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This Remembrance Profile was originally created by Sgt Stephen Willcox - Deceased
Contact Info
Last Address Augusta, Georgia
Date of Passing Sep 17, 2011
Location of Interment Oakwood Cemetery - Raleigh, North Carolina
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Colonel Thomas Marshall Tilley retired from the Air Force in 1970. He was a command pilot with 4500 flying hours. After retirement he was employed at the University of Northern Colorado where he administered graduate programs for Colorado Springs from 1973-1983.
Colonel Tilley is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was laid to rest with full military honors on September 19, 2011.
Other Comments:
"Name: Thomas M. Tilley
Birth Year: 1918
Nativity or State or Country: North Carolina
County or City: Durham
Enlistment Date: 26 Apr 1941
Enlistment State: North Carolina
Enlistment City: Fort Bragg
Branch: Air Corps
Grade Code: Aviation Cadet
Component: Regular Army
Source: Civil Life
Education: 3 years of college
Civil Occupation: Actors and actresses
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Height: 68
Weight: 163" Source: U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, Ancestry.com
The 57th Fighter Group left Quonset Point, Rhode Island on July 1, 1942 with pilots and P-40 aircraft aboard the USS Ranger. About 100 miles off the coast of Africa, the pilots took off in 72 Warhawks and flew to Accra, Gold Coast. This was the first fighter group to takeoff from a carrier in land based fighter planes. In stages they moved across Africa to Palestine. They arrived in the Mediterranian Theatre of Operations on July 30, 1942, the first American fighter group in Africa and the MTO. Their first mission to support the British in Egypt was on August 9, 1942. They later fought in the Battle of El Alamein, as well in the "Palm Sunday Massacre" over Cape Bon, Tunisa. The 57th, along with their cover spitfires, destroyed 59 JU-52's, 14 Me-109s, 2 Me 110s, all within a ten minute battle. While on his tour, Thomas Tilley flew 70 combat missions. During the 1950's he commanded two fighter squadrons of F-102s and later held positions in NORAD, Chicago Air Defense Section, and Alaskan Air Command.
1956-1960, F-102 Delta Dagger
From Year 1956
To Year 1960
Personal Memories
Not Specified
Image
F-102 Delta Dagger Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger Length 68.37 ft | 20.84 m Width 38.12 ft | 11.62 m Height 21.19 ft | 6.46 m Engine(s) 1 x Pratt & Whitney J57-P-25 turbojet engine delivering 17,200 lbs of thrust. Empty Weight 19,026 lbs | 8,630 kg MTOW 31,500 lbs | 14,288 kg Max Speed 825 mph | 1,328 km/h | 717 kts Max Range 1,350 miles | 2,173 km Ceiling 54,003 ft | 16,460 m | 10.2 miles Climb Rate 17,400 ft/min (5,304 m/min) Hardpoints 6 Armament 6 x air-to-air missiles 24 x 2.75in unguided rockets (pod x2)
Nuclear Capable Accommodations 1
Major Variants
? XF-92A - Experimental Test Study Aircraft from which the YF-102 is derived from. ? YF-102 - Prototype Model Designation (Model 8-80); fitted with 9,700lb Pratt & Whitney J57-P-11 turbojet engine. ? YF-102A - Redesigned "Whitcomb Area Ruled" airframe. ? F-102A - Initial Production Model Designation ? TF-102A - Tandem Seat Trainer Conversion Models ? F-102B - Improved Development on base F-102; redesignated and produced as the F-106 Delta Dart. ? YF-106A - F-106 Prototype Model Designation of which two were produced. ? F-106A - Single Seat Model Designation ? F-106B - Two-Seat Model Designation
