--OriginallyPosted 2/3/09)--

firstly, the plane is supposed to depict the plane that Cunningham/Driscoll flew after their second kill, which WAS "Showtime 100." But right before their third-fourth-fifth kill. After their fifth kill, they had flak/SAM damage on the way home and Showtime 100 ended up in the Gulf. Upon repatriation, the DCAG's bird (Showtime 101) was repainted "Showtime 100" and Cunningham and Driscoll's names were put on the canopy rails. *THAT* plane, I believe, went to either Pensacola or Anapolis (I sadly, have been to neither).

The problem appears to lie with Showtimes 1, 2 and 3. The first bird Duke flew was possibly Showtime 105. As Duke had actually killed something in it, the CAG decided he wanted 105 for himself. Figured the kill would give him luck. CAG's name and his RIO's name were then put on the rails. I believe the plane got ruined during maintenance and the CAG got a new bird. The renumbered bird was up for rotation when Duke got into it for his second kill.

Urban legend has it that the plane was a former hanger queen and so the CAG took yet a third bird, which Duke again ended up in for his last three kills. As he was a killer, the mechanics made sure the best bird (normally Showtimes 100, 101 and 102) went to Duke when it was his turn for CAP. Now at no time were Duke or Driscoll's names ever added to the rails prior to the last three kills. So to correctly do Duke's bird, you need the CAG's name/rank and his RIO's for the railing. Problem is, no one knows who the hell they were!

I've checked and googled all NavAir sites like Tailhook.org, etc, but no success. I can't even locate Connie's skipper's name. So the plane is really unfinished as I'm missing it's BuNo (right above the word "Navy") and I'm missing the correct names on the canopy rails. Sadly, VF-96 disbanded in the mid 70's and their records were amongst those lost in one of the famous records fires at NavPers.

I've got tons of numerals and white lettering but I can't put anything on the bird until I find out their names and the BuNo. Even the BuNo changes depending on who you talk to. You'd think that NavAir would have done a better job for their only ace. Even Driscoll's interviews are a bit hazy. Like Cruise in Top Gun, Duke was a bit of a "problem child" (funny enough, due to womanizing) and no one really wanted to fly with him. So he was shuffled from plane to plane. Once he was noticed to be a phenominal pilot, the DCAG started putting him in lead CAP flights which is when Driscoll got paired with him.

Shit - what a nightmare!

Cheers,


Don