Twilight Zone "The Last Flight" and a weird coincidence -

[Ματθιας]

So I'm watching the Twilight Zone "The Last Flight". It's about a WW1 RAF pilot that travels back in time in his Nieuport fighter and lands in a, then (1959-60) contemporary, USAF base.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOZAld63Ly0[/ame]

There's an F-100 53-1662 that's shown taxing.

So, looked up the tail number and found that, that plane was later assigned to 188th Fighter Interceptor Wing, Kirtland AFB New Mex. Air National Guard. On April 7th 1961, F-100 53-1662 shot down a 95th Bomb Wing B-52B "Ciudad Juarez" out of Biggs AFB El Paso, Texas over Mount Taylor NM during a training mission due to a malfunctioning Sidewinder.

7 April 1961 - This Day in Aviation

I thought it was interesting.

 

[Rustyt1953]

One of the best episodes.

 

[Ghost Magnum]

So I'm watching the Twilight Zone "The Last Flight". It's about a WW1 RAF pilot that travels back in time in his Nieuport fighter and lands in a, then (1959-60) contemporary, USAF base.

The Last Flight - Twilight-Tober Zone - YouTube

There's an F-100 53-1662 that's shown taxing.

So, looked up the tail number and found that, that plane was later assigned to 188th Fighter Interceptor Wing, Kirtland AFB New Mex. Air National Guard. On April 7th 1961, F-100 53-1662 shot down a 95th Bomb Wing B-52B "Ciudad Juarez" out of Biggs AFB El Paso, Texas over Mount Taylor NM during a training mission due to a malfunctioning Sidewinder.

7 April 1961 - This Day in Aviation

I thought it was interesting.

Nice bit of history there. That was an awesome episode

 

[Hair Trigger]

That's an episode I'll have to look up and watch, and some interesting history you've found about the F-100.

The plane the British pilot is shown flying in this episode is a type the British never flew during WWI. It is a Nieuport 28, a French-built plane the RAF did not want and used the SPAD XIII instead. The Nieuport used in this episode is highly modified, using a modern radial engine instead of the original rotary.

The plane in the episode was owned by Frank Tallman, who flew it in the scenes showing it in the air and taxiing. He was a partner of Paul Mantz, the stuntman who was killed during the filming of the original Flight Of The Phoenix, with James Stewart. Tallman was supposed to be flying the "Phoenix" the day of Mantz's accident. Tallman himself was killed in a civil aviation accident, when he flew into a mountainside in bad weather.

 

[Retired W4]

The 1963 F-100 is very cool. I believe one of the last operational squadrons was OH AFNG, Springfield, OH. They traded them in on A-10s in the 80s. The pilots were not happy with the sub-sonic Warthog (at first).

Here is a 1962 aircraft that was in service until the early 90s. Army U-8F (Queen Air 65). F model was modified with IO-720, 8 cyl. We called it the Wisper Jet because it was so LOUD.

My favorite Twilight Zone episode was William Schatner and the gremlin on the wing.

 

[ladder13]

Howling Man is my favorite episode.

 

[jeffrefrig]

It was amazing what they could squeeze into that half hour show.
“ It’s GOOD that you made it snow on our crops!”
Many thought-provoking episodes.

 

[PALADIN85020]

My wife and I are Twilight Zone junkies. We saw that episode that we recorded about a week ago on a channel that's re-playing them all now.

Interesting backstory on the F-100.

John

 

[sceva]

The 1963 F-100 is very cool. I believe one of the last operational squadrons was OH AFNG, Springfield, OH. They traded them in on A-10s in the 80s. The pilots were not happy with the sub-sonic Warthog (at first).

Here is a 1962 aircraft that was in service until the early 90s. Army U-8F (Queen Air 65). F model was modified with IO-720, 8 cyl. We called it the Wisper Jet because it was so LOUD.

My favorite Twilight Zone episode was William Schatner and the gremlin on the wing.

I grew up in the Springfield, Ohio area and we would often see the National Guard jets ( as well as planes from Wright Patterson) They went from F-84's to F-100's then later they had A-7 Corsair's ( My Favorite ) then F-16's. looks like the A-10's came a little later.

As an aside, growing up within 25 miles og Wright Patterson and the ANG base n the 50's, 60' and 70's we often heard the sonic booms. We'd hear the boom and would start looking for the airplane. Concern for noise pollution eliminated the booms later but we thought they were neat.

 

[SMSgt]

It was very "nostalgic" to work at Edwards AFB for a few months and once again hear regular sonic booms. I think they're worth a few broken windows and squawking hens, although I have no doubt the military paid a handsome restitution for any such claims.

 

[Retired W4]

I grew up in the Springfield, Ohio area and we would often see the National Guard jets ( as well as planes from Wright Patterson) They went from F-84's to F-100's then later they had A-7 Corsair's ( My Favorite ) then F-16's. looks like the A-10's came a little later.

As an aside, growing up within 25 miles og Wright Patterson and the ANG base n the 50's, 60' and 70's we often heard the sonic booms. We'd hear the boom and would start looking for the airplane. Concern for noise pollution eliminated the booms later but we thought they were neat.

My information came from conversations with OH Air Guard pilots at the Ft. Rucker Officer's Club sometime in the 80s. Looking back now, they were probably drunk. But then I probably was too. One of them apparently did fly the F-100. I'll be in Yellow Springs next week.

 

[Ghost Magnum]

Those early aviators had grit that modern pilots wouldn't understand. Its amazing how you found that much info on a single F100 in one scene. How did you do that?

If I remember that episode correctly. Wasn't the RAF pilot a fake and a coward?

 

[Ματθιας]

Those early aviators had grit that modern pilots wouldn't understand. Its amazing how you found that much info on a single F100 in one scene. How did you do that?

If I remember that episode correctly. Wasn't the RAF pilot a fake and a coward?

I searched "F-100A 53-1662, FW 662".

I have a little bit of knowledge about USAF tail numbers and buzz numbers to know to add a "5" to the 31662. It had a short tail so I knew it was an "A" model. I used to build a lot of models when I was a kid.

 

[tlawler]

Those early aviators had grit that modern pilots wouldn't understand. Its amazing how you found that much info on a single F100 in one scene. How did you do that?

If I remember that episode correctly. Wasn't the RAF pilot a fake and a coward?

He portrayed a real RAF pilot, but a cowardly one. That is, until he flew off back into the cloud he appeared out of. He went back and saved the life of his wingman who became a General in charge of the RAF.

I’m a Twilight Zone junkie as well. I’ve seen all the episodes several times. I always liked seeing future stars in some of their first roles.

My all time favorite episode is “Time Enough at Last” with a young Burgess Meredith as poor henpecked Henry Bemis.

 

[Rudi]

That show was just brilliant on so many levels!!

 

[llowry61]

I grew up in the Springfield, Ohio area and we would often see the National Guard jets ( as well as planes from Wright Patterson) They went from F-84's to F-100's then later they had A-7 Corsair's ( My Favorite ) then F-16's. looks like the A-10's came a little later.

As an aside, growing up within 25 miles og Wright Patterson and the ANG base n the 50's, 60' and 70's we often heard the sonic booms. We'd hear the boom and would start looking for the airplane. Concern for noise pollution eliminated the booms later but we thought they were neat.

I grew up west of Columbus and heard many a boom. They always scared the bejeezus out of me. You could feel it in your chest. I think they flew between Springfield and Lockbourne AKA Rickenbacker.

It was probably around 65 - 68 when I was hearing them, then as you said they shut down the supersonic flights.

 

[mattallamerican]

great thread ive seen every on of them

 

[sceva]

Great little college town that seems stuck in the 1970's. My daughter misses going there and to camp at Glen Helen.

If you have enough time and haven't been; the Museum of the United States Airforce over by Fairborne is a must see

 

[Retired W4]

PM sent.

 

[D Brown]

The 1963 F-100 is very cool. I believe one of the last operational squadrons was OH AFNG, Springfield, OH. They traded them in on A-10s in the 80s. The pilots were not happy with the sub-sonic Warthog (at first).

Here is a 1962 aircraft that was in service until the early 90s. Army U-8F (Queen Air 65). F model was modified with IO-720, 8 cyl. We called it the Wisper Jet because it was so LOUD.

My favorite Twilight Zone episode was William Schatner and the gremlin on the wing.

Sorry about thread drift, but when I saw the tail number I couldn't resist.

This is the U-8 my dad flew in India (he had a diplomatic assignment with the Office of Defense Representatives - India). the first photo shows me and my father standing on the wing. Second photo is my dad and his co-pilot. Again compare the tail number to your photo.

Sorry about the photo quality. These are scans from old 1970 era 35 mm slides.