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
- 2472527 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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570234 Damage from Arresting Cable
- 248248 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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570234 590051 318th Alaska July 1963
- 19005 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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590152 Lightning Strike May 71
- 13123 visits
, Rating: 2.84
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 12254 visits
, Rating: 2.63
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 9646 visits
, Rating: 3.63
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8991 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8977 visits
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560466 590057 590141 1968 318th
- 8779 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 8721 visits
, Rating: 3.04
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8254 visits
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8150 visits
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590058 318th Osan 1968
- 8117 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7891 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7809 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7755 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7664 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7643 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7585 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7448 visits
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590151
- 7445 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7407 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7317 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7309 visits
, Rating: 3.47
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7295 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7292 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7249 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7200 visits
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560457 Load Team (3)
- 7145 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7124 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7121 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7083 visits
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590059 318th Osan 1968
- 7069 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7053 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6904 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6721 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6521 visits
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Osan Korea 318th
- 6477 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6432 visits
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560457 Load Team (0)
- 6336 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6165 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6067 visits
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560457 Load Team (4)
- 5807 visits
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560457 Load Team (1)
- 5591 visits
, Rating: 4.51
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560457 Load Team (5)
- 5549 visits
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560457 Load Team (2)
- 5193 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 4646 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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560457 Genie Shot
- 4507 visits
, Rating: 2.63
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 4433 visits
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590144 AB Takeoff
- 4403 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4361 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4241 visits
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590022
- 4025 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (3)
- 4019 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (2)
- 3960 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 590151 (4)
- 3937 visits
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590144 1Crash 1978 -1
- 3921 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3920 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (1)
- 3894 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Flight Out 580774
- 3853 visits
, Rating: 3.33
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 3774 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3740 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3738 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3724 visits
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560457 590110
- 3612 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 194th Arrives
- 3611 visits
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580776 Mirmar 1977 Engine Removal
- 3559 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Take-Off 580774 580783
- 3545 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3526 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3507 visits
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3436 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3410 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3384 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3381 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3345 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3326 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3315 visits
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Backseat Selfie
- 3303 visits
, Rating: 4.62
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3291 visits
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Patch 318th Patch Shoulder Pilot/Ops
- 3262 visits
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