The End of VMFAT-101, for Now (ep. 177)

MCAS Miramar-based Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 101 closes its doors after 50 years of teaching #usnavy and #usmarines #aviators first in the #f4phantom and then the #fa18hornet.
On this episode, the final VMFAT-101 Commander, LtCol Ryan "Yoshi" Franzen and Operations Officer Maj Erik "Tucker" Rheinhart share Sharpshooter history and legacy, and what's next for #usmc F/A-18 training.
#fighterpilot Podcast
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[@samuelcarner8987]

I served at VMFAT-101 from 2020-2023. Glad I got to serve with them. Now VMFA-323 is home

[@andrewfaucett6915]

VMFAT-101 was my first duty station. I was in the S1 from 96-98. Sad to see the squadron go but it’s cool to see the old El Toro hanger pop up in commercials from time to time. Great times!

[@MrEmerald10]

Awesome episode. As Tucker's dad, I truly appreciated it. Well done.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You raised him well, Mr. Rheinhart! Enjoyed having him and Yoshi on the show.

[@bluto816]

What Yoshi said regarding the Super Hornet is exactly what I've heard for the last decade or so. Marine Corps brass does not want to take away from their limited budget for the F-35. Same thing happened in the 70s when the Tomcat was offered to the Marines; they saw the Harrier over the horizon and didn't want to take money out of the budget from Harriers.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

A Marine Tomcat? Now that would have been something. Sounds plausible...

[@AA-xo9uw]

The Commandant was strong armed into agreeing to operating 70 Tomcats in exchange for getting the first generation Harrier. Fortunately James Schlesinger listened to the Marines and cancelled the deal which was a major factor in selling the F-14 to Iran.

[@brianrmc1963]

I was an instructor in -101 from ‘94-‘96. I loved it.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

That's when I was there! Went by "Crack" for awhile. Drove a big blue pickup truck and ours was the class that sucked at CAS.

[@algrosskurth7994]

I was there as well. Navy pilot and went by the call sign “Aldo”. Worked a bunch in the CQ department

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@algrosskurth7994 👍

[@Skyhawks1979]

I was serving on the Aviation Staff in the Pentagon during decision making not to purchase the Super Hornet and shut down production of the legacy Hornet line. The unspoken mantra was that the Super Hornet threatened purchase of the F-35B.

[@AA-xo9uw]

The Marine Corps decided decades ago that it was going to field one tactical airframe. The Super Bug was never under serious consideration for the Marines.

[@Skyhawks1979]

We are saying the same thing.@@AA-xo9uw

[@AA-xo9uw]

@@Skyhawks1979 Only if you are obtuse.

[@user-wz2ex7ux9h]

VMFA (AW) - 225 Vikings - Ruh! Yup, yakisoba and gyoza were great at the Tomodachi Club in Iwakuni - In the old days, 101 was at the south end of El Toro. Enjoyed this!!!

[@juanibarra283]

I was a sailor attached to 101 back in 87 after I got done with F/A-18 FRAMP School in NAS Lemoore. When I reported to 101 we had just 12 birds I think. We originally were in a old hanger over by the C-130 squadron think they were the Raiders

[@jelicub]

I have my Sharpshooter patches hung up on my board in my office! Great squadron on a great base. Fantastic legacy room in "Cabbies".

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Excellent! You attending tomorrow's ceremony?

[@jelicub]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Negative. I'm an east coast Marine currently.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@jelicub 🇺🇸💪

[@kyler2744]

@@FighterPilotPodcastdang!! I thought I saw you there on Friday. I had a gut feeling

[@watchthe1369]

I know it was in Yuma for the F-4's, Then El Toro for the F-18's. When they went joint in El Toro with f-18's is when the letters colors changed.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Aha!

[@LowSet]

Glad to see both of your guests. Worked with them whilst they were with the Red Devils in Eielson AFB during Red Flag Alaska 19-1 🇫🇮

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

💪

[@watchthe1369]

Christine was the oldest bird, and the one I knew about had the old Kapton(r) junk wiring in it. Ghosts in the wire all the time.

[@seanclark5669]

Like you Jello, VMFAT-101 was the best tour of my life! Great show and guests. R/ Mousse

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, Mousse! Met some -101 students at the reception just now and tried to encourage them to enjoy this time.

[@mrmoorey]

My sister and I met Yoshi at Miramar this year. He told us about his UK deployment, including to RAF Coningsby that is close to where we grew up. We had no idea of his seniority; he was so down to earth and such a nice guy. I regret not buying a t-shirt from him. My Flickr account has a couple of photos of his F/A-18 that was parked behind the tent. Edit. I'm re-adding my comment because the original seems to have got lost.

[@mikematheny4552]

Sad to see 101 deactivated. I was a RAC (Replacement Air Crew) in 101 in ‘85. We had two Navy LSO’s … Beaver Cleaver and Chopper Lovelace and 2 Navy RIO’s Shird Edwards and O C Hankins to train the handful of Navy pilots and 2 Marines (of which I was one) to go to the MIdway in the last days of the Phantom. The Navy deactivated my Midway Squadron, VF-161 Chargers and now the Marines are shutting down VMFAT-101. I must be getting old!

[@juanibarra283]

I have my squadron patch and yes the blue H was changed from red to blue to represent us squids being attached to a marine squadron

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Do you remember when the blue added?

[@johnferguson1455]

Enjoyed the interview 👍🏻

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

🙏

[@michaelr.7054]

My son is going for the marine ocs board next month,hopefully with a pilot contract

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Fantastic! 🤞

[@thriftstorehunter]

just say I watched top gun.....none of the guys admit it.but A TON of pilots owe him some shade....great cxhannel! glad to be here... i wont bunny hop...zilla noises

[@johnb7490]

I worked on some A7E and F14s that would have deserved the name Christine on the tail. Those Marines were class acts, great interview.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, John!

[@tacoenvy]

Awesome episode Jell-O!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks! Just enjoyed the ceremony out Miramar.

[@user-cl5zy5qn5d]

My guess is that 101 will come back as a training squadron in the future. I saw a AF training squadron from LUKE in AZ,That flew the Viper in 2011. Shortly there after itc was disbanded as a Viper training squadron. It is now one of the 35 training squadrons still at Luke.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Time will tell.

[@forthwithtx5852]

I was in a USAF squadron that deactivated to take on a different aircraft/mission keeping the squadron number it had, then it deactivated a couple years later and reactivated the original squadron number. Clearly some political shenanigans going on.

[@indy500tabasco8]

Good interview😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks 🙏

[@f.galvez9301]

I was stationed at MCAS Miramar with VFMAT-101 99-02. Then worked with Boeing @101 from 03-08. Sure miss San Diego.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

It's nice down here, come on back! (...but it IS expensive.)

[@algrosskurth7994]

Was an instructor at 101 from 91-95 in El Toro. Great legacy!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

I got there as a student in October 95--just missed each other.

[@algrosskurth7994]

@@FighterPilotPodcast my last flight was a 1 v 1 against “Shark” Richards - the CO at the time. He had a flight control failure in the 3rd engagement. I was grateful we swapped AC in maintenance at the last second he gave me his airplane. Don’t know if I would have recovered from a flight control failure 20-30 deg nose low in blower, loaded up (2 circle fight). Had no pitch response and the clue I had was he was arcing (LOL) He went to idle, I recall no speed break deployment, had to run nose trim to get nose up and AS under control before resetting flight controls. He landed with an emergency straight in. Exciting last flight and I was grateful for the ride in 00 that day (I think that airframe had 100 hrs on it).

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@algrosskurth7994 yikes! 😳

[@christopherbennett9128]

I just got a patch from them at Miramar that was flown supersonic 😊

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Nice! 😎

[@get2dachoppa249]

Great interview, lots of good information. I've always wondered if USMC Hornet pilots move between single & dual seat squadrons.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Now you know!

[@trevorbodnar5495]

Just saw one of their T-34Cs takeoff on ADSB. Probably the least known aircraft in the Marine inventory. Wonder what their fate will be?

[@ApolonioGonzales]

We're keeping the T-34's in the new command. They're invaluable to the squadron.

[@EveryoneIsFightingSomeBattle]

Jello-O - the beard looks damn good!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks! Kinda itches though

[@briancooper2112]

Shame. Thank you all for your service!🇺🇸

[@TURKEYpilot101]

Would be awesome with the 323 for the FRD side of things still uses shooter for their callsign to pay homage to 101 for continuing the training legacy!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

True! As long as it did not confuse ATC.

[@TURKEYpilot101]

Use Snake for the deployable side of 323 and then shooter for the training flights! Hope someone can make this happen!

[@jarbarian]

WTH?! That was my squadron when I was in the Marines. I worked on the very first FA-18 they received (after watching the last F-4 leave). I saw us go from 1 FA-18A and B to finally having over 35 aircraft. It's a sad day for Marine Aviation.

[@SavageHenry0311]

It does feel awful when your old unit gets deactivated. I deployed with 1/8, and something from that deployment pops into my head every day. I did other deployments with other units, but none of them were as intense or impactful to me. I haven't yet figured out how to describe what it felt like when they cased 1/8's colors. Anyway...just letting you know there's somebody else who TOTALLY UNDERSTANDS what you feel like.

[@jarbarian]

@@SavageHenry0311Thanks Man. I still have the VMFAT-101 patch in my office. I hope they bring it back with F-35Bs.

[@stretch3281]

In Mike Suttons book on the typhoon he recounts needing to deconflct while over Iraq, so they asked the controller if they could go to block 5, the controller replied in a supprised voice " if you can get there, it's yours ". They levald off at i think 54 thousand feet.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

🤩

[@indianajon7980]

Stupid question which I think the interviews added but I just wanted to double check. Does the Marine's sqn 101 have anything to do with the Navy RAG sqn 101 that used to teach the Tomcat?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

No.

[@tomwilson1006]

Jello, 163097, an A-model nicknamed “Christine”, was involved in a mid-air with a Marine B-model back in 2004, 120 miles east of Portland. Unfortunately the 2 Marines did not survive, while the pilot of “Christine” made it out. Not sure if it’s the same bird you were referring to. Another great episode as always.

[@tomwilson1006]

News reports had them listed as C and D models, so I’m not sure if they were upgraded from an A and B, which is what those BuNo’s were originally built as

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@tomwilson1006 mine was a B that ended up in the boneyard.

[@tomwilson1006]

Must’ve been a few that were nicknamed “Christine” bcuz of maintenance issues.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@tomwilson1006 Likely. This one actually had the name painted at the top of the vertical stabilizers.

[@tomwilson1006]

Ahhh okay cool! I know someone that flew an A+ within the last 10 years that was previously involved in a mid-air in the 90’s also. Was a block 13 bird and most of the ones around that BuNo ended up having a lot of mishaps. Glad yours fared better! Love the channel Jello!

[@lucamarsilli9789]

Where does all of the mementos and memorabilia end in a deactivating squadron?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Good question.

[@iarry5heet796]

They want a combat ready squadron to take over

[@joemd7775]

I thought F/A-18C production started with Lot 10? So how can a Lot 12 be an A or A+ model? If the 402 EPE's were backfilled to Lot 12, is that the only Lot they were 'retrofitted' or backfilled to or were there others? Jello, in your opinion, were the early light A models the better BFM jets over the 402 powered jets? I have heard two conflicting opinions from Hornet pilots as to which was the better BFM jet; one pilot said the early light A's the other said the 402 powered jets.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yeah, that confused me too. Lot 10 and on were Cs and Ds, and I never heard of any 10-14 getting retrofitted with -402s. The As were incredible BFM machines but if I had to go into combat I'd take a lot 15 or 21 C.

[@mandyfox9376]

There should have been a Marine pilot in Top Gun Maverick 💯

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

That would needlessly complicate the story for the average viewer.

[@Flyboy_Gospel]

Jell-O, are you the voice of the LSO on DCS?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Yep 😎

[@Flyboy_Gospel]

@@FighterPilotPodcast I mean this with all respect, but your power call outs make me feel like the biggest loser in the world. lol. Like why is he being so condescending, I'm doing my best. When I get the wave off, I feel like I have disappointed my dad or something.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@Flyboy_Gospel gotta have thick skin in naval aviation 😉

[@Flyboy_Gospel]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Apparently so, lol

[@Dugglesthemuddled]

You can always fly some Case IIIs for some Jell-O Sugar Calls

[@Avofan]

I believe 101 will be back for the F-35. The 95th FS came back with the 35. VFA-125 came back with the 35. VFA-101 came back with the 35.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Time will tell...

[@AA-xo9uw]

VFA-101 was deactivated in May of 2019.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@AA-xo9uw different squadron, we're talking about VMFAT-101

[@AA-xo9uw]

@@FighterPilotPodcast "VFA-101 came back with the 35." @DrLove-uc2ek That was the comment I responded to. I'm well aware of what the topic of the video is.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@AA-xo9uw Gotcha.