VP21_499

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="02c285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Wilding Gallery 7</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>    </B></FONT><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wilding Gallery 7"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wilding Gallery 7"><U><B><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>     </B><A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="VP21_498"><U><B><IMG SRC="02f0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="VP21_501"><U><B><IMG SRC="0300e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="02ad2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <B>10/67-12/67 Sigonella</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>VP21_499</I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="1e436640.jpg" border=0 width="566" height="356" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> VP-21's SECRET WEAPON - Mt Etna in background. With the extra thrust from the additional two R3350s and increased lift from the additional wing surface, we could fly higher and faster. This gave the Soviet bloc MIGs and missiles fits since they were unable to match our speed or altitude, and we violated their airspace at will.  We didn't let DoD and CNO in on this secret aircraft modifification because it was felt that they didn't have the requisite 'need-to-know'. The cat was out of the bag, however, when one day we overtook a U2 at his service altitude flying out of Turkey over Russia. Although he mis- identified us as a B-29 with a MAD gear tail extension, FAW figured it out when we exceeded out quota of R-3350s. Few aviation historians gave VP-21 their due credit for this innovative tactical aircraft mod and all-around  work of art.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>