DONE! I am extremely happy with how this turned out, despite all the setbacks and challenges. At the last moment, I thought I had some dullcote lacquer, but I did not, so the decals show more than they should. But otherwise, I'm thrilled. Here is the back story:
The EB-66 had proven itself a valuable asset during the Vietnam conflict, but by 1972 it was clear that the useful life of the aircraft was nearing an end. The J-71 engines of the B-66 were simply inadequate for the job of lifting the heavy load of additional equipment that had been added to the EB (they were never really adequate at all, but now their shortcomings were overwhelming). In addition, there were other problems with the airframes that needed a major retrofit, in particular the fuel system.
There was considerable debate in the Pentagon about what to do about an EB-66 replacement. One faction wanted to refurbish and retrofit early F-111As. Another faction wanted to adopt the Navy’s Grumman EA-6B. And a third faction campaigned to have the existing EB-66s refurbished and re-engined. In the end, the EA-6B option was eliminated due to Air Force parochialism (the USAF did not want to buy ANOTHER Navy plan after the F-4, A-1, A-7, etc.). The F-111A option was favored, but tabled for a later date, as the F-111 was still a relatively new fighter. In the meantime, the B-66 option won the day. All available B-66 airframes were returned to the Douglas plant in Long Beach, CA (by then a division of McDonnell Douglas). There, the aircraft were virtually remanufactured. The airframes were brought to a zero time condition; the fuel system was completely redesigned and included an air refueling receptacle (in place of the former probe). The problematic J-71 engines were discarded in favor of TF-33 turbofans providing 65% more power and greater fuel economy. The aircraft also received a completely modernized suite of electronic warfare equipment including the AN/ALQ-99E jamming system housed in a ventral canoe fairing as well as the fin-top “football” antenna, and the extended tailcone. Communications jammers, chaff and flare dispensers were also mounted. The EB-66F (as the new aircraft was designated) was also equipped to carry, target and launch AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, as well as a self-protection jamming pod on a left wing pylon.
The rebuilt aircraft were given new serial numbers in the 72-xxx range, and entered service at Shaw AFB, SC and Spangdahlem AB, Germany starting in 1975. The aircraft shown here saw combat in January, 1991 as part of Operation Desert Storm in Iraq.