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William Tell Weapons Meet

Tyndall AFB, FL

 

Firebee Drone Targets

Article from The Interceptor magazine January 1979

William Tell 1970 by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph L. Phinney

William Tell History from McChord Air Museum site

 

History of the William Tell Weapons Meet

In June 1954 the USAF’s World Wide Weapons Meet now known as “William Tell” began as  a separate air-to-air rocketry competition to the Third Annual USAF Fighter gunnery and Weapons Meet that was held at Las Vegas AFB (later renamed as Nellis AFB). This Interceptor Phase of the Las Vegas based competition would be held at Yuma, AZ. The Air Defense Command and Air Training Command were the sole competitors of the first meet.  In 1956, the meet was unofficially given the name of  "William Tell" and had expanded to include nine teams representing seven major air commands. This third meet was the last held in Arizona.

Two years later, Tyndall AFB, Fla., became the home for the USAF Worldwide Air-to-Air Weapons Meet. The radio controlled Q-2A drone target and the PARAMI, an electronic scoring system, made their first appearances during this meet and for the first time, competitors were divided into three categories, one for each aircraft participating. Twelve teams competed in the 1958 meet and among them was an Air National Guard unit competing for the first time.

For the 1961 William Tell, three jets specifically designed for protecting North America appeared on the flight line; the F-102 Delta Dagger, the F-106 Delta Dart and the F-101 Voodoo. William Tell 1965 was the largest in history with 16 teams and four categories. Canada became the first foreign country to participate in William Tell and entered with the CF-101 Voodoo's. After a five-year period, imposed by the Vietnam War, William Tell resumed at Tyndall AFB with nine teams competing. 

The 1972 meet was the year of the first "Top Gun" award, and the introduction of the subsonic BQM-34A Firebee target drone into the competition. The 1974 composition saw the Air National Guard teams take first place in three major categories and in 1976, the ANG continued its winning streak in two of the three. The F-4 Phantom II made its first appearance in the meet in 1976, The F-4 unit was the first Team sent by the Tactical Air Command . 

With the reorganization of air defense forces in 1979, TAC assumed sponsorship for William Tell. The first TAC-sponsored meet in 1980 included 10 teams from active duty F-4 and F-106 units, ANG F-4, F-106 and F-101 units, and a Canadian Forces CF-101 unit.


In 1982,  Tactical Air Command officially changed the name of the meet to the USAF Air-to-Air Weapons Meet. That meet also marked the return of the Pacific Air Forces and the USAF in Europe to the competition, and the first appearance of the F-15 "Eagle". William Tell 1984 saw the introduction of the supersonic QF-100 full-scale drone as a William Tell target and was the first meet in which only full-scale drones were used as missile targets. In 1986, the CF-18 entered in the competition for the first time with the Canadian team, finishing second overall behind a TAC F-15 Team.

During the 1988 meet a total of twelve teams from TAC, ANG, PACAF, USAFE, Alaskan Air Command and Canada participated in on of the most competitive meets ever

The 1990 competition was canceled due to Operation Desert Shield/Storm and resumed in 1992, held by the newly formed Air Combat Command. Eight teams competed and the 18th Wing from Kadena AB, Japan, walked away with the top team award for the second time.  

Hosted by Air combat Command and the US Air Force Air Warfare Center, William Tell 94 gave the USAF's best fighter units the opportunity to compete in all aspects of air-to-air operations. 

Beginning in 1996, Teams that attended the William tell Weapons Meet  were to be assembled differently than the had been in the past. In previous Meets teams competed as units (Squadrons or Wings) , in the 1996 each major Command, the Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard, and a combined Canadian team would compete against each other for the right to be known as the best in the Air.

After an eight year break , the Air Combat Command announced it would host the next William Tell in the first weeks of November of 2004, meets 50th Anniversary. The 2004, massive changes will appear in the latest edition of William Tell. Moving  away from it's roots as a interceptor competition the latest edition of the meet will test aircrew performance in the air dominance and air sovereignty missions, but will still feature weapons loading, maintenance and weapons’ director competitions. The two-week event will showcase the air-to-air capabilities of USAF F-15 units representing four major commands and the Air National Guard.


William Tell article from "The Interceptor" magazine, 20th Anniversary Issue, January 1979

Most people know of William Tell the Swiss archer, who was compelled by the evil prince to shoot at an apple placed on his sons’ head. Without going into the tale, Willy shot, split the apple, and secured his freedom, etc. In today’s William Tell (WT) meet, we do much the same thing--act like sons throw apples, and knock heads. In fact, there is some pretty decent shooting, too, but the only thing similar to crossbows anymore might be some string taut nerves as the competition gets stiffer.

William Tell is not new to change. Through the years, since 1954's first meet, there have been numerous arrays of “new" commands, entrants, locations, hardware, and tactics. Willy Tell began as an Air Force function. In fact, in 1954, the progenitor of WT was the U.S Air Force Fighter Gunnery and Weapons Meet. It was won by some sharp shooters from ATC.
In 1955, several USAF teams from overseas showed up, making the weapons meet worldwide. The shoot-out went to the last day when ADCs Eastern Air Defense Force edged ATC to win the meet.

The show got really big in 1956 Seven MAJCOMs competed flying F86s, F-89s, and F-94s. The Eastern Air Defense Force won it a second time as the competition again went into the final two days. The deciding factor was the rocket meet on one of Arizona's ranges.
Willy Tell's complexion began to change in 1958. The show moved to Tyndall. The first supersonic entrants competed (the F-102). The meet became an Air Defense Command operation. Radical new fire control systems and tactics began to evolve. Radio controlled drones zipped up and down ranges capable of electronic scoring. The meet was broken down into three categories. But the biggest first was the first perfect score. It was achieved by the Florida ANG flying F86s.

1959 brought a meet that marked the end of an era and the beginning of another. The old F-89 competed against brand new F-100s, F-102s, and the super-sophisticated F-104. The Century Series were airplanes that could bust the mach in level flight, and one airplane flew a multi-mach. The new sophistication began to change airplane terminology and concepts: leading edge flaps, Iow aspect ratio, spikes, multi-stage burners. Five major commands competed in an all-weather, day and night environ- ment. Targets moved through a multitude of speeds and altitudes. A realism began to dawn as the arena began to move away from the tactical into the strategic.

Airplanes became more specified, i.e., fitted for a particular mission. There were no 'non-interceptors' in 1961 Interceptors were designed and produced in the form of the F-102, and the amazing new F-101 and F-106. Some of those same airframes may have seen competition in 1978. A few of those airplanes have outlasted some of the lieutenants that began their careers in them.

A new side was initiated in 63 when an unannounced intruder was launched in the form of a drone from an unknown location. Intercept directors had to find it, scramble, and shoot it down. The Air Guard was a full-time partner in the interceptor business by that time. Pennsylvania trounced the regulars in the F-102 category. The 318th won the F-106 division.

The meet became international in 1965 when Canada entered in the F101 division. WT was now a worldwide meet with international competitors. There were 16 teams and a beautiful array of airplanes F-102s, F-101s, F104s, and F-106s. A USAFE team controlled by a Dutch team look home the marbles in the Deuce.
The Southeast Asia conflict halted WT operations for five years between 65 and 70. In 1970 a miniature meet was held al Tyndall this time without the F-104. The Guard won two divisions. North Dakota in F-101s and Minnesota in F-102s. The 71st FIS from Malmstrom took F-106 honors.

Willy Tell expanded again in 1972. BQM-34A drones and EB-57 aircraft were added as targets. MATTS/BIDOP scoring and Data Link heralded the staggeringly accelerated electronic counter-measures/computer expansion in air combat. The Hooligans again won the F-101 trophy, and Wisconsin’s 115th FIG won F-102 honors. The 460th FIS from Grand Forks took the F106 category, but a Canadian F-101 team took TOP GUN for scoring a direct hit on a maneuvering BQM-34A.
WT 74 added the Weapons Load Competition scores to the WT shooting/intercept scores. The Ioading comp was won by the 416th Chatham. An additional target, the TDU-25B was added. It was a towed target used for stern attack, infra red missiles. The MAINEiacs took the F-l01 glory. Boise won F-102 honors, and the BIG SKY won the F-106 category.

In 76 there was another series of changes. There were no more F-102 interceptors. The F-4 was added, with some teams on 'loan’ from TAC, USAFE, or PACAF units. Portland’s BEAVERS took the F-101 trophy, and the BIG SKY boys pulled a duplicate win in the F-106 The 4th TFW from Seymour-Johnson won the F-4 comp.

Willy Tell 78 had eleven teams competing from CONUS, Europe, the Philippines, and Canada. The F-102 re-entered the competition as a target drone. The ACMI was used for several profiles. The BQM-34F was introduced as a high altitude, supersonic target. The 147th FIG TEXANS from the Houston ANG took home the Voodoo honors, the team from USAFE won the Phantom category, and ADCOMs 49th FIS from Griffiss edged out its F-106 competition to win that category. All in all, William Tell 78 continued the long tradition of being exciting, enjoyable, and an excellent proving ground for aerospace defense.