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
- 2472150 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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570234 Damage from Arresting Cable
- 248236 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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570234 590051 318th Alaska July 1963
- 19001 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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590152 Lightning Strike May 71
- 13099 visits
, Rating: 2.84
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 12233 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 9626 visits
, Rating: 3.63
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8966 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 8957 visits
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560466 590057 590141 1968 318th
- 8758 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590147 500lb Bomb Korea
- 8702 visits
, Rating: 3.04
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8235 visits
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590127 318th Osan 1968
- 8131 visits
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590058 318th Osan 1968
- 8099 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7869 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7794 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7739 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7645 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7625 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7562 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7429 visits
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590151
- 7427 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7389 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7298 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7296 visits
, Rating: 3.47
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7274 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7273 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7232 visits
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590065 318th Osan 1968
- 7184 visits
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560457 Load Team (3)
- 7133 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7106 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7102 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7055 visits
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590059 318th Osan 1968
- 7049 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 7034 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6883 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6711 visits
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Osan AB 318 FIS 1968
- 6503 visits
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Osan Korea 318th
- 6457 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6423 visits
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560457 Load Team (0)
- 6325 visits
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6152 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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590054 Mid-Air No-Nose
- 6059 visits
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560457 Load Team (4)
- 5799 visits
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560457 Load Team (1)
- 5583 visits
, Rating: 4.51
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560457 Load Team (5)
- 5539 visits
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560457 Load Team (2)
- 5185 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 4639 visits
, Rating: 2.22
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560457 Genie Shot
- 4499 visits
, Rating: 2.64
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 4423 visits
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590144 AB Takeoff
- 4396 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4358 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 4237 visits
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590022
- 4022 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (3)
- 4013 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (2)
- 3947 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 590151 (4)
- 3929 visits
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590144 1Crash 1978 -1
- 3916 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3915 visits
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Weapons Load Comp 318th 1972 (1)
- 3886 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Flight Out 580774
- 3848 visits
, Rating: 3.33
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 590038 580783
- 3769 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3734 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3730 visits
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Wpns Load Comp 318th NORAD 1978
- 3716 visits
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560457 590110
- 3610 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 194th Arrives
- 3606 visits
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580776 Mirmar 1977 Engine Removal
- 3550 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out Last Take-Off 580774 580783
- 3542 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3518 visits
, Rating: 4.30
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3501 visits
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3429 visits
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3405 visits
, Rating: 3.89
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590058 AB Blow-Out 1977
- 3379 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3373 visits
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318 Det 1 Castle AFB Alert Close-Out 580783
- 3337 visits
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590144 Crash 1978
- 3321 visits
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590004 WT74 Demo
- 3309 visits
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Backseat Selfie
- 3295 visits
, Rating: 4.62
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580776 Centennial Bird
- 3285 visits
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Patch 318th Patch Shoulder Pilot/Ops
- 3253 visits
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