Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base: Difference between revisions
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====474th Tactical Fighter Wing==== |
====474th Tactical Fighter Wing==== |
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[[Image:F-111a-67-081-429tfs-takhli.jpg|thumb|General Dynamics F-111A |
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Serial 67-081 of the 429th TFS/347th TFW taken at Nellis AFB Nevada in 1975 still showing its 347th TFW tail code (HG). With its return from its three years deployment to Thailand the aircraft was reassigned to the 474th TFW, staying at Nellis until 1977, when all the F-111s were transferred to the 366th TFW at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. It remained in service with the 366th TFW until being retired to AMARC on 21 June 1991.]] |
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With the departure of the 366th, the '''[[474th Tactical Fighter Wing]] (Deployed)''' equipped with [[General Dynamics F-111|F-111]]s arrived at Takhli on Temporary Duty from [[Nellis Air Force Base]] [[Nevada]] on 27 September 1972. |
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The 474th TFW flew F-111As. Operational fighter squadrons of the 474th were: |
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* [[428th Tactical Fighter Squadron]] |
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* [[429th Tactical Fighter Squadron]] |
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* [[430th Tactical Fighter Squadron]] |
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All F-111As of the 474th carried the tail code NA. From Takhli, the 474th participated in [[Operation Linebacker II]] when the United States resumed the large scale bombing of [[North Vietnam]]. Their first combat mission, started only hours after their arrival at Takhli, resulted in the disappearance of one of the aircraft and another temporary cancellation of F-111 missions. Despite this bad start, F-111s gave a good account of themselves over the next few months, especially in conditions when other aircraft types could not strike. |
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In early 1973, With the suspension of bombing in North Vietnam and the resumption of peace negotiations, inflight refueling requirements decreased markedly. As a result, in late January 1973 many of the augmented tankers of the '''11th Air Refueling Squadron''', which has been rotating aircraft and aircrews from Altus AFB, returned to Oklahoma. |
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The 430th TFS returned to the 474th TFW Nellis on 22 March 1973, while the 428th and 429th were assigned to the newly transferred '''347th Tactical Fighter Wing''' from [[Mountain Home Air Force Base]] [[Idaho]] on 30 July 1973. They engaged in more than 4,000 sorties with a loss of only six aircraft. |
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====347th Tactical Fighter Wing==== |
====347th Tactical Fighter Wing==== |
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Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
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|---|---|
| Part of Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) | |
| Coordinates | 15°16′05″N 100°17′32″E / 15.26806°N 100.29222°E |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Military Air Force Base |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1955 |
| In use | 1955-Present |
| Battles/wars |  Vietnam War |
Airfield information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility. It is located in Central Thailand, approximately 144 miles (240 km) northwest of Bangkok in Takhli district, Nakhon Sawan Province, near the city of Nakhon Sawan.
Units
Takhli is the home of the Royal Thai Air Force Wing 4, 3d air division. Squadrons assigned are:
- 401 Light Attack Squadron, flying L-39 Albatross
- 402 Reconnaissance Squadron, flying Lear Jet 35A and IAI201
- 403 Fighter Squadron, flying F-16A/B
History
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base was established in the 1950s as a RTAF base. Political considerations with regards to Communist forces engaging in a civil war inside Laos and fears of the civil war spreading into Thailand led the Thai government to allow the United States to covertly use five Thai bases for the air defense of Thailand and to fly reconnaissance flights over Laos.
The USAF forces at Takhli were under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). Takhli was the location for TACAN station Channel 43 and was referenced by that identifier in voice communications during air missions.
The APO for Takhli was APO San Francisco, 96273
United States Advisory Forces
The initial squadrons and units deployed to Takhli were placed under the command and control of the Thirteenth Air Force, headquartered at Clark AB in the Philippines. Thailand-based aircraft flew missions mostly into Laos until the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which expanded the air war into North Vietnam.
In 1962, the U.S. Military Assistance Group in South Vietnam was upgraded to 'U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (the famous “MACV”}, a promotion which gave it authority to command combat troops. Shortly thereafter, the Military Assistance Command, Thailand (MACT) was set up with a similar level of authority in order “to aid Thailand, (America’s) ally and historic friend in resisting communist aggression and subversion.
The United States Air Force component of the U.S. Pacific Command was Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). Thirteenth Air Force was headquartered at Clark Air Base, Philippines. Seventh Air Force, another Numbered Air Force of PACAF was headquartered at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, although the Seventh controlled many units based in Thailand. Thai sensitivities about units based in Thailand reporting to a headquarters in South Vietnam caused a shift whereby the Seventh Air Force was ostensibly subordinate to Thirteenth Air Force for administrative matters (and therefore referred to as 7/13 Air Force). The commander, Seventh Air Force, played a dual role as MACV’s deputy for air operations.
6441st Tactical Fighter Wing
355th Tactical Fighter Wing
1972 Reopening
49th Tactical Fighter Wing
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
474th Tactical Fighter Wing
With the departure of the 366th, the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing (Deployed) equipped with F-111s arrived at Takhli on Temporary Duty from Nellis Air Force Base Nevada on 27 September 1972.
The 474th TFW flew F-111As. Operational fighter squadrons of the 474th were:
All F-111As of the 474th carried the tail code NA. From Takhli, the 474th participated in Operation Linebacker II when the United States resumed the large scale bombing of North Vietnam. Their first combat mission, started only hours after their arrival at Takhli, resulted in the disappearance of one of the aircraft and another temporary cancellation of F-111 missions. Despite this bad start, F-111s gave a good account of themselves over the next few months, especially in conditions when other aircraft types could not strike.
In early 1973, With the suspension of bombing in North Vietnam and the resumption of peace negotiations, inflight refueling requirements decreased markedly. As a result, in late January 1973 many of the augmented tankers of the 11th Air Refueling Squadron, which has been rotating aircraft and aircrews from Altus AFB, returned to Oklahoma.
The 430th TFS returned to the 474th TFW Nellis on 22 March 1973, while the 428th and 429th were assigned to the newly transferred 347th Tactical Fighter Wing from Mountain Home Air Force Base Idaho on 30 July 1973. They engaged in more than 4,000 sorties with a loss of only six aircraft.
347th Tactical Fighter Wing
On 30 July 1973 the TDY of the 474th TFW ended. The wing was replaced at Takhli by the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing which was transferred from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, retaining two squadrons of F-111As of the 474th. These were:
- 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: HG - Red Tail Fin)
- 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: HG - Yellow Tail Fin)
For a brief two-week period the 347th flew combat operations into Cambodia until 15 August, when the last wartime mission of the Vietnam Era was flown into Cambodia for final mission of Constant Guard IV. After the cease-fire, the wing was maintained in a combat-ready status for possible contingency actions.
During January 1974 the Secretary of Defense announced a realignment of Thailand resources, with the final pullout of air resources by the end of 1976. In June 1974, Four F-111s from the 347th TFW flew from Takhli to Osan Air Base South Korea and conducted live weapons demonstrations for Republic of Korea and US officials at Nightmare Range.
The USAF left Takhli under Operation Palace Lightning in 1974. On 12 July the 347 TFW's F-111's and the AC-130 gunships from the 16th SOS were transferred to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, which did not send home the last of its aircraft until December 1975.
On 31 July 1974 phase down of operations at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base was completed ahead of schedule, and the base was officially returned to the Thai Government on 12 September. All remaining US personnel departed on 14 September.
Major Aircraft Types Assigned To Takhli
- F-100 Super Sabre (1961–1963)
- F-105 Thunderchief (1963–1970)
- Boeing KB-50 (1964–1965)
- F-104 Starfighter (1965)
- Douglas EB-66 Destroyer (1965–1970)
- KC-135 Stratotanker (1967–1968)
- General Dynamics F-111 (1968, 1972–1974)
- F-4 Phantom II (1972)
- MC-130 Combat Talon
Post-Vietnam Deployments by USAF to Takhli
From 13–17 December 1982 Commando West V was held. This marked the first visit of a PACAF tactical unit to Thailand since the early 1970s. The 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron from Elmendorf AFB Alaska deployed six F-4Es to Takhli, flying a total of 55 sorties with the Royal Thai Air Force.
Also on 25 November 1983 six F-4Es from the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing's 3TFS deployed to Takhli for dissimilar air combat tactics training with the Royal Thai Air Force. The group returned to Clark Air Base on 5 December.
See also
- United States Air Force In Thailand
- United States Pacific Air Forces
- Seventh Air Force
- Thirteenth Air Force
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
- Glasser, Jeffrey D. (1998). The Secret Vietnam War: The United States Air Force in Thailand, 1961-1975. McFarland & Company. ISBN 0786400846.
- Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0887405134.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present
- The Royal Thai Air Force (English Pages)
- Royal Thai Air Force - Overview
External links
- Takhli Photos 72-74
- www.Takhli RTAFB.org
- Takhli RTAFB, Thailand – 355th TFW Days
- Takhli RTAFB Hootchs
- Takhli Message Board
- Takhli Air Base - APO 96273
 United States Air Force In Thailand  | ||
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