VOODOO RESCUE

Arrington/Machtolff

The Kentucky Air National Guard (ANG), which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017, has had a long and colorful history with numerous aircraft. It was perhaps its change in mission during 1958 from fighter to reconnaissance that was its most interesting period. This change took the Louisville, Kentucky-based unit out of a period of fighters, which had begun with the North American F-51D Mustang to the Republic F-84 Thunderstreak during the Korean War call-up and back to the Mustang, while continuing the fighter role for a short time in the North American F-86A Sabre. The new aircraft gracing the Air Guard ramp at Louisville’s Standiford Field would be the Martin B-57B Canberra.

The Canberra, which was a British design made under license by the Martin Company in Baltimore, Maryland, came to the Kentucky ANG painted black and configured as a light bomber, specializing in night missions. As the Canberra was integrated into the Kentucky unit, maintenance crews would strip the black paint, returning the airplane to natural metal, remove armament, and add cameras which were installed in the nose. No longer a bomber, Kentucky Canberras were now redesignated RB-57Bs.

BY CHARLES W. ARRINGTON AND KENNY L. MACHTOLFF

With the RB-57B, the Kentucky ANG, which hosted the ANG’s 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, was itself the 165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS). It officially accepted the Canberra during January 1958. A public announcement was made on February 15th which highlighted the mission of the new Canberra. In addition to doing aerial photography, the aircraft would be used to penetrate the Air Defense Identification Zones of the United States to test Air Defense Command effectiveness. Capturing images on film, the RB-57B could photograph low or high level, up to 50,000 feet. The Canberra in Kentucky ANG service provided a most safe and reliable platform with no major accidents during its tenure. For RB-57B crew chief T/Sgt. Kenny L. Machtolff, the Canberra provided enjoyable flights when he had the opportunity to accompany the airplane on long deployments as maintenance support. Other long-range ventures required Machtolff to travel aboard airlifters to designated areas. One of these was aboard a C-119 to Alaska. The ingenious Martin designed “rotary bomb bay” on the RB-57B was tasked with the job of carrying tools, supplies, and even bicycles for the hard-working maintenance teams. Machtolff also vividly remembers the reaction from a startled public when they would see the billowing black smoke being emitted from a Canberra engine during startup. These cartridge engine starts looked like an engine fire and with two starts per airplane providing twice the smoke; this would always guarantee that all eyes at an air show would be aimed at the Canberra.

During the early 1960s, the regular Air Force deployed B-57B bombers to bases in South Vietnam. The airplane was legendary for bomb accuracy during close-support missions, but as time passed attrition took its toll. In addition, B-57Bs were destroyed or damaged on the ground during enemy attacks. With that the Air Force decided to recall the Canberra from some ANG units and reconfigure them as bombers to be sent to Southeast Asia. Louisville and Reno, Nevada, in particular were tapped for this action.

On February 16, 1965, a public announcement was made in Louisville that the Kentucky ANG would convert to the McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo as a replacement for the Canberra. In the meantime, to

provide aircraft before the Voodoo arrived and during transition, a handful of RB-57A Canberras would be assigned to the 165th. The A model had a completely different cockpit arrangement compared to the B and would not be recalled by the Air Force.

Kentucky ANG Voodoos started arriving in October 1965 from RAF Bentwaters, England, and were standard fighter-bomber F-101A and F-101C models. They would undergo a period of conversion at depot to change them from fighter to reconnaissance. The end result would see the F-101A become the RF-101G and the F-101C become the RF-101H. Into early 1966 the Louisville-based unit would fly both the RB-57A and the F-101. The introduction of a new aircraft always provides a unit with fresh challenges, and the Voodoo provided plenty. The conversion from one aircraft to another required flight experience for pilots and cross-country flights were a way to achieve this need. Voodoos awaiting conversion were flown on training missions so flight crew could become proficient in the new aircraft. And of course, the aircraft would break down while “out on the road,” which often meant that the home-based unit would have to send maintenance for repairs. Machtolff noted that there were several times that he hopped aboard an RB-57A with tools in hand to set off for a distant location to make repairs, easily earning his “Voodoo Medicine Man” patch. And, because the Canberra was his favorite of the many types that he worked on while in the ANG, this often provided some levity for Machtolff. He took to painting a Voodoo silhouette above the crew entry door of his RB-57A for each successful “rescue.”

Machtolff’s best remembered repair mission revolved around an F-101B two seat Voodoo that was ☛

Arrington/Machtolff

Arrington/Machtolff

Top: A Kentucky ANG Canberra on the flight line sits on its front rim while awaiting a tire change.

Middle: A Kentucky ANG Canberra (still in its night black paint) emits black smoke during a cartridge engine start.

1964 aerial shot of Standiford Field,

Louisville, KY.

collection connection

123RD TACTICAL RECONNAISSANCE WING PATCH

The Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Wing has been assigned a variety of missions since its activation in 1950. The Wing has fl own fi ghter-bombers, interceptors, reconnaissance platforms, and transports. In 1958, the 123rd was re-designated the 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and began operating the RB-57 Canberra photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It continued to fl y the Canberra until 1965 when it re-equipped with RF-101 Voodoos. The squadron continued to fl y reconnaissance missions until 1989, when they traded out their last RF-4 Phantom IIs for the C-130 Hercules. The wing motto Fortes Fortuna Junat translates to “Fortune Assists the Brave.”

165TH TACTICAL RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON PATCH

The 165th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was assigned to the 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and fl ew RB-57 Canberra, RF-101 Voodoo, and RF-4 Phantom II reconnaissance

VOODOO MEDICINE MAN

The Voodoo Medicine Man patch was worn by ground crew assigned to maintain and repair the supersonic McDonnell F-101 Voodoo.

VOODOO ONE-O-WONDER

This patch was worn by pilots assigned to fl y the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo. It earned the nickname “One-O-Wonder” for its speed and impressive performance.

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Collections/Donate-an-Item/

NMUSAF photos being loaned to the 165th TRS for pilot training. The aircraft was one of two B models being dispatched from Shaw Air Force Base (AFB), South Carolina. One was coming to Louisville for training and the other with serviceability problems was going to Sheppard AFB in Texas to be grounded and spend the rest of its days as a maintenance trainer – never to fl y again. It would undergo work to secure and safety the airplane for its new role in the instruction of fl edgling Air Force mechanics.

Soon after the Kentucky ANG’s F-101B arrived in Louisville, it was discovered that the wrong aircraft had been sent to both locations. The airworthy Voodoo was at Sheppard while the broken airplane was in Kentucky. Once the paperwork was straightened out, a change was arranged. Kenny Machtolff was assigned the task of fl ying in the spare seat of his RB-57A to Sheppard to certify that Kentucky’s Voodoo was safe and airworthy for the fl ight back east. However, upon arrival at Sheppard, he discovered that the intended airplane had already been altered and it would take time to straighten everything out. Two weeks later with the assistance of four technicians from Kelly AFB and the work completed, Machtolff returned to Louisville and chalked up another successful distant repair sortie by applying a “mission mark” on his Canberra. Underneath the stenciled “Voodoo Rescue” applied above the crew entry door, he painted yet another silhouette of an F-101 Voodoo! As this was not the fi rst time Machtolff had “rescued” a Voodoo the scoreboard totaled three rescues (possibly not refl ecting the actual number).

Then, Machtolff’s unusual victory markings were discovered by Wing Commander Col Verne Yahne.

CONTINUED PAGE 43 VOODOO RESCUE