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Pope AAF, Fayetteville, NC
- Thread starter sksvlad
- Start date
Vlad, Thanks for the pictures--as always! --brings back memories of my short time stationed in the Composite Wing at Pope AFB. I had a small role in planning the "Change of Commands" Ceremony, where Pope AFB went from Air Combat Command to Air Mobility Command, I think in about May of 1997. Interesting ceremony with three "Four-Stars" involved. I had assumed that most of the remnants of Pope's "Tactical" mission would disappear, as that wouldn't fit in with the new "Mobility" owners of the base. I didn't think of the future of static displays at that time. Except for the Medevac C-130s and the 23rd Fighter Group, the base's major mission had been for some time receiving "Heavies" to put the "air" in Fort Bragg's Airborne mission. Of course, the horrible accident involving the basics of the "composite wing"--where the F-16 and C-130 sharing airspace and a ramp loaded with C-141s and Army troops awaiting "lift" for their jumps may have contributed to the realignment.
sksvlad
Well-Known Member
Taber, thanks for mentioning this 1994 midair collision and subsequent ground disaster. Here is a very detailed CGI explanation of it https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...546508ec571e28e7f79a949d7d9c6b3f&action=click. Not being a pilot, I can't fathom how F-16 did not see C-130. I thought all planes had transponders which emitted a radio signal telling others who they are and where they are. Especially military planes. Regardless, flying into the tail of a large slow moving landing transport aircraft on a clear day without any prior stress is unthinkable. A simple left or right turn would do. The sky was wide open.