The F-15A Eagle arrived in Europe on 5th january 1977 when F-15A's 75-0049 and 75-0050
were delivered to the 36th TFW at Bitburg AB(EDAB), Germany for maintenance
familiarisation.Two more F-15A's arrived for the same purpose in february namely F-15A's 75-0053
and 75-0054, a mass delivery in the works for late march begin april."Operation Ready Eagle" brought twenty three F-15's across the atlantic on the 27th of april 1977.
They were all carrying the wing code 'BT' in black and some already had the wing badge on the intakes.
They were flown by 525 TFS who had been working up at Langley AFB(KLFI), VA for some
weeks previously, and the idea was that the squadron should be fully combat ready as
soon as they arrived in germany. Serials were:
| 525 TFS / 36 TFW "BT" |
|---|
| F-15A: | 75-0051* / 75-0056* / 75-0057* / 75-0059 / 75-0062* / 75-0063* / 75-0064* |
| 75-0065* / 75-0066* / 75-0069* / 75-0070* / 75-0071* / 75-0072* / 75-0073* |
| 75-0076* / 75-0077* / 76-0008 / 76-0011 / 76-0013 / 76-0014 |
|
| F-15B: | 75-0087* / 75-0088 / 76-0124 |
|
Planes marked with an asterisk*wore 36 TFW badges on the air intakes.
Two of the a/c were reserve a/c as two of the a/c originally planned for 525 TFS suffered from sometechnical failures.
Prior to all this, the last "BT" F-4E had departed on 9th march. The next eagle squadron to be formed
was 22 TFS, followed by 53 TFS. Despitethe fact that the 'tiger' squadron already had a few
aircrews qualified.On June 8th, a further six F-15A's were delivered, all coded "BT":
| June 8th |
|---|
| F-15A: | 75-0058 / 75-0060 / 75-0067 / 75-0078 / 76-0009 / 76-0010 |
|
Six more Eagles were delivered on 23rd June again all coded "BT":
| June 23rd |
|---|
| F-15A: | 75-0052 / 75-0061 / 75-0068 / 75-0074 / 75-0075 / 76-0016 |
|
The five aircraft delivered on June 28th were not noted by anyone.
But the five of them were later discarded as:
| June 28th |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0015/ 76-0018 / 76-0021 / 76-0024 / 76-0026 |
|
Still 2 missing.
On July 7th another six aircraft landed on the Bitburg tarmac:
| July 7th |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0020 / 76-0023 / 76-0025 / 76-0028 / 76-0029 |
|
| F-15B: | 76-0125 |
|
On July 20th another three aircraft arrived:
| July 20th |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0017 / 76-0022 / 76-0036 |
|
| August 3rd |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0012 / 76-0019 / 76-0035 |
|
| F-15B: | 76-0126 |
|
The modification programme to enable the eagles to fit the Bitburg shelters
cost twelve million dollars. The fit is was so tight(only nine inches wing clearance)
that the aircrafts were winched back into the shelters rather than trusting tow-truck
operators with the job.
Arrivals on August 17th were: | August 17th |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0027 / 76-0030 / 76-0031 / 76-0032 / 76-0034 |
|
Arrivals on September 7th were: | September 7th |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0021 / 76-0037 / 76-0038 / 76-0039 / 76-0040 |
| 76-0041 / 76-0043 |
|
| F-15B: | 76-0128 |
|
Arrivals on September 22nd were: | September 22nd |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0033 / 76-0042 / 76-0044 / 76-0045 / 76-0047 |
| 76-0048 |
|
Last delivery to my knowledge was on the 26th of October arriving that day were: | 26th October |
|---|
| F-15A: | 76-0050 / 76-0051 / 76-0052 / 76-0053 |
|
Making the total of F-15A/B at Bitburg's 36 TFW at the end of October 1977: 80 eagles 74 F-15A's and 6 F-15B's (Then dessignated TF-15A)