to the Main Batcat homepage.Three Development Deployments
1967
Three Development Deployements - 1967 page, was originally part of the opening Batcat page first created on 6/8/99, moved to its own page 4/21/02, Last updated 12/27/08.
Operation "Pot Lid"
Chuck Silverstein, part of the initial group of airmen assigned to Batcat, provided me with information and images of two Batcat TDY's to Howard AFB, Canal Zone. This first TDYoccurred from April 28, 1967 to May 31, 1967. Purpose of these TDY's was to evaluate the sensor/aircraft combination, and refine initial techniques to be used when Batcat went overseas. Here are some photo's, all provided by Chuck Silverstein, of the first TDY code named operation "Pot Lid." Note the aircraft used has what appears to be a U.S. Navy paint scheme, carries the word "U.S. Air Force" and the tail number 67-21472. Tail number indicates this is the second EC-121R. View the images below carefully as you will note the antenna system on 21472 is slightly different then later "production" version of the EC-121R. You can contact Chuck at silvc@aol.com.
Operation "Dune Moon"
Al Bosse provides information about "Dune Moon" which started in late May, 1967 and took place at Eglin AFB. "I can only give you information from a maintenance stand point. The Crew chief types were Msgt Jones, Ssgt Hopkins, Steve Litchfield, a guy whose last name was Dillon, nicknamed Mat, and myself. They were doing some testing on the R models in conjunction with the sensors. The aircraft we had with us was 67-21472. An interesting side story was we had the nose gear door and the prop spinners painted with the Wonder Bread dots.
"We were quartered on, I believe field nine in WWII officers quarters. Only had full baths no showers. They constructed outdoor showers for us because of the complaints. I used the bath tub. Couldn't get over my fear of snakes to walk outside and take a shower, who knows what a snake would bite. Near the quarters was a short runway. It was said that Jimmy Dolittle used this runway to practice his takeoffs for his raid over Tokyo. I stayed there for about 45 days and returned to Otis, I believe, in mid July. This deployment lasted until just before our move to Korat."
My thanks to Al Bosse at mbosse1@tampabay.rr.com for the Dune Moon
information.
Updated information from Bob Bulen,
Batcat operated out of Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field 9, also known as Hurlburt Field.
Hurlburt Field was used at the beginning of WWII by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy
Doolittle and his Raiders as they practiced taking off with their B-25 Mitchell
bombers using the short cross-field runway near the southern end
of Hurlburt Field's main runway. This complex is now named the Doolittle Runway.
The Doolittle Raider's also used other runways at Eglin AFB.
Bob Bulen provides these images. The
Outdoor Showers
which Al Boose mentions above. The
Day room at Eglin AFB.
One of the
Barracks at Eglin AFB.
As you can see from the images the facilities used by Batcat while at Eglin AFB were
very basic. Images are color, about 90K, 87K and 80K respectively.
Added 12/27/08.
Second Batcat Deployment to Panama
Chuck Silverstein also participated in the second TDY to Panama, from Aug 25, 1967 to September 2, 1967. Purpose was "to participate in test and evaluation of aircraft." The aircraft used on that TDY was 67-21496. This image shows Lockheed Super Constellation receiving Maintenance in Panama. That is SSgt. Vasquez with his head in the accessory section; Engine specialist TSgt. McCoullough facing the camera; Crew Chief A1C Larry Curran in the fatigue shirt; and hydraulic system specialist SSgt. Benoit. Constellation Engine Maintenance. TSgt.McCoullough on the maintenance stand.
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