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
- 2470479 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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570234 Damage from Arresting Cable
- 248202 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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570234 590051 318th Alaska July 1963
- 18995 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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590152 Lightning Strike May 71
- 13031 visits
, Rating: 2.84
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 12189 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 9596 visits
, Rating: 3.63
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8928 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8923 visits
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560466 590057 590141 1968 318th
- 8707 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 8666 visits
, Rating: 3.04
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8201 visits
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8096 visits
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590058 318th Osan 1968
- 8056 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7832 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7762 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7701 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7613 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7585 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7528 visits
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590151
- 7399 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7396 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7351 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7259 visits
, Rating: 3.47
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7258 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7250 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7228 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7197 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7149 visits
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560457 Load Team (3)
- 7114 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7075 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7068 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7019 visits
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590059 318th Osan 1968
- 7009 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6995 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6847 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6673 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6465 visits
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Osan Korea 318th
- 6421 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6379 visits
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560457 Load Team (0)
- 6301 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6116 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6012 visits
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560457 Load Team (4)
- 5775 visits
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560457 Load Team (1)
- 5563 visits
, Rating: 4.51
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560457 Load Team (5)
- 5516 visits
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560457 Load Team (2)
- 5160 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 4619 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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560457 Genie Shot
- 4463 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 4392 visits
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590144 AB Takeoff
- 4377 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4347 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4227 visits
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590022
- 4020 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (3)
- 3994 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (2)
- 3928 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 590151 (4)
- 3906 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3904 visits
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590144 1Crash 1978 -1
- 3897 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (1)
- 3870 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Flight Out 580774
- 3840 visits
, Rating: 3.33
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 3758 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3724 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3713 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3689 visits
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560457 590110
- 3603 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 194th Arrives
- 3599 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Take-Off 580774 580783
- 3534 visits
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580776 Mirmar 1977 Engine Removal
- 3528 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3508 visits
, Rating: 4.31
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3490 visits
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3417 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3394 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3368 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3361 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3329 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3313 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3301 visits
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Backseat Selfie
- 3282 visits
, Rating: 4.62
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3271 visits
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Patch 318th Patch Shoulder Pilot/Ops
- 3247 visits
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