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I've not been back to Clovis since I left. I understand that they fly the F16 out of there now.
I sure remember the weather extremes! I remember being the first one to the bomb dump in the morning after a 2ft or so snowfall. I think it was around 10 degrees. I'm not really sure I stayed on perimeter road on my way to work - there are very few landmarks that stick up through the snow.
Anyway, we came out of the shop around noon for lunch and it was at least 60 degrees, the snow had melted and DRIED UP! Weird, really weird.
We use to "hunt" prairie dogs in the bomb dump using the tugs. We would start chasing them and just as they stepped to the side for us to go by, we would hit the rear wheel steering and catch them off guard.
I can also remember the thunder of the 111's as they hit the afterburner to take off. Made your teeth jitter in your gums.

Ahhh the memories! Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Cordially,
GE

Ah yes, the F-111 afterburner. I've probably logged several hours in the exhaust and in the intake of the F-111 doing pre- and post-flight inspections. I recall reading the huge novel "Count Dracula" by Bram Stoker while sitting at the trim pad while we ran a bird all night long for several nights. Those old Coleman tugs always had a revolving spotlamp mounted on the outside of the rear cab wall and I would turn it back into the cab for a reading light. The ground around the pad would literally shake as the two P&W TF30s were pushed into after-burner. Behind the aircraft, the orangish-red flame of the AB would extend out and over the blast fence. Quite a sight.

And yep, I recall the winters back then. Those old AF parkas sure felt good about midnight when the wind and snow was blowing past your frost-bitten ears as you tried to drain a fuel line up in the wheel well. Gee those are great memories but I'm so glad they are memories of chores completed.

Muleteam1