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VF-121 (Fighter Squadron 121) of the US Navy was a former Pacific Fleet Replacement Air Group (RAG) unit that, by the time of its disestablishment (30 September 1980), was charged with the training of F-4 Phantom flight and maintenance crews. VF-121 was originally VF-781, a reserve squadron. VF-121 is best known as the original host unit for the Navy's Fighter Weapons School, more popularly known world-wide as Top Gun. On July 1, 1946, VF-781, ''The Pacemakers'' were stationed at Naval Air Station Los Alamitos, CA. They were called into service in 1950 to serve in Korea. ==History== VF-781 served on board with Air Group 102(CVG-102) flying F9F-2B Panthers from May 10, 1951 to December 17, 1951. VF-781's next cruise was on board flying with Air Group 102(CVG-102). The Pacemakers flew F9F-5's in Korea from September 15, 1952 to May 18, 1953. The first F9F-5s entered combat in October 1952 with reserve squadrons VF-781 and VF-783 from USS Hancock (CVA-31). VF-781 was re-designated VF-121 on February 4, 1953. VF-781 originally flew F4U Corsairs then transition to F9F-2/-5 Panthers. After re-designated to VF-121, the squadron transitioned to F9F-6 Cougars with commanding officer Jimmie E Savage for their 1954 deployment on the USS Boxer (CV-21). They made two more cruises to the Western Pacific and Korea on The USS Hancock (CV-19) from 10 Aug 1955 to 15 Mar 1956 with CVG-12 flying F9F-8, with the tail code of 'D' then converted to FJ-3 Fury's. The last cruise was on board USS Lexington CV-16 from April 19, 1957 to October 17, 1957. Commander R. E. 'Dusty' Rhodes was CO of VF-121 during 1955. Cdr. Rhodes worked with VC-6 and their AJ Savage tankers on air-to-air refueling. The exercise was successfully off the coast of San Diego, Ca. Cdr. Rhodes went on to Command the Blue Angels flight team from 1947 to 1950. F-4 Phantom II models flown by VF-121 are F-4B, G, J, N & S. VF-121 Pacemakers received the first examples of F-4B Phantoms at NAS Miramar in 1961.〔Eden 2004, p. 278.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「VF-121」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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