Allbee, Thomas D.

Thomas D. Allbee

Preferred Name: Tom

Nickname/Call Sign: Tom

Date of Birth: September 22, 1939

Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel

Hometown: Muscatine, IA

In 1980 Lt. Colonel Thomas Albee became Commander of the legendary 9 Tactical Fighter Squadron, the unit being descended from the original WWII Squadron, activated as 9 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on November 20, 1940.

The unit flew an impressive lineage of aircraft including: P-35 (1941); P-40 (1941-1943); P-47 (1943-1944); P-38 (1943, 1944-1946); P-51 (1946-1948, 1949-1950); F-80 (1948-1951); F-84 (1951-1957); F-100 (1957-1962); F-105 (1962-1967); F-4 (1967-1978, 1992-1998); F-15 (1978-1992); F-117 (1998-).

Units Assigned

1963 UPT 3646th Pilot Training Wing, (UPT), Laughlin AFB (T-37, T-33)
1964 Fighter Training, 4515 Tactical Fighter Training Squadrno, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100D/F)
1964-1967 492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK (F-100D/F)
1967-1968 Phu Cat AB, Vietnam (F-100D/F)
1968 7th Air Force, Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam (T-39)
1968-1970 4517th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100C/D/F)
1971 333rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ (A-7D)
1971-1974 333rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ (A-7D)
1974 – 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat RTAFB, Thailand (A-7D)
1975 – Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk Naval Base, VA
1975-1978 TAC HQ, Langley AFB, VA
1978-1982 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron/49th Tactical Fighter Wing, Commander, Holloman AFB, NM (F-15 A/B)
1982-1983 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
1982-1986 AF/XOX, Fighter Plans, Special Projects, Pentagon, VA
1986-1991 ATF Rep, Lockheed Washington Office, Wash. DC
1991-2001 F-22 Bus. Development, Lockheed Martin Aero. Systems, Marietta, GA
2001 Retired

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

T-37
T-33
F-100 C/D/F
T-39
A-7 D
F-15 A/B

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

SOS
ACSC
Armed Forces Staff College
Air War College

Civilian Education:

B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State University
M.A. Public Administration, Golden Gate University

Tom Allbee – Caterpillar Story

F-100D Ejection, 1 March 1965, 1000 GMT, F-100D, 56-3212, near RAF Syerston, UK

I was a 1/Lt in the 492th TFS at RAF Lakenheath, UK, flying #2 on a 2v2 ACT training mission. The flight had just completed the first engagement, and we were re-positioning for a second engagement.

At about 30,000 ft. while turning back for the second engagement (which was to be a non-afterburner engagement) there was a huge compressor stall/explosion. The cockpit filled with fog, our feet were kicked off the rudder pedals, the tachometer was unwinding and the EGT was climbing. I deployed the RAT and turned on the standby inverter to maintain control of the aircraft, and reduced the power to idle. The RPM was zero, so I moved the throttle to cutoff to reduce the EGT.

I had good control of the aircraft and established a 220 knot rate of descent. Each time I tried an air-start, the EGT would peg at “hot” if I put the throttle in the idle position. Number Four had joined up with me and told me that each time I tried to restart the engine smoke, flames and debris were coming out of the tailpipe. After a couple of air-start attempts, it was obvious I was going to have to eject over central England. I re-entered the clouds at about 15,000 and started the preparations to eject.

I tried one more air-start at 10,000 feet with no luck, and punched out at 6,000 feet. All of the ejection systems worked fine and I broke out of an undercast at about 500 ft and landed in a field with no injuries.

I didn’t know then and have never found out what caused the compressor stall/explosion that blew up the engine.

This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history