Description:
Written on the back of the painting: A Tiger 'FAC' Fast Forward Air Controller of the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, flying an F-4E Phantom II, marks targets with white phosphorous smoke rockets for bomb-carrying F-105's over Laos, circa 1969. This painting illustrates a typical target-marking mission of the Tiger FACs, 1968-1973, and is not intended to depict a specific mission, aircraft or location. The painting was commissioned to memorialize the Tiger FAC group and to honor all who served as Tiger FACs, and is therefore intentionally vague in terms of location, aircraft markings, and crew. It could be anywhere, anytime, any crew. The title derives from the Tiger FAC pilot's practice of calling, "Hit my smoke" to the bomber pilots if he had marked the target dead-on. In the background, an F-105 Thunderchief dives on a previously marked target. In the far distance, a second F-105 circles, waiting to be called in for a strike. The steep limestone mountains or "karsts" are typical of northeastern Laos. Few or no photos of actual Tiger FAC Missions exist because they were very dangerous single-plane, low level mission, and there were seldom any "friendlies" around to take photos of them in action.
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