Talyn
Emissary
The OreANG converted from the McDonnell F-101B Voodoo fighter-interceptor to the McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II fighter in late 1980 and early 1981, the F-4 Phantom era of the 142nd Fighter Group began. And with it came some of the F-4C aerial victors of the Vietnam War.
en.wikipedia.org
Ultimately, some 78 different F-4Cs served at one time or another for various lengths of service in the group’s two fighter squadrons, the 123rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (123rd FIS) at Portland ANG Base and 114th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (114th TFTS) at Kingsley Field.
Many Oregon Phantoms were combat veterans of Southeast Asia. And 10 of those jets were credited with 12 aerial victories over North Vietnamese MiG fighter jets between 1965 and 1967.
This article will focus on those 10 aircraft and highlight some of their victorious aerial encounters over MiG fighters of the Vietnamese Peoples Air Force (VPAF).
In Oregon ANG service, these MiG-killers carried on in performing a growing air capability in Oregon as the 142nd Fighter Group not only conducted its standing strategic air defense mission. With the F-4C Phantom II it also grew an air superiority capability reflecting the successful use of the versatile F-4 in air-to-air combat against other fighters during the Vietnam War.
Several of these F-4C aerial victors became veterans of the OreANG’s participation in successive William Tell Worldwide Weapons Meets in 1984, 1986 and 1988 where the 142nd Fighter Group gave active duty late-model F-4E, F-106A Delta Dart and the newer F-15A Eagle units a good run for the money. OreANG aircrew skill and maintainer excellence brought out the best in the old F-4C airframes enabling Oregon to dominate the F-4 category and nearly beat them all for overall top honors. “Miss Piggy,” sweet old 776, flew as Beaver 01 in all three competitions. Some jets aren’t just good, they’re golden, and their aircrews and maintainers make them shine.
The 142nd Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. When activated for federal service, the wing falls under control of Air Combat Command.
In 1985, as part of the retirement of the F-4C from the inventory, the Oregon Air National Guard began to receive F-15A Eagles from active-duty units receiving the upgraded F-15C. In 2005, the F-15A model were retired and the squadron received the F-15C Eagle, and recently has began transitioning to the new F-15EX Eagle II.
142nd Wing - Wikipedia
Ultimately, some 78 different F-4Cs served at one time or another for various lengths of service in the group’s two fighter squadrons, the 123rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (123rd FIS) at Portland ANG Base and 114th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (114th TFTS) at Kingsley Field.
Many Oregon Phantoms were combat veterans of Southeast Asia. And 10 of those jets were credited with 12 aerial victories over North Vietnamese MiG fighter jets between 1965 and 1967.
This article will focus on those 10 aircraft and highlight some of their victorious aerial encounters over MiG fighters of the Vietnamese Peoples Air Force (VPAF).
In Oregon Service
In Oregon ANG service, these MiG-killers carried on in performing a growing air capability in Oregon as the 142nd Fighter Group not only conducted its standing strategic air defense mission. With the F-4C Phantom II it also grew an air superiority capability reflecting the successful use of the versatile F-4 in air-to-air combat against other fighters during the Vietnam War.
Several of these F-4C aerial victors became veterans of the OreANG’s participation in successive William Tell Worldwide Weapons Meets in 1984, 1986 and 1988 where the 142nd Fighter Group gave active duty late-model F-4E, F-106A Delta Dart and the newer F-15A Eagle units a good run for the money. OreANG aircrew skill and maintainer excellence brought out the best in the old F-4C airframes enabling Oregon to dominate the F-4 category and nearly beat them all for overall top honors. “Miss Piggy,” sweet old 776, flew as Beaver 01 in all three competitions. Some jets aren’t just good, they’re golden, and their aircrews and maintainers make them shine.
The 142nd Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. When activated for federal service, the wing falls under control of Air Combat Command.
In 1985, as part of the retirement of the F-4C from the inventory, the Oregon Air National Guard began to receive F-15A Eagles from active-duty units receiving the upgraded F-15C. In 2005, the F-15A model were retired and the squadron received the F-15C Eagle, and recently has began transitioning to the new F-15EX Eagle II.
