After almost 32 years of Government Service with the USAF and the FAA, I retired in 2004. 12 years Active Duty with one break and Two years Active Reserves, I served in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Ten CONUS assignments as a Jet Engine mechanic (B52's and KC135's) an Air Traffic Controller ( Tower/ Radar and the MOB) and an Airfield Management Specialist (Reserves) and I can say I enjoyed all of them. I just enjoyed some more than others! I left the Air Force in 1984 when the FAA gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. I spent two more with the Air Force Reserve at Greater Pitt. After 30 years of telling pilots where to go, I hung up my headset and now I watch my 16 year old son grow up. And Yes he wants to be an Air Force Fighter Pilot. He's a Plane nut just like his dad!
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The Aircraft in this profile I either worked on as a mechanic, or controlled as an Air Traffic Controller in the US Air Force or the FAA. Some have interesting stories if you click on the photo.
While at Grissom we worked A-37's that along with A-10's belonged to the Indiana Air National Guard. I got some stick time in one of these, very easy to fly!
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A-37 Dragonfly Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly was born out of a need for close-support aircraft to assist in the Vietnam War. As such, the T-37 jet trainer was converted for the role and became the A-37 series of aircraft. The system would go on to see usage in that conflict and make its way into the inventories of other nations around the globe but in particular, throughout South America.
The A-37 differed from its training counterpart in that the Dragonfly was could field a variety of munitions on eight underwing hardpoints. Additionally, the crew of pilot and trainer was scaled down to a single pilot and increasingly powerful General Electric engines were used. The A-37A was the first of the Dragonfly series fielded and were bascially converted T-33 trainers with wintip fuel tanks and better engines. The A-37B model version featured larger fuel tanks, an inflight refuling probe for extended loitering time and a reinforced internal structure to combat the rigors of low-level combat. A Forward Air Control variant existed as the OA-37B.
Standard armament for the Dragonfly consisted of a six-barrel minigun. The underwing hardpoints could mount a variety of air-dropped munitions in the form of bombs. Additionally, the Dragonfly could engage ground targets with forward-firing high-explosive rockets and / or gunpods.
