JUNE 2013 WITTMUND AFB PHANTOM PHAREWELL

PHOTO BY DIEGO CROTTI
Copyright (C) Diego Crotti

Historical review
After the 2nd World War II, the federal government sought to rebuild the armed forces a (intercept) of the new generation of hunters. The Canadian government gave the then newly created German Air Force 75 aircraft of the type Mk.5 Sabre, which were produced by Canadair under license. In contrast to the "real" F-86 Sabre of the North American Canadair aircraft were equipped with Orenda engines. The federal government then ordered 225 aircraft of more powerful type Sabre Mk.6 that the Jagdgeschwader 71 (Ahlhorn), 72 (leak, later renamed FBW 43) and 73 (Oldenburg, Ahlhorn) were used (Jagdgeschwader 75 or 74 was North American F-86K Sabre Dog equipped, built by Fiat in Italy under license.
Lockheed T-33
The T-33 was introduced in 1956 in the Air Force and thus represents the first jet of the German Air Force dar. Designed by Lockheed pattern was popular with pilots, easy to fly and was technically straightforward and unpretentious, so that the maintenance crews with the machine were satisfied. 192 machines were introduced in 1956, and on 24 September 1956, the pilot school B begang in Furstenfeldbru the first flight with the new pattern. Gradually, almost all squadrons were equipped with a couple of machines, but most received the FFS B Fürsty (122 pieces). The machines arrived to off-duty position 196 555 1976 Total flight hours.Some machines went to Greece and Turkey.
Jagdgeschwader 71 was placed in Ahlhorn with 50 Canadair Sabre Mk 6 and some T-33 trainers on June 6, 1959 in service. First commander of JG 71 was Major Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, the fighter par excellence. His unique achievements in aeronautical field made him the best fighter of all time. Hartmann soon expressed his personal stamp on the squadron in which the tulip motif, its always Messerschmidt Bf-109 was in World War 2, on the JG could apply on fuselage and tail 71 machines. 1961 began laying Ahlhorn mouth after Witt, where the squadron is still stationed. From 1962, the JG71 was performed under Commodore Major Günther Josten.
F-104G Starfighter
After the establishment of the Bundeswehr, was wanted by the Air Force desperately for a interceptors. The main focus of then-Defense FJ Strauss was on the F104 "Starfighter" from Lockheed. The above conversion, however, was partially to date still buggy (all instruments did not always work properly together). Due to the lack of infrastructure on the airfields (too little hangars) of that time had to be parked in the free "silver birds" over the years. The German Weather in conjunction with the extensive electronics of the aircraft could not be good: a major reason for the numerous crashes of the machines in the early years. The Starfighter was still struggling with other problems - its size. Space for fuel tanks or other equipment was scarce. Also in the wings (how else actually common in aircraft) could not be built tank, as they were very thin and small. Due to the low fuel level in the aircraft, the range was very limited. Although you could tanks on the wing tips under the fuselage or under the wings attached, but where then with the weapons? The F-104G was flown in the Air Force as a fighter to fighter squadrons 71 "Richthofen" and 74. There Tiptanks mainly with the surface ends and side winders under the wings. As a fighter-bomber, he was at the FBW 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 and 38 flown. The Navy put him at the Naval Air Squadrons 1 and 2.
F-4F Phantom II
The F-4 in 1958 rose to its first flight at the manufacturer McDonnell Douglas plant in St. Louis, USA) into the air. In the following period over 5000 copies of the two-seater Phantoms were built. The Air Force received from 1973 to 1975 a total of 175 F-4F for use as a fighter and fighter-bomber. 110 hunters fight worth increased from 1991 to 1996 and equipped with the high-Hughes AN/APG-65 airborne radar, the radar-guided medium-range air combat missile AIM-120 AMRAAM and a modern laser navigation system. From the year 2002, the phantom is replaced by the Euro Fighter, but probably not until 2012, the last F-4F will leave the Air Force.
Fighter pilot Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen.
Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen
Commander of Jagdgeschwader Nr 1 was the most successful and best-known fighters of the Empire, Lieutenant Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen. Von Richthofen was 25 years old on that day and no two years in possession of a pilot badge, an amazing career for a young officer who had witnessed the beginning of this war still in the saddle of a horse. His triplane he painted in a bright red. His squadron mates did the same and painted their planes in different colors. Also the Season "was henceforth Flying Circus "(Flying Circus) because it shone with colorful approach the sky.
To Richthofen's death there were several theories for a long time. The most common was the launch aircraft by its rivals Brown, a Canadian pilot. However, it is now pretty clear evidence that an Australian machine gunner from the ground hit Richthofen. This was mainly because the end of the war, Manfred suffered from an illness which took him the ability of targets to be off, so he flew into enemy territory until late. Until his death he won 80 dogfights for themselves, making it one of the greatest fighters of our history.
The award of the traditional name
On 20 May 1918 was granted by order of the commanding general of the air forces, General von Hoeppner, the Jagdgeschwader 1, the official name "Jagdgeschwader Freiherr von Richthofen No. 1", a gesture to honor the fallen commander and should encourage the remaining pilot, his example follow. On 21 April 1961 to 43 Death of Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen gave the then Federal President Heinrich Luebke, the name of the Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen".
The squadron provides the QRA and is deployable worldwide as a crisis response organization within a very short time. In addition, here is the initial training, conducted flight training authorization and verification instructor training on the weapon system F-4F Phantom II.
The airspace over Germany, is also in peace, on behalf of the NATO protected by the Air Force. Regard, the Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" 365 days a year, two fighter planes, their crews and related technicians perform service in a 24-hour shift. This QRA, QRA called in military parlance, is alarmed by the air defense and command post is located within 15 minutes in the air. There they will be informed of their mission.
In most cases, there are planes that do not behave according to the aviation regulatory requirements or for which no contact is possible via radio. The QRA approaches the aircraft and tried by radio or by means of characters to contact the pilot. The crew of the QRA identifies the aircraft and the airline, the desired destination and possible problems of the machine.
Operational tasks
Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" provides aircraft and personnel in need NATO - Reaction Force, short NRF ( NATO Response Force) or for other legitimate by the Bundestag foreign assignments.
Then to the duties to be performed include:
• Air superiority - fight enemy fighter planes to obtain control of the airspace
• Escort his own planes - protection against attacking aircraft are in operation Fighters
• Patrols - control of airspace by its own presence fighters
These tasks, as well as laying on a remote air base continuously trained in the squadron and the level of training regularly demonstrated by audits of NATO.
Training tasks
The training group of Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" has to perform the job, the flying training on the F-4F. These include the basic weapon system training F-4F, implementation and retraining F-4F, as well as training for flight instructors.
The weapon system basic training F-4F takes about 8 months. In this tutorial, the young student pilots make their first experiences with the phantom. Besides a lot of theory and many simulator hours they also make their first 53 flights on the phantom. These are simple instrument flights from A to B to air combat with air-to-air refueling.
The conversion and refresher course is used to obtain the type rating F-4F and it only lasts a few weeks. Him complete all crew members who have ever had a type rating on an aircraft of Bw.
In FLB (flight instructor) / NRSV (check instructor) course are trained experienced phantom crews in a 4-month course to become a flight instructor. Here they learn how best to teach theory and flying skills.
Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" with the training group makes its courses for the flying conditions on the phantom.

Copyright (C) Diego Crotti