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.
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.
|
William Tell Weapons Meet
