| Craig Swift, e-mail, 01.12.2023 05:34 I was a Parachute Rigger in North Island
VAW 111 Det.4. Matt's Mustangs.
From 1971-1974. Just wondering if you are the
Some Norb (RAT) Roden that I kmow.
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| Garry l Eurich, e-mail, 23.04.2023 14:14 Hi. Don. Your name sound very familiar. I worked on the flight line as a crew chief/ plane captain. I was dual qualified on the E-2A and the E-1B Mr Hanson was our division officer. 67-68. Then got order aboard the USS Constellation-CVA 64. Ships company V-2 Division Arresting Gear. I was a E-3 AMH. I really enjoyed going out to the carriers with the new training pilots. FCLP’s. Only served 4 yrs. Got out of the Nav. Became a Carpenter. I come from a family of carpenters. 45 yrs. If you get a chance email me. Maybe we can get caught up.
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| Garry l Eurich, e-mail, 23.04.2023 13:50 Howdy CW.
I was stationed at North island. I was a plane captain on both aircraft. E-2 and the E-1B FUDD.I only made E3 AMH. I really did love my job there their. I remember your name. Reply back maybe we can get caught up from those day..!
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| William G Schultz, e-mail, 27.01.2023 04:34 Juan, Did you ever get the E-1B airborne?
I have a feeling it might just be the only airworthy specimen around
I worked for Grumman for 34 years as a field rep (A6 Intruders/F-14 Tomcats) and later a marketing manager.
A few of my friends there were in the EW programs and I think served with some of the last squadrons that operated the Tracer...Willy Fudd to those that operated them.
Bill
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| Joe Hunter, e-mail, 18.12.2022 20:27 My brother Richard “Dick” Hunter flew the E-1 around 1963-4 until around 1969.
He was a “Bat” at NAS Norfolk squadron VAW-12 then later after the split. He was assigned aboard The USS Wasp and was on the the Gemini 12 recovery mission. Later he served aboard The FDR in the med. Unfortunately he had a massive heart attack at 38 and died. He was 14 years older than me so I’m trying to learn more about him. Also he was friends with another pilot Larry Wagoner of Dallas-FW Many Thanks, wintoncourt@hotmail.com Joe Hunter
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| pete mcconnell, e-mail, 30.10.2022 21:43 Juan.. I volunteer at the New England Air Museum. We recently started a preservation project on E-1B tracer 147217. I wish you success on your project. We are still having an issue on folding the wings. pete mcconnell
email Oakwood15@aol.com
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| tom manalio, 20.02.2022 04:38 tmanalio at yahoo com
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| tom manalio, e-mail, 20.02.2022 04:36 Yes ! I remember Mr. Lippincott. Good pilot. I was a radar operator with VAW-121
Det-9 and det 18. 1967-69
tmanalio at yahoo
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| tom manalio, e-mail, 20.02.2022 04:36 Yes ! I remember Mr. Lippincott. Good pilot. I was a radar operator with VAW-121
Det-9 and det 18. 1967-69
tmanalio at yahoo
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| tom manalio, e-mail, 20.02.2022 04:30 I flew as aircrew for two years. Always made it back to the ship.
tmanalio@yahoo.com
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| tom manalio, e-mail, 20.02.2022 04:27 Manalio right here in sunny Florida
Ocala.
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| Steve Hall, e-mail, 18.02.2022 04:19 Bill(night duck) how are things going for you now?myself,retired carpenter-locksmith one 30 year old son a math teacher,trying to live the life.
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| gene hamilton, e-mail, 13.02.2022 18:17 I was with VAW-121 out of NAS Norfolk, as a PN3, then eventually PN2 during shore duty at HS-10 NAS Imperial Beach, CA. Cruises with my detachments aboard the USS Randolph and the Twilight Cruise to the arctic circle, Bluenose!, NATO .. on the USS Yorktown. I served with Dale Ceballos and a few other fun guys. If anyone has info on where to get cruise patchex let me know. thanks….
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| Don Dickson, e-mail, 13.12.2021 04:49 I was at RVAW 110 1967-68 in the Supply shop. Chief Julio sucked. I kept giving him chits for AT school and he tore them up. He shitcaned me to the tool room.. Good for me, got me out for under his nose. One day the CO walked in and asked me if I like what I was doing and I told him No! He asked me why and I told him what Chief Julio was doing. He asked me if I had any chits and I handed him one. He signed it approved and told me to the Chief to sign it. That was fun!!!, In Nov. 71, on my way home as at E5, a stop in Subic Bay guess who I ran into? Chief Julio. I called him an SOB and lMA off!
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| Jim Bonner, e-mail, 15.10.2021 05:05 If anyone knows where Tom Manalio is or Danny Ferretti is and how toget in touch with them please call me at 434-386-4304 or e-mail me at jamesjbonner3@gmail.com
thanks
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| Jim Bonner, e-mail, 13.10.2021 19:50 This site allows you to send repliesbut does notlist your e mail address.anyone visiting this site can see your name but not your e-mail address.
Isaw Tom Manaleo 's comment bot I can not message him.He was avery cood friend.I have not talked to him for 52 yrs
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| Jim Bonner, e-mail, 13.10.2021 19:37 I got the cruise book ,Tom.call me at 434-386-4304
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| James Bonner, e-mail, 13.10.2021 06:12 I joined VAW-121 on 12-27-68 and eventually was a Plne Captain in Det. 18.I did 2 short deployments and a north atlantic cruise on the Wasp. When Godfrey And kane took the barrier ,Iwas ordered to ride the brakes when it was towed aeay.Only the rudder pedals were disfigured.It had no brakes! Do you remenber Chief Stewwart? Well I thought very little of him..Anyway I left 121 in December 69,went to A-school,navigator/plane captain school in Whidbey Is.,and on toVQ-2 in Rota,.I flew 3rd seat for 3yrs8mthsand had many encounters with Stewart in Mildenhall,EnglandGot out as an E-5ADJ.Wished I had stayed in .I majored in Fun. Have been on 13 carriers.hundreds of traps,2 crasches and all over Europe and the mideast,and Africa
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| steve mcgowen, e-mail, 29.03.2021 03:02 I reported to RVAW 110 in July 1967 and finished pilot training in Sept 67. Then reported to VAW 111 det 14 (Ticonderoga). Completed 2
eight month cruises to Yankee station in Oct 69. Reported to RVAW 110
in Dec 70 as instructor pilot with 1100 hours of Willy Fudd time. Released from active duty in May 72 and started flying with reserves
and finally joining VAW 88 at Miramar in 1976. Started transition in May 77 to E-2/B with 2300 total E1 flight time. My last flight in the E2-b was
Sept 83 with 439 E2-B hours. Total Navy flight time of 3023 hours.
I had Lou Romano as a rag student starting 22 Feb 71 to 6 April. I retired from the Navy in 1990 with almost 25 years of service.
I too enjoyed flying the reliable Grumman aircraft. It could have been worse - no one was shooting at us!
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| Daniel Spahn, e-mail, 12.01.2021 18:32 Billy, I was also with 111 -2 and rvaw110-2, Trained as flight tech transfered to AIMD for both cruises. Memories forever. I kept the APS-82 working. Still have my receiver tuning tool.
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| John Mooney, e-mail, 21.05.2020 23:03 I was a NFO with VAW 111 Det 6 and remember you as being very efficient. I was the NFO when Searcy took the barricade in July 72 in Gulf of Tonkin.
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| Juan redick, e-mail, 24.03.2018 06:10 I own a E1b 148922 RVAW 120 sitting in AZ does anyone have any photos or have you ever flown this Aircraft Ive been collecting parts for some time now got two Qs hopefully will be able to install them this year . Hope toget it flying Id irelly love to share it with people at air shows some day its on the top of my bucket list
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| Tom Mobley, e-mail, 23.02.2018 14:59 Was in VW-11 in Argentia Newfoundland & came to VAW-12 in early 1962. Sent on Med Cruise with U.S.S. Randolph, CVS 15 as radar aircrew. Flew many missions from Randolph during the Cuban Missile Crisis the fall of 1962, looking for Russian Subs. I wish I had more photographs of the time as it was interesting and exciting for a young sailor. I left the navy in Nov. 1963 with over 1100 hours flight time.
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| clifford L. Jacobson, e-mail, 04.11.2017 02:56 Went straight to RVAW 110 out of boot camp. Transferred to VAW 111 Det 20 after a couple of years. Went out on the Bennington, Ticonderoga,and Hornet on Quals. Re-upped for 60 months shore duty to Moffett field. Got out after that. Went back for Master Chief Richard Perry's retirement ceremony on the Vincent. It was parked in Alameda next to the Hornet. Lots of fond memories.
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| Cliff Rose, 27.05.2017 15:05 I was flight crew in VAW - !! at North Island 1965 - 1967 and did 2 westpacs 1 on the Midway CVA 41 and 1 on the big "O" CVA 34. I was in the aircraft and we ready to go to cat #1 when the ship had the big fire in 1966. We ended up comming house 3 months early due to the fire, at the time I had almost made my metal for 100plus landing & take offs on an aircraft carrer
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| "Kentucky", e-mail, 31.03.2017 19:20 I too was RVAW 110 DET 4 "End of Trail" E-1B Tracer "Willie Fudd" "Stoof with the Roof" not sure I spelled that right,deployed onboard USS Oriskany CV 34, USS Roosevelt CV 42. All three just that "End of Trail" I learned not to stand under a prop dome that had just been cleaned while being attached to the 1820 and, with one of the 1820 has been feathered shut the damn overhead."Shakie" "Scoobie Dooh" where are you. You guys know ! Thank all of you shipmates for one the highlight in my life. Mr C Nesby I can only thank you for your leadership and have prayed that you got that "Fighter" seat.
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| Phillip Kokesh, e-mail, 26.01.2017 14:17 along with Reno Unger, I was in Det 20 aboard the Bennington her last cruise...
what a group we had! remember LCDR Barton & LCDR Hale?
i was also in Det 34 aboard the Oriskany for a second Nam' cruise... LCDR Gene Quinn, our OinC, was one of the greatest guys I ever met in my life..! black Irish, a rapier wit, and smart as a whip on how the Navy ACTUALLY worked- he was a mustang'... (officer who came up through the enlisted ranks...)
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| reno nger, e-mail, 26.12.2016 07:04 I was an NFO with VAW 111, Det 20 aboard the Bennington 1967-69. One Tonkin Gulf Cruise. Left the active Navy, stayed in the reserves and ended up a university professor in Pennsylvania. The time in the squadron added a dimension to my life that I wouldn't fave missed for the word.
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| Jeffrey Beardsley, e-mail, 09.08.2016 15:23 RVAW 110-Det 4. I was an IFT. Oriskany and then the final cruise of Franklin Roosevelt. 1975-1977.
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| Rem Hunnewell, e-mail, 31.07.2016 05:24 Served with RVAW110 Det 6 at North Island 72-74
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| Riva Lippincott, e-mail, 30.07.2016 08:03 My husband, Mike Lippincott, flew E1b's from 1967-1970 in Norfolk, Va. Did anyone fly with him? He had such good memories of "the Willy Fudd."
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| B. Clark, e-mail, 06.07.2016 10:42 Crewed one of the first, #774 out of Quanset Point, RI 1960-1962 aboard the FDR CVA42. Great experience.
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| Tom Manalio, e-mail, 21.03.2016 06:34 Flew as aircrew on the E1B 1967-69 can still remember a few pilots names. Pittman. Savard. T. Dunn. Estes. Godwin. Kinnan (a real douche) Swaffar (sarcastic, gifted, demeaning but could drive off the tee with a 1 iron) Tito Bianci or Rose Mateus. Funny story.
TIME OF MY LIFE. Guido. The killer Pimp
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| Lawrence "Commander" Day, e-mail, 12.02.2016 02:39 I was a "Mole", Naval Flight Officer in VAW-121 from May 1967 until October 1970. I was in Detachment 9 USS Essex when we picked up Apollo 7 and later in Detachment 18 USS Wasp. The E-1B was a sturdy airplane. I enjoyed poking my head out the topside hatch during flight to cool off during warm summer flights over the Atlantic.
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| Timothy E. Johnson, e-mail, 19.10.2015 02:54 I was in RVAW Det 4 out of NAS North Island and we were assigned to the USS Oriskany CVA 34 for its last cruise to Westpac. I was an airframe mech and plane captain on the E1B. 1975 was the timeframe and while 12 on and 12 off was rough it was the best time of my life. The mighty O is a reef in Pensacola, Florida. I saw her before she was sunk. Good memories
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| Don Morales, e-mail, 23.09.2015 15:39 i was in VAW-121 Det. 11 when it disbanded.
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| Fontaine L., e-mail, 16.08.2015 04:51 I was with vaw111 det 12 later 3.also made a couple westpak cruises on hancock 70/71/72 69 recovery apollo11 uss hornet.took a screwing by cmd.peterzak.i won out in the end.was a little smatter than that a&#,o!%.hope he died mosarable i pray.
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| Fontaine L., e-mail, 16.08.2015 04:50 Vaw 111 det.19 aboard USS.Hornet.Vaw 111 Det.12 USDHancock,I dtill remember a few of the guy's names.
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| Randy Staples, e-mail, 28.07.2015 01:08 I was a young airman and 3rd class with VAW-111 Det. 3 on the Ticonderoga. Had some of my best times in that Detachment with only 75 Officers and Enlisted we got to know and work very close together and build good friendships. This was the start of my 28 year career and I don't think it could have started any better. The Willy Fudd was fun to work on and maintain and it gave me my first cat and recovery in the Navy. Loved it!!!
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| c w ranes, e-mail, 12.11.2014 00:27 I was stationed at North Island 1966-68. I too was sent after a bucket of "prop wash" but was turned down unless I could find 100' of "flight line". I was with VS-41 and RVAW-110.
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| Bill Bradow, e-mail, 11.11.2014 03:30 I joined VAW-12 right out of the Training Command in Oct 1964. VAW-12 was the largest squadron in the Navy at the time and flew the E1B. It was re-formed as CAEWW-12 in July 1967 and split into individual squadrons when the E2's began arriving in force. The E1 squadron was VAW-121 and the E2 squadrons were 122, 123, etc. Rvaw-120 was the RAG squadron and I was part of the first instructor group flying E1B's. We also did E2A training. The E1B was a good, solid aircraft which could be a little tricky to fly at times because of the dome-created extra drag. I left active duty in 1969 with around 1200 hrs of E1B time.
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| Billy Pierce, e-mail, 10.11.2014 18:10 I was an inflight tech on these planes out of North Island, San Diego, CA during 1973-75. Completed 1 WESTPAC cruise each on the USS Hancock and USS Coral Sea. Norb Roden and Steve Gorek who posted here were on the last one with me. There is currently an E1-B (1 of the 3 assigned to RVAW-110 Det 2) on the USS Yorktown Museum in Charleston, SC.
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| Terry Rogers, e-mail, 09.04.2014 01:43 I was with RVAW-110, North Island from 1968-1969, working in Maintenance Control and Airframes (hyd.) on E-1B's and E-2A's.
Just happened to find this site today while reading up on R-1820's. Also, I'm meeting up with Al Angerstein this weekend after 40 some odd years who was an ADR-3 at RVAW-110 as well. I recall an E-1B cross country flight where we stopped at Davis Monthan AFB, and the AF chap pointed to the radome and asked who rode up there? I told him I did, and it wasn't much fun because there weren't any windows up there. I now work across the street from Long Beach Airport, and Catalina Flying Boats have a DC3 they fly to Catalina everyday hauling freight, and the sound of those radials warming up brings back fond memories of the Willy Fudds and North Island.
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| Allen Capel, e-mail, 16.01.2014 22:59 Just a correction to my email. It is seavamp@wildblue.net.
Anyone notice that there is no mention of the TF-1 or the C-1A ?
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| Allen Capel, e-mail, 16.01.2014 22:45 I served in VAW-111 Det 34,6,7, 11 (all the same, they just kept changing the numbers )on Ranger and Oriskany 1970-1974. My job was P.O. on charge of P/P on the Ranger and Maint CPO on the "O Boat ". I had been working on the TF-/C1A and S2s for about 12 years, so I knew the R-1820 well. What a great engine! On two WestPacs the Det never missed a mission. We changed engines on the flight deck ( 8 point changes)almost over night. That was the norm on the East Coast, so I made it the norm for our Det. For corrosion control at sea, I found an old GREB that said to use aluminum paint made by Rustoleum. Sure beat that waxy,oily peralketone, and we had zero corrosion. When ashore, I got to rack up a lot of right hand seat fying. All of those Grumman planes were tough and got the job done. I'm still in touch with a few "Fuddmen" and we all agree that Fudds are fun! Anyone want to swap sea stories - I'm available.
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| Norb "Rat" Roden, e-mail, 07.01.2014 00:19 I joined the E1B community for training in Sept. of 1971 with RVAW-110 training command. In the spring of 1972 I joined up with VAW-111 Det. 4 aboard the USS Coral Sea and Retired VAW-111 Det. 4 3 aircraft in the spring of 1974. I was due to transfer back to the RVAW-110 training command to transition to the E-2C aircraft, however when VAW-111 Det. 2 returned later in 1974 they were not decommissioned and became RVAW 110 Det. 2 and were short of inflight technician crewmen. Thus I went back to sea with RVAW-110 Det. 2 on the USS Coral Sea for the 1974 - 1975 cruise. We were low and slow but never had trouble with take offs and landings. The aircraft was very enjoyable to fly on and also to maintain as an electronics technician. It was sad to bid farewell to this sound work horse of the fleet.
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| Tom Ferreira, e-mail, 31.12.2013 01:28 In 1966 I was in VAW-11 working on both the E1B and E2A. In 1974 I received orders to RVAW-110 Det 2 which was assigned to the USS Coral Sea. We had three Willy Fudds to get groomed and ready for a cruise. It was actually an
easy aircraft to work on and reliable. The aircraft was the right size for the ship, the E2 Hawkeye was too big. The only great danger with this aircraft were the props. Except for the ships COD everything else was jets, so you had to stay on your game. Any time we did maintenance turns, the jet guys would come over and listen to the 1820s purr like a kitten, that engine sounded good. As all good things must come to and end, the Willy Fudd was around for another year or two and it was time to say good by.
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| Lou Romano, e-mail, 24.12.2013 18:45 After completing VAW 110 RAG training I was assigned to
VAW-111 Det 3 and joined the det aboard USS Ticonderoga in Hong Kong in 1971. Upon return from that cruise we were involved in several at sea training exercises then in April of '72 Tico and Det 3 was sent to the South Pacific, and our Fud crews were assigned to track the descent and the pickup of Apollo 17. Immediately following return from that cruise we were sent back to WestPac and while in the South China Sea among other assignments we were working with the ASW crews to track the Russian nuke subs coming down following the mining of the harbors in Hanoi, interdict junks heading from NVN to SVN carrying weapons and munitions as well as tracking Russian trawlers operating electronic monitoring equipment. Having been pilot and plane commander of several naval aircraft, I enjoyed flying and landing aboard the carrier with the Willy Fudd as she was a reliable and durable aircraft.
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| Charlie McDaniel, e-mail, 05.08.2013 23:52 I flew the prototype136792 for about three years while at NAS Cecil Field. No roof, just the twin tail. Does anyone know if any other c-1As were used as prototype for the E-1?
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| Ian Shaw, e-mail, 26.04.2013 15:35 Firstly I will explain a bit about myself, I was a Warrant Officer in the RAF and retired 6 years ago. I have a passion for AEW aircraft derived from my 5 years at RAF Waddington working on two tours of duty with the E-3D AWACS fleet based there. The book about the history of AEW Aircraft is a project that Sergio (who lives in Brazil) and I have been working on now for over 4 years, initially adapting Sergio's Brazilian text from a Portuguese language version into English.
In the last year we have found a European publisher who is as enthusiastic as we are to produce the book but with an emphasis on narratives from the actual Aircrew members who took part in the AEW missions. We are not writing this book for financial gain as the royalties for each copy will amount to coppers that will be split between two people and will barely cover our paper and ink cartridge costs after tax . The reason we are writing it is to tell the true story of AEW development and to ensure that the guys and girls who spend or have spent hundreds of hours staring at PPIs get the full recognition that they deserve for their dedication to duty and their efforts to complete their mission.
Incredibly there are very very few books out there that cover this subject and those that exist mainly concentrate on the technical aspects and do not cover the human or historical elements at all. Our aim is to correct this and to try and tell the complete story for the first time. We realise that time is of the essence in several respects, primarily because many of the guys from the very early days in WW2 who flew the ACI Wellington and the crews who flew in the PB-1Ws in Korea are no longer with us. In addition our publisher is very keen to get the book completed and out in the shops because he knows that a hole in the market exists
The early operational story of the E-1B's of the U.S Navy hasnt really been told from the crews perspective, there is a book written by an American author Edwin Leigh Armistead called AWACS and Hawkeyes which is very good at describing the development of the aircraft as an aerial AEW platform from the Navy perspective but doesnt have any input from the aircrews themselves or any detail on the operational deployments.
The marvellous thing about your website is that it has personal accounts from Aircrew who actually flew the missions. Sergio and I are hoping that some of the contributors above who actually flew missions on the Willy Fudd would be willing to let us use their accounts in our book as examples from the Aircrew of their own stories. Of course any contributor to the book will be fully credited in the Acknowledgements section and in the Chapter itself.
So we would be grateful if you could consider our request and if any you agree to contribute then please send us a written e-mail back with your accounts and if you have any your personal photographs of your aircraft if any are available and you are willing for us to use them. We both thank you in advance and hope to hear from you soon.
Ian Shaw - ian.shaw1@btinternet.com
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| Gene Wood, e-mail, 07.12.2012 23:30 I was in RVAW-120 (Norfolk)from '70-'72 in airframes shop working hydraulics, mostly at night. Great bunch of guys, great fun till Bruce signaled fold wings on me and caught my face and hand in the jury strut door on an E2. Went on just about every carrier during that time for qualifying. Loved the flight deck work. Grant Brower was the best bud a guy could have.
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| pete peters AK3rd class, e-mail, 14.10.2012 18:12 my frist station in 1967 until 1971.vaw 121 had just began i was trained as plane captian, gas station attendant.i was with giddings,curtis,brehmer,kain,as plain capt.i was on the randolph,shangrala,york town,wasp,i once hopped a flight from nas to new orleans. 18 hrs of pleasent flight.
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| Pete, e-mail, 11.03.2012 02:01 I think I'm the last active duty guy to ever qualify as an FT on the Fudd. VAW-78 at NAS Norfolk, 1977. (yep that was a reserve unit). Not really a platform story but...Our call sign was Alpha Foxtrot and side number. Close Encounters of the Third Kind had just opened at the theaters and in the opening scene some airline pilots are reporting a UFO. The scene is in LA Center and in the background chatter I hear a controller say "Alpha Foxtrot 703 turn right to heading 340 and maintain altitude". I about went nuts. The rest of the audience was wondering what I was so excited about. Only trained aircrew could have picked that out of a whole bunch of background. I wish I could still hear that well, we soon transitioned to E2s and my hearing was never the same since. (AT1 USNR Ret.)
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| Jerry Furr, e-mail, 31.12.2011 22:36 I too served in VAW-121 as a Plane Captain on the E-1. Was assigned to Det-18 on the USS Wasp in late '67 thru 1968. Made the cruise to GITMO in '68. Left the squadron for AD "A" school just before the Detachment deployed to the North Atlantic. Was sorry to leave behind a lot of good people.
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| mike fairfax [FAX], e-mail, 06.07.2011 23:17 served in vaw 111 det 6 then to rvaw 110 det 6 from 1972 to1975 on the USS ORISKANY WOULD LOVE TO HERE FROM ANY FELLOW FUDD MATES FROM THIS TIME
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| Tom Ward, e-mail, 01.06.2011 19:08 I was also in VAW 121 and on the Wasp when Godfrey and Kane took the barricade. I was up on the island when the plane landed. I have an 8m movie of it. I was an ATR2 aircrewman and a flight deck troubleshooter. I was in VAW-121 Det 18 (Wasp) from 67-69.
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| Fred Buerman, e-mail, 24.03.2011 02:47 I wasd in VAW12 in the early 60s then went to VAW11 in 64 and we had AD5Ws and E1Bs.In early 1964 we got our first E2As.I stayed in VAW11 until 1978 when the squadron broke up into about SIX different squadrons.I STAYED IN RVAW 110 UNTIL EARLY 1968.Then i went to VAw111 AND MADE two VietNam cruises with the the USS Hancock CVW21. The rest is history.
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| Wayne Duncan, e-mail, 15.03.2011 11:41 After graduating from ADR "A" school, I was assigned to VAW 121 in Norfolk in 1971. One of my first jobs given to me was to go over to RVAW 120 and get a bucket of "Prop Wash" so we could clean the props. Boy was I easy. One of the other new guys was sent all over the base to get a replacement "Key" so we could start the damn thing. They told him the Squadron lost the original. We had a lot of fun and I sure enjoyed working on those engines. I still remember replacing that damn CSD gearbox. What a pain in the ass that was. I was only with VAW 121 for a short time due to our Decommissioning, but I sure had great memories. Unfortunately I not only got to have my Squadron Decomissioned but also got to take the last cruise on the USS Wasp. It didn't last very long. If anyone from VAW 121 has any pictures, please contact me. I don't have any and would love to have some to add to my photo album of my Naval Career.
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| J.D. Phipps, e-mail, 07.02.2011 19:49 I was in RVAW-120 from 1970-73 working on the FUDD and Hummers. Loved the E-1B, great little airplane. I flew in them as a Maint. Aircrew. We had to take a pair out to the USS JFK when the E-2's were all down for prop problems so the ship could do their ORE. 2planes to replace 4 and we made all our commitments. Good old reliable product from the Grumman Iron Works.
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| wayne R., e-mail, 17.12.2010 06:00 I flew in one of the first two WF's delivered to the Navy at Patuxent river sometime in 1959. We had a marine radar operator who did most of the testing on the radar. I was attached to Electronics Test division of the Naval air Test center from October 1957 to October 1959.
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| Fred Fischer, e-mail, 30.11.2010 08:14 I was a flight tech with RVAW-110, NAS North Island, from 1968 to 1970. We then flew the the E1B. Can anyone please provide me with the tail letters and nose numbers for our squadron aircraft at the time?
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| Billy Grimes, e-mail, 09.10.2010 01:58 Any other Marines besides me ever fly the E1?
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| Steve Gorek, e-mail, 01.09.2010 20:41 I flew, as an NFO, with the second last active detachment on the west coast off the Coral Sea, and as noted above, the E-1B was not an exciting plane compared to other carrier aircraft. However with that said, it was a stable and extremely reliable AEW platform and a "bird" that got the job done with little fanfare or sophisticated systems. In fact in the early/mid 70's while Grumman was still de-bugging the E-2 airframe and systems, many of the tactical squadrons preferred working with us versus the E-2's simply due to our reliability to meet carrier ops commitments. Even in it's closing days the E-1B served well during Operations Eagle Pull, Frequent Wind and the Mayaguez Recovery. Farewell to Fudds, simplicity at its best!
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| Dave (Putt Putt) Patterson, e-mail, 28.08.2010 18:53 I flew the "Fudd" at VAW 12 from 64-68. Boring airplane, but great people...
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| Robertr Smith, e-mail, 10.04.2010 16:13 I was a flight tech on Nas North Island RVAW 110, 1969-72 and worked on the radar. The radar had 1 Million Watts of power! A great airplace.
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| skip, e-mail, 11.03.2010 04:05 the e1 was a modified c1a trader, i worker on the proto type at quonsit pt in the early 70's it carried more fuel than tha s2 tracker. the tracker, trader, and tracer were similar aircraft but the s2 was not modified to a e1.
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| Tom Kane, e-mail, 09.05.2008 01:21 Bill ( Skids- another story ) Godfrey lost an engine over the North Atlantic off 'Wasp' during the late sixties. The venerable ( PIG ) steadily lost altitude coming back to the ship for recovery until it got into ground/water effect and mercifully it stabilized at about 30 feet- 20 feet below deck level and unable to climb. Bill had a hard time hearing the radio transmissions as he had the overhead hatches open so he closed them. Eureka!! The E1 climbed a bit, enough to get above deck level and make shallow turns. Bill established a long straightaway, at near full power and on getting the cut signal, the aircraft swerved a bit and his left wing impacted the left pylon and knocked about six feet off. The plane was trapped in the net and all was well. OK (a little left for lineup) barricade.
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