The 318th vs. 498th Compass Rose “Northstar” Tail Flash Saga [by Ernie White (Updated by Pat McGee)]
There has been a lot of talk over the years about the 318th FIS Compass Rose aka Northstar tail flash and whether it was ever also on 498th jets after moving to McChord. Initially many believed that during the time the 498th was co-located with the 318th FIS at McChord they had no tail flash. As such, any F-106 found with either an early version or later version of the 318th style tail flash, was in fact a 318th jet. This does not seem to be the case. During the transition from Geiger Field to McChord AFB, the 498th swapped out their "1957" model F-106 jets with the 456th FIS, gaining a majority of "1959" models. This was accomplished to ensure the 325th FW, the host wing at McChord AFB, had a more common fleet to assist in maintenance, training, and etc. After things "settled" down following the move, the fleet was, once again, (slightly) reshuffled with the 318th and 498th, swapping tails [aircraft] between the squadrons with a majority of the ex 456 FIS fleet being assigned to the 498 FIS. With this transition, some of the jets with the 318th Compass Rose tail flash ended up serving with the 498th, and some of the "new" Sixes served with the 318th. I would consider the tail flash one that was approved for both F-106 units as a Wing tail flash, although haven't seen the design used for the 325th’s T-33's. During this time, the 325 FW ‘shield’ was applied to the left side of the aircraft (replacing the 318ths Green Dragon emblem on their jets). I would consider this another indication that the Compass Rose was truly a Wing tail flash during this era. From what I understand, no squadron insignias were applied to any McChord jets, except for the Sixes from the 318th that participated in William Tell. They were the only F-106's that wore squadron emblems during that period.
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*Osan Korea 1968 318 FIS
34 photos
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560464 Crash
1964 Capt Huss
51 photos
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590144 Crash
1978 Capt Miller
14 photos
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Six Shooter and Osan Korea Footage
- 2470533 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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570234 Damage from Arresting Cable
- 248215 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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570234 590051 318th Alaska July 1963
- 18999 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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590152 Lightning Strike May 71
- 13048 visits
, Rating: 2.84
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 12202 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 9608 visits
, Rating: 3.63
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8941 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8938 visits
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560466 590057 590141 1968 318th
- 8726 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 8678 visits
, Rating: 3.04
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8211 visits
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8107 visits
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590058 318th Osan 1968
- 8068 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7847 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7773 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7710 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7625 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7601 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7541 visits
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590151
- 7411 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7406 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7364 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7271 visits
, Rating: 3.47
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7268 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7261 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7241 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7207 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7159 visits
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560457 Load Team (3)
- 7123 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7088 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7080 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7031 visits
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590059 318th Osan 1968
- 7021 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7004 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6857 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6691 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6476 visits
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Osan Korea 318th
- 6433 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6401 visits
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560457 Load Team (0)
- 6309 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6126 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6034 visits
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560457 Load Team (4)
- 5784 visits
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560457 Load Team (1)
- 5572 visits
, Rating: 4.51
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560457 Load Team (5)
- 5522 visits
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560457 Load Team (2)
- 5167 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 4625 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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560457 Genie Shot
- 4479 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 4401 visits
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590144 AB Takeoff
- 4384 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4352 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4230 visits
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590022
- 4021 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (3)
- 4001 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (2)
- 3933 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 590151 (4)
- 3912 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3908 visits
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590144 1Crash 1978 -1
- 3906 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (1)
- 3877 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Flight Out 580774
- 3843 visits
, Rating: 3.33
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 3762 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3728 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3719 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3697 visits
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560457 590110
- 3605 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 194th Arrives
- 3602 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Take-Off 580774 580783
- 3538 visits
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580776 Mirmar 1977 Engine Removal
- 3537 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3511 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3496 visits
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3422 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3398 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3370 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3365 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3332 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3317 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3307 visits
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Backseat Selfie
- 3286 visits
, Rating: 4.62
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3275 visits
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Patch 318th Patch Shoulder Pilot/Ops
- 3250 visits
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