T.O. 1F-106A-16-1 Interim Change 6

Washington DC: United States Air Force, 1961. Presumed First Edition, First printing thus. Single sheet, printed on one side, Three-hole punched. Fair. The format is approximately 8.25 inches by 10.75 inches. Pencil notation and date stamp (Special Group Files) at top corners. This is interim change 6, 28 December 1961, to T. O. 1F-106A-16-1 dated 15 September 1961, changed 10 November 1961. Small tear at middle hole. Surviving copies of individual Interim Change notices are extremely rare. This interim change was effective until superseded or included in a formal change. This is a potentially significant interim change to the procedures for the Rocket Package Test Adapter Kit. Among the changes directed was that if the Rocket Package Test Adapter Kit (8-96408) was not available alternate procedures were presented, including some directly related to the AN/PSM-6. There was also a warning notice "IF meter is faulty, reject aircraft for loading". Additionally, under changes c, d, and e there were conditions identified that would result in a decision to reject the aircraft for loading. The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956. Produced in both heat-seeking and radar-guided versions, the missile served during the Vietnam War with USAF McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II units. Designed to shoot down slow bombers with limited maneuverability, it was ineffective against maneuverable fighters over Vietnam. Lacking proximity fusing, the missile would detonate only if a direct hit was scored. Only five kills were recorded. With the AIM-4's poor kill record rendering the F-4 ineffective at air-to-air combat, the fighters were modified to carry the USN-designed AIM-9 Sidewinder missile instead, which was already carried on USN and USMC F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader jet fighters. The Sidewinder was much more effective and improved versions continue to serve the armed forces of the United States and numerous allied nations to this day. The GAR-4 represented an IR-guided counterpart to the GAR-3. The GAR-4 mated the improved airframe of the GAR-3 with an IR seeker similar to that of the GAR-2. Hughes produced the GAR-4 in very small quantities. Although it remained in service as late as 1966, it did not enjoy widespread use in the F-106 community. Development of the improved GAR-3A and GAR-4A missiles began in 1954. These weapons represented substantial improvements over the GAR-3 and GAR-4 variants. Apart from enhancements to the guidance systems, the GAR-3A and GAR-4A introduced a new Thiokol M46 motor with an increased duration sustainer and featured further changes to the Super Falcon's aerodynamic platform in the form of wing root extensions reminiscent of those found on the 1953 GAR-1A configuration. These extensions underwent various changes over the course of the test program as Hughes continued to improve the missile's performance. A weatherproof sleeve also enclosed the forward fuselage of the GAR-3A and GAR-4A, protecting the sensitive avionics components.