William Tell (aerial gunnery competition)
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William Tell is a biennial aerial gunnery competition with fighter aircraft held by the United States Air Force in every even-numbered year. In the competition, teams representing the various major commands of the USAF compete in live-fire exercises, using towed banner targets for gun engagements, and obsolete fighters converted into unmanned target drones (currently QF-4 Phantoms) for air-to-air missile engagements. The competition occurs during even-numbered years, while Hawgsmoke occurs during odd-numbered years.[1] (Hawgsmoke replaced the earlier Gunsmoke.)
The William Tell competition in 1972 was held at Tyndall AFB in Florida. There were twelve teams competing in total: three F-101 Voodoo teams, three F-102 Delta Dagger teams, and six F-106 Delta Dart teams. 1972 was also when the first "Top Gun" award was won. It was won by a Canadian team from the first French-Canadian fighter squadron, the 425 All Weather Fighter Squadron "Les Alouettes". The recipients were Capt. Lowell Butters (Pilot) and Capt. Douglas Danko (Navigator). They were flying the McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo.
References
- ^ "William Tell flight competition to be held in Florida". Stars and Stripes. 23 October 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2014.