TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A tragic Oct. 19 motor vehicle accident that ended two lives on Eglin AFB sent shock waves of grief throughout the Tyndall community.

"On behalf of all the men and women of the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, out deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends and colleagues of those effected by the tragic events that occurred during the 2006 Phantom II Conference," said Col. Mike Winslow, 53rd WEG commander.

Airman Brett Jakubowski of the 96th Surgical Operations Squadron at Eglin and Mark Birke, an F-4 Phantom II Society member who was on a tour with the 53rd Weapons Group, were killed as a result of accident injuries. Another tour group member was injured.

The tour group consisted of members of the F-4 Phantom II Society, a non-profit, California-based organization dedicated to the preservation and history of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Aircraft.

A Gulf Defender article was written about the first two days of the society's conference here.

"While we are in great grief, it is our belief that Mr. Birke and his father, Charles, would have wanted the article written about our tour to run, as is," said Bob Kay, F-4 Phantom II Society president. "We believe the essence of what our organization is truly about, a group of more than aviation enthusiasts, was covered (in that article)."

The following article, written Oct. 18, is about the 107 F-4 Phantom fans who visited the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron's drone runway Tuesday as part of its annual PhanCon tour:

"It's neat to see the incredible following this aircraft has," said Lt. Col. Anthony Murphy, 53rd WEG, in his welcoming speech to the audience who came to Panama City from around the world to visit his group's facilities.

"It's all about legacy," said Mr. Kay, the society's president and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who still flies the F-4 as an employee of the company that turns the aircraft into drones.

A QF-4 drone fleet of reusable full-scale target drones, modified from the F-4 Phantom II, is operated and maintained by the 82rd ATRS. The QF-4 is equipped to carry electronic and infrared countermeasures to fully evaluate fighters and weapons flown and fired against it.

"I hate to see them shot down as scrap because there is a lot of character in those planes," said Charles Birke who, like his dad and uncles, worked at McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis. "I saw the first one fly during my teenage years when my father was a machinist on the F-4, and I was an employee at Mc Donnell when they delivered the last one to Korea. I remember riding on my bike by the fence line of the F-4 flightline when I was young and thinking, 'Someday I'll be out there working on it.' Being here is like seeing an old friend."

Many like Mr. Birke had fond memories of the aircraft when it was the primary fighter-bomber aircraft in the Air Force during the 1960s and 1970s. All visitors learned how modifying this aircraft into a remotely controlled target makes it an essential part of the Air Force mission today which is why approximately 200 aircraft have been modified so far.

What isn't used for training, the F-4 Phantom II Society helps place on display.
"I saved the last one from the Navy program," said Jim Bloomberg, who remembered refueling the F-4 during his days as an inflight refueler on the KC-135. "I had to disassemble it to transport it to the Forward Air Control museum in Fort Worth, Texas (where it is on display)."

What aircraft enthusiasts started in the 1980s as this Phantom II society not only preserved the F-4 history on file and display, they also provided an avenue for some squadron reunions.

On "Death Row," seven former Phantom crew chiefs reminisced about their time in the 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Bentwaters, England.

"It seems like 30 years ago was only last week," said Ed Duevel after posing for a picture in front of a QF-4 with friends and co-workers he met between 1967 and 1970 in England.

In addition to seeing the full-scale drone runway, the group visited the sub-scale drone launch facility and learned about recovery operations here during their week-long trip to the Florida panhandle. Tyndall also hosted their banquet, which featured guest speaker and only Vietnam War Air Force pilot fighter ace, retired Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie, who shot down five MiGs from his F-4 cockpit.

"It seems unreal when I think about the people who come from all over the world (to see this aircraft). I never realized it would be a world star," said Mr. Birke.

The Phantom II Society is a diverse group of more than 600 F-4 front seat and back seat aircrew, maintenance and weapons technicians; contractors with Phantom experience; aircraft photographers and enthusiasts.

"The advantage of being in this group is access to the military bases," said Mr. Kay.
They'll continue to go wherever the F-4 goes, to visit their 'old friend' and make new friends in a variety of Air Force squadrons.

(Editor's note: According to Eglin AFB Public Affairs, additional details about the incident are not available at this time; the accident is currently under investigation.)