Historical Record
1 Dec 1960 to 31 May 1961
2 Dec 60
Yardarm Tango 3 and 4 called for pigeons after doing Twizzles stating they were low on fuel and compasses unserviceable. Yellowjack identified them and effected a hand-over to Barber for a GCI/GCA into Bitburg.
4 Dec 60
Height finders put on standby until high surface winds subsided.
5 Dec 60
Horseman Papa One declared emergency – no control from right aileron. HMP 1 ejected safely over Grostenquin.
7 Dec 60
Exercise Roulette carried out. Strongbox Echo squawked mayday – radio unserviceable. Recovered safely at Zweibrucken.
8 Dec 60
Exercise Roulette carried out.
11 Dec 60
Strongbox Sierra 4 had partial loss of elevator control below 2,000 feet but recovered safely.
12 Dec 60
Exercise Silent Spectre carried out. This is an exercise to test the night potential of the CF-100 squadrons under control of 61 AC&W Squadron.
13 Dec 60
Canadian jet 120 declared an emergency – generator unserviceable. Yellowjack directed him to Zweibrucken for an ADF/GCA recovery.
14 Dec 60
Horseman Papa reported interference from a Weisbaden taxi company on Channel 9.
15 Dec 50
Chopstick Alpha was diverted to intercept Calveau 19 who was lost and had no radios. Calveau 19 was intercepted and Yellowjack commenced a GCI/GCA into Soellingen but Calveau 19 broke off and headed for Strasbourg. Chopstick Alpha One accompanied him to the Strasbourg circuit where he landed safely.
16 Dec 60
Moselle Control completely unserviceable due to a fire between 16.1910 and 17/0027. Yellowjack provided assistance to aircraft climbing out during this period.
20 Dec 60
Hornet Kilo 2 declared an emergency due to engine seizure. Zweibrucken tower gave steers and passed control to Zweibrucken GCA. GCA lost contact and Yellowjack handed control to Sembach through Logroll. Sembach reported pilot ejected safely and aircraft crashed in the Sembach area. Horseman Papa Two had a flame out. Recovered safely at Sembach by Sembach GCA.
28 Dec 60
Catfish Seven, a T-33 up on local flying, had a flame out east of Etain at 1208Z. Yellowjack Fighter Marshal requested him to squawk emergency and call on 121.5. At 1220 Moselle advised an aircraft crash three miles west of Chambly but not sure if it was Catfish 7 or not. At 1248 Chopstick Delta Two reported from the scene of the crash that both aircrew ejected safely and are in Chambly hospital.
29 Dec 60
Jailer Golf 1 declared emergency due to compression stall – recovered safely at base.
4 Jan 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
5 Jan 61
Hornet India One had a flame-out – successful re-light, and recovered safely at base via GCI/GCA. Exercise Roulette carried out.
7 Jan 61
Strongbox Sierra One had unserviceable radio. Yellowjack vectored Sierra Three on to him and recovered both aircraft at Zweibrucken via GCI/GCA.
9 Jan 61
Exercise Silent Spectre carried out.
11 Jan 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
12 Jan 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
16 Jan 61
Exercise Super Chief 1/61 received at 0836. This is a communications test only.
18 Jan 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
19 Jan 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
20 Jan 61
Senior Sentinel called at 0900Z. This is an alert called to evaluate the operational readiness of 1 Air Division to practice State Scarlet. Yellowjack at full control capability at the time the exercise was called.
23 Jan 61
Strongbox Romeo diverted after unknown track 94L. Unknown identified as two German F-84s prior to intercept. At 1324Z Cartridge Alpha called an emergency due to low fuel and lost. Yellowjack identified him and directed him to Ramstein where he landed at 1337Z.
24 Jan 61
Rhubarb 115 under Yellowjack control intercepted an aircraft squawking mayday and identified as a USAF T-33. The T-33 waved RB 115 away and stopped squawking mayday.
27 Jan 61
Horseman Charlie One crashed shortly after take-off three miles from the end of the runway at approximately 1753Z. Yellowjack had no radio or radar contact. Both aircrew fatalities – reason for crash not known.
(Pinetree Line web site comment – I was on duty, working the evening shift, at 2 (F) Wing Base Operations at the time of this incident. The aircraft in question was a CF-100. Both the pilot and the navigator were killed in this crash and they were buried at the RCAF Cemetery at Choloy (near Toul, France). The aircrew consisted of pilot, F/O AR Schellongovsky - age 24, and the navigator F/O MJ Zimmer - age 26. The apparent cause of the crash was a result of take-off procedure when the pilot made a right turn out on departure and unknowingly inverted the aircraft. The photos are from my private collection and were taken in June 1975 when I last visited the cemetery at Choloy).
28 Jan 61
Exercise Super Chief 2/61 effective 2236Z received at 2240Z.
1 Feb 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
2 Feb 61
Student November Three ejected near Chalon at 0930Z – nature of emergency not known. At 1000Z the pilot was observed on the ground by Cartridge Alpha Lead – walking toward a vehicle. The pilot had bailed out with no warning given. Exercise Roulette carried out.
4 Feb 61
Exercise Super Chief 3/61 received at 1806Z, effective 1800Z.
8 Feb 61
Exercise Roulette carried out. At 1114Z, a squawk four was observed in FD2018. The aircraft was a USAF T-33 No.823 low on fuel. Strongbox Romeo was scrambled live to intercept the SOS but was called off when one section aborted. Yellowjack vectored the SOS to Chaumont where he recovered safely.
9 Feb 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
17 Feb 61
Exercise Co-Op carried out. Chaff dropping aircraft included as targets. This was an exercise to test 1 Air Division units in their war time role of air defence.
18 Feb 61
Exercise Super Chief 4/61 effective 2350Z received 2354Z.
19 Feb 61
At 1527Z Logroll handed over to Yellowjack Trainer Orange, GAF F-84, for recovery at Soellingen. Aircraft in a state of emergency due to losing fuel. Yellowjack assisted in recovery via a GCI/GCA at Soellingen. Trainer Orange landed safely at 1539Z.
20 Feb 61
Four French Air Force officers arrived at Yellowjack on temporary posting for the period 20 Feb – 13 Mar. They are Lieutenants Goguey, Sougue, Facomprez, and Mercier and are from the adjacent French radar unit at Drachenbronn. Drachenbronn is undergoing extensive maintenance and during this period the French controllers will be allotted one PPI in order to provide control for French aircraft.
22 Feb 61
Horseman Quebec One declared an emergency at 1546Z due to low oil pressure. Yellowjack obtained permission for an immediate GCI/GCA into Grostenquin where HMQ 1 recovered safely. Exercise Roulette carried out.
23 Feb 61
Yardarm Tango Two and Three collided in mid-air while carrying out an air fighting exercise in the Zweibrucken area. One pilot was killed instantly, the other bailed out but died enroute to hospital. Exercise Roulette carried out.
27 Feb 61
At 0814 Stopgap Delta reported a high flying object, 75,000 feet plus, in HE 5552 moving west. Yellowjack unable to paint the object on either search or height finder radars. Exercise Silent Spectre carried out. At 2130 Handcuff India Two declared an emergency due to an unserviceable air speed indicator. Handcuff India recovered safely at Grostenquin via GCI/GCA at 2154.
1 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out. At 1416Z Strongbox Romeo was diverted live against unknown track 68L. At 1627Z SBR identified 68L as one DC-3 No. 15276.
2 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
3 Mar 61
Squawk four picked up in GD4050 at 1330Z. At 1333Z Horseshoe Papa Three diverted live against SOS and at 1337Z identified the SOS as one RCAF F-86. HSP3 led the F-86 into Grostenquin where a safe recovery was made by GCA. The SOS was Jailer One with unserviceable radios.
4 Mar 61
Exercise Super Chief 5/61 effective 2100Z received at 2105Z.
6 Mar 61
At 1553Z an SOS was observed in GD5552. Student Oscar was diverted live on to the SOS at 1556Z and identified the SOS as an RCAF T-33 VC648 with faulty radios. VC648 escorted to Soellingen by Student Oscar under Yellowjack control where he recovered safely at 1610Z.
8 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried our. Handcuff Hotel One had fire warning light in port engine. HCH 1 flamed-out port engine and recovered safely at Grostenquin via GCI/GCA. Canadian F-86 VI aircraft now flying as sections of two as directed by CANAIRDIV.
9 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
13 Mar 61
Exercise Silent Spectre carried out.
15 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out. Commanding Officer initiated Yellowjack Snowball (unit alert) at 1615Z. Yellowjack at full control capability at 0646Z.
16 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out. Comm 11, a USAF B-66 declared an emergency at 1439Z due to unserviceable gyros. Yellowjack directed him to Toul where he landed safely at 1505Z.
19 Mar 61
Exercise Super Chief 6/61 effective 0001Z received at 0005Z.
21 Mar 61
FB 106, a GAF F-84 had a flame-out. Yellowjack directed him to Soellingen and handed him over to the tower. While under tower control the aircraft obtained a re-light and proceeded to Erding.
22 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette and Senior Sentinel carried out.
23 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
27 Mar 61
Exercise Silent Spectre carried out.
30 Mar 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
3 Apr 61
Strongbox Romeo One squawked four in JD4040 at 1520Z. He was under Boxcar control at the time and when handed over to Yellowjack he advised he had a flame-out. SBR 1 was given a steer to Soellingen but he obtained a re-light at 1524Z and recovered at Zweibrucken.
5 Apr 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
8 Apr 61
Exercise Super Chief 7/61 effective 2020Z received at 2023Z.
12 Apr 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
13 Apr 61
Exercise Roulette carried out. Exercise Quick Train called at 2036Z. This is an exercise to test the operational readiness of 1 Air Division units. Yellowjack was at full control capability at 2109Z. At 2341Z Chopstick Delta Two declared an emergency due to a fire warning light. CHD 2 given a GCI/GCA into Grostenquin where he landed safely at 2056Z.
17 Apr 61
Exercise Summer Season commenced today. This is a controller training course of approximately six weeks duration conducted at 61 AC&W Squadron. The students for this course are two Italian Air Force officers, S/Lts. Guiseppe Mossa and Alberto Eusipi and three French Air Force officers, Lts. G Salard, G Florens and B Rey.
19 Apr 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
20 Apr 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
21 Apr 61
The Air Officer Commanding, A/V/M Wray, presented 61 AC&W Squadron its official squadron badge on a parade held in front of the Chateau. The badge was received by the Commanding Officer, W/C CS Yarnell, CD, on behalf of the squadron. The badge, designed by F/L DG Fry, a former Controller at the Squadron bears the head of the Squadron mascot "Ginny"" an Alsatian hound native of the local area. The head of the dog, looking to the right symbolizes the eastward surveillance of the squadron. The badge bears the motto "Guide et Gardien" and summarizes those characteristics which are common to the Alsatian dog and the Squadron in its operational role.
24 Apr 61
All civil and military flying over French territory prohibited by the French government until further notice due to the Algerian crisis. All inbound tracks (090 degrees – 270 degrees) strength five or more must be reported.
25 Apr 61
Yellowjack on Security Readiness State 1. All tracks approaching Canadian Wings and deployment bases, particularly from the south and south west being reported to COC for identification. Exercise Roulette cancelled.
26 Apr 61
Canadian flying restricted to daylight hours only.
27 Apr 61
Mission 359 a Norwegian F-86 declared an emergency due to low fuel. Yellowjack directed him to Soellingen where he recovered safely. All flying in France restricted unless under general air traffic control.
28 Apr 61
Advised by COC at 1516Z that all flying restrictions have been lifted.
29 Apr 61
Royal flight plotted and told to COC from 1226Z – 1318Z.
3 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
4 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
5 May 61
Yardarm Whiskey scrambled "live" after Jailer One. Jailer One had suspected undercarriage trouble and wished another aircraft to have a look at it. Jailer One landed safely at base.
10 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
11 May 61
At 1515Z Alger 6 declared an emergency over Toul – no navigation aid. Yellowjack gained radar contact at 1522Z and directed him to Hahn where he recovered safely.
15 May 61
At 1509 Strongbox Sierra One declared an emergency as he was venting oil. He was under Boxcar control at the time but called Yellowjack on Channel 19 when he began losing fuel. SBS 1 was recovered safely at 1518Z at Zweibrucken via GCI/GCA.
17 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
18 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
20 May 61
Exercise Super Chief 10/61 effective 1830Z received at 1982Z.
24 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
26 May 61
Summer Season completed.
31 May 61
Exercise Roulette carried out.
Signed By:
(CS Yarnell) W/C
CO, 61 AC&W Squadron, RCAF
