The deceptive Drakens of Tonopah

[Spinners 15,986]

SAAB-Fairchild F-13A - 4451st Tactical Squadron, USAF, 1985

During mid-1965 with attrition rates rising as the Vietnam conflict progressed (sic) the USAF's plans for re-equipping the ADC and ANG interceptor squadrons with F-4C's fell apart. Undaunted they launched a quick study into an off-the-shelf purchase of an alternative interceptor to replace the F-102's and supplement the F-106's and looked at the BAC Lightning, the Dassault Mirage IIIC, the Saab Draken J-35F and the homegrown Lockheed Starfighter 'ADC' (an F-104G optimised for air-defense duties). With some considerable weighting given in the detailed analysis to low cost the Saab Draken soon became the front-runner by being the only aircraft with a fly-away price below $1M but, in fact, the USAF study team scored the Draken highly in most areas. 

In July 1966 the USAF announced that Saab's outstanding J-35F was the winner of the competition and that Fairchild, who had recently taken over Republic Aviation, were to partner Saab in producing the aircraft by now redesignated F-13 (despite objections from Fairchild to the 'unlucky' number although Saab didn't seem too bothered). Entering service with the Florida Air National Guard in March 1968 the F-13 was initially viewed as the poor relation by the F-106 squadrons, a situation that soon changed with the success of the F-13 in the 1970 William Tell competition. F-13's served until the mid-1980's when they were generally replaced by F-16A's although one squadron remained in service until 1990 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada in a ruse designed to mask operations of the F-117 Stealth Fighter.

During the flight-testing and the early service years of the F-117A 'Nighthawk' the F-13A Draken was used as a surrogate aircraft to maintain pilot proficiency and to provide part of an eloborate cover story for the existence of the 4450th Tactical Group. Whilst in no way similar to the shape of the F-117A the rakish lines of the Draken did have an unusual planform and was therefore chosen as the 'cover' aircraft for the specially created 4451st Tactical Squadron based at Tonopah. It is believed that 18 F-13A's were given a modest refurbishment to extend their operational lives and initially wore a two-tone grey scheme to give them more of an operational 'front-line' appearance. F-13A's entered service with the 4451st TS at Nellis AFB in May 1981 and wore 'LV' tailcodes due to their proximity to Las Vegas. From about 1983 at least half of the F-13A's were re-painted matt black and operated from Tonopah at times of day to to coincide with the F-117A test programme and it became a deliberate policy to park some of the matt black F-13A's out in the open so as to give the impression that Tonopah was simply a normal operational F-13A base. At least four derelict ex-Florida ANG F-13A's arrived by low-loader and were given an overall coat of matt black paint to help maintain this impression.
 
The F-13A's were extremely popular with the pilots of the 4451st TS and were often used as 'Red' assets in Red Flag exercises and even made the occasional guest appearance in 'Constant Peg' operations when MiG's became unserviceable or simply to provide dissimilar bogeys. As the F-117A gradually moved from 'black' to 'grey' towards the end of the 1980's the 4451st TS's F-13A operations slowly dwindled and the unit was disbanded on April 30th, 1990. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An old backstory from 2010!

Edited December 17, 2023 by Spinners
There was no 'William Tell' in 1969 so backstory amended.

[Wrench 9,846]

look sharp!!

[+daddyairplanes 10,234]

first you forgot the cloaking pod that the RL 4451st's A-7s used

https://jalopnik.com/the-f-117-stealth-fighter-program-actually-had-a-klingo-1759842067

second,  a mid 80s F-104G ADF in ANG service would be mighty interesting to see!

[ValAstur 1,294]

At first look it could be mistaken as a F-19...my opinion.

Looks nice!

Edited December 17, 2023 by ValAstur

[Stratos 3,188]

On 16/12/2023 at 7:21 PM, daddyairplanes said:

second,  a mid 80s F-104G ADF in ANG service would be mighty interesting to see!

Something along the F-104S lines maybe? With proper RWR and updated radar would have been a credible point interceptor.

[+daddyairplanes 10,234]

if using the S as a basis, it wouldnt even need that. hell, the Italians used theirs up into the 21st century, and the USAF would still replace with F-16ADF in the late 80s anyhow (kinda like the Italians did in the 2000s waiting on their Typhoons to be ready.....)

not to mention it goes with US aviation politics to work with an Italian aerospace company over Candadian (Aeritalia F-104S vs Canadair CF-104)

now either stop it or gimme templates

j/k my plates too damn full for what otherwise is a real tempting waht if......

[Wrench 9,846]

Didn't just release some updated Zippers recently????? 104S "type-ish"