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Show HILL TOP TIMKS Page 10 October IS, 1976 RANGE... target complex for practice bombing, strafing EAGLE Story by Sgt. Robert Scott U.S. Air Force Photos bySSgt. St. Gerry - .: ass;:, Ditchfield - Ground Zero. This is the bullseye for pilots of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. The comln ion the truck is silent testimony to the accuracy of the aircrews. was assigned to Col. John pilot. Tanner, a Colonel Tanner and his crew located on observation tower built by the Army in 1942 for a previous testing site, but had to move it 10 miles to the new "Eagle Range, this is Canner Flight," a voice C-1- crackled over a radio. "Mission activities will be radar high altitude dive bomb, low altitude dive bomb and strafe. Do you copy, over?" "Roger, Canner, You're cleared on the range at this time. Altimeter is 301.2. lay-dow- n, Please range. Arriving at the tower site, Colonel Tanner noticed an eagle's nest on the top with a acknowledge. Over." Moments later, an F-- 4 Phantom jet of the 388th -- Tactical Fighter Wing(TFW) from Hill AFB flashed past, leaving only the sound of its engines and a small puff of white smoke in the center of a circled-of- f area as the practice bomb struck the desert floor. Thus began another day at the Eagle has range Mr. Halls estimated cost savings of $600 each time a "Shack" is not used. The 388th TFW practices a variety of flight maneuvers at the range. One of which is called the "high altitude dive bomb. This maneuver calls for the pilot to descend on a 45 degree dive angle to an altitude of 7,500 feet above ground level, then release the practice bomb over the target. Another maneuver is the "low altitude, low drag event." It is performed by the aircraft diving over the target at a 20 degree angle, releasing the bomb at 2,500 feet above ground, then pulling up for the next maneuver. On a "radar lay down." the pilot flies the aircraft straight over the target at,an altitude an interesting beginning. Dale Halls, range superintendent. "The entire complex has been constructed with surplus material such as junked says In July, 1973, members of the 508th Tactical Fighter Group (TFG), an Air Force Reserve unit assigned to Hill, needed a complex to practice their bomb drops. It was decided that a bombing range would be constructed 20 miles west of the Great Salt Lake and the task to develop such a range vehicle as the target, it accomplished two objectives at one time. It is more won't and realistic as a as quickly disintegrate wooden building after a number of "direct hits." to "Eagle." 1974," The The target in the center of the bombing circle is a salvaged U.S. Marine Corps vehicle. By putting a salvage The wooden building was known as a "shack" and was installed as the target. But "Facilities here have come a long way since July, Bombing Range. ! young chick inside. After taking a vote among his crew, it was agreed to leave the tower there until after the eaglet learned to fly. In due course, the tower was moved, but the mother eagle circled it for several weeks afterward. So impressed with her actions were the range personnel that they changed the name from "Rattlesnake" The facility is now operated by the 508th TFG and used jointly with the 388th TFW. automobiles, discarded tin sheets, lumber salvaged from buildings and irreparable drag chutes from F-- 4 aircraft. "We returned more than $1 million in taxpayer's money that was unused for range construction," he said. torn-dow- n The F-- 4 phantom jet has a radar integrated with a to release its in the radar bombs of payload mode of delivery. A radar signal is emitted computer from the aircraft to the target. This signal is then reflected back from two radar reflectors. The distance from these reflectors to the target is set in the computer by the aircrew. The computer anlayzes the plane's speed and altitude and compares it with a pre-sbomb range. When the aircraft range equals the bomb range, the bomb is et After a few direct hits, the structure was destroyed. of 500 feet, traveling at approximately 500 knotts. or 575 miles per hour. released. The pilot's score is relayed to him by the Range Control Officer, an aircrew member of the 388th TFW or 508TFG, who is performing a day of duty at the range. "war horses" serr a ur ful pnrp.r .. - y ; " the undergoing Special targets, such as a Sherman tank, several trucks, a jeep and a simulated surface-to-ai- r missile site will be added in the near future. These targets will further enhance the "real thing" for aircrews of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. S:. ' 1-0- ',. k microphone located six feet in front of the target is used to count the number of hits on each pass. The microphone is keyed to pickup the number of supersonic waves produced by the bullets near . ( : 2 - k" A pass . . . '.A tower, visually spots the puff of smoke through a telescope. Numbered signs, positioned outside the circle, mark the distance of the point of contact from the target. Another important weapons delivery event is "strafe." On strafing passes, the pilot fires a 20 millimeter gatling gun at a salvaged drag chute which is suspended between two poles. is still construction. No longer used as vehicles in active service, these old targets for 3H8th TFW aircraft. . - . . An observer, located in the The Eagle Range complex K . . each pass. i; " center of the target. microphone. An electronic counter located in the observation tower displays the number of hits. This number is relayed to the pilot by the Range Control Officer over the radio after i tower Constructed entirely from salvaged materials, the all the over at Eagle Range commands an impressive view nearby targets. Spotters from this and a sister tower down range, can pinpoint exactly where each bomb hits to give the pilot an accurate evaluation of his bombing run. The score is determined by distance in feet from the as they Pi .5 . - ' . k" . . j0f--- V" y ' . f'l) ' . "k - " morning to greet the range crews with big smile. She is the unofficial mascot of Kagle Range and helps control the population of mice and rattlesnakes. "Iog"is on hand every a lal Even "Dog" has job Activities at Hagle Itange sometimes may seem boring but "Dog' finds plenty to do Sometimes ifs chasing rabbits, chewing paper cups greeting visitors or making an occasional security check of the area. "Dog" is the name of mascot at the bombing range. She is a old mongrel pup. found by an employe and brought to the complex. iJefore "Dog- - came fo thf, seven-mont- h two site, employes had foundfront rattlesnakes curled up in of the door to the tower, jealously watching any "Dog trespassers. Since ventured have none arrival, onto the complex grounds. "Dog" greets the range crews as they arrive in the close early morning and stays at hand all day. At night, she is on security no patrol duty assuring that creeping crawling 'creatures rater the premises. |