veitnam F-4 ACE. Crewed and flew with the F-4 to a few Air Show; The Gen would let me fly the F-4 to the base of air show. I see why pilots loved to fly the old bird.. What a Blast. ! But working on her was a different story.. No job was easy.. send hours of taken a part to get to the componet that needed replaced. Gen Retichie was a wonder person and a lot fun to work with.