WT Forums

This concerns my user-name, back in 1991 at the Biggin Hill Air Fair I was lucky enough to sit in the cockpit of 80-0204 when it served with the 91st TFS 'Blue Streaks' at RAF Woodbridge.
During the tour of the cockpit by Capt.D.Jay Brooks, the demo pilot Capt. Tim McDonald called up from the ground and asked me to retrieve a booklet from the map case on my right side, the booklet was entitled Bacon Bits, anyone got any ideas what it was about?...I'm assuming it was a publication of additional info peculiar to the 81st TFW because the pilot was filling out the forms at the time after displaying the other Hog 76-0550.
Always wondered what it was, would have been easier to have asked at the time!
Anyway, thats where my user-name came from.

Bacon Bits,

That book would undoubtedly be similar to local inflight guides that every squadron publishes. The one at DM is call Hog Hints. It just details local flying procedures, cross-country stuff and other assorted local information.

Thanks for the info Tiny

Hi Bacon,

Question are you sure it was 80-204 at the 91st? I was th crew chief on 79-204 at Pope AFB till july 94. The information that you gave above says that the plane was staitioned at Woodbridge but the Pilot was from the 81st. I quess it must have been a typo.



pctech/xA10A crew Chief 9204.

Definately 80-204, the jet and Demo pilot were with the 91st TFS which was part of the 81stTFW based at the twin bases of RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge.
The 78th and 91st TFS's were at Woodbridge, and the 92nd and 510th TFS's were at Bentwaters.
Capt. Tim McDonald, the 81st TFW Demo pilot in 1991 used jets from all four squadrons that year.
I have some pictures of 80-204 from that time.
The serials can get confusing, eg 79-0181 was lost in the Gulf with the 23rd TFW and 80-181 was the commanders jet for a time with the 81st TFW and allocated to the 92nd TFS.
76-550 was one of six ex-DM jets allocated to USAFE in about 1990.
76-514 went to the 510th, 76-522 to 78th, 76-527/548 to 511th at Alconbury, 76-550 to 91st and 76-553 to 92nd........sorry got carried away there with info!!<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

I agree with Bacon Bits on the tail number. I was in the 91st from 87-90 and we indeed had 80-0204. The A-10world has numerous sets of twins...on Bentwaters and Woodbridge we had 79-0220 and 80-0220 (the hog I crewed) along with a C-130 from the rescue squadron 68-0220.