European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 5, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1985 the stars and stripes Page 9 Jet engine Mechanic senior airman Tom Martin checks the air intake on an f15 eagles photos by Eagle Drivers and keepers Mechanic from Page 7 things go what the Day Crew Doest finish up becomes the prop erty of the swing most of the heavy such As changing Falls to the swing shift because of the time according to our swing shift is really the Backbone of our flight himself a swing shift we Call it the until shift until All the work is getting the planes ready by Daylight sometimes Means working into the wee hours of the Martin the Day shift workers expect to be out on the flight line from 7 until 5 although sometimes they stay a Little later to join the arriving swing shift in knocking off a Martin meals Are brought out to the flight line stranded in a sea of Concrete and noise makes it Tough to take care of simple things like getting to the or the said he depends on his to take care of much of the family doing is complicated by the fact that who arrived one year Doest Ive gotten a lot bolder and braver about taking Public she she agrees with her husband that life on the flight line is full of you cant always make plans too far things always she Martin was fixing cars four years ago when he decided he needed a it was the same old he said of life As an Auto so i decided i would try something differ ent and go into Jet but Martin is not altogether satisfied with working on the modular Pratt and Whitney that Power the f they Are not real he Martin and his James say a real engine is one that has recognizable charac somewhat like a car when a car engine there Are Likely when a car Doest there Are things to look the complexity of the f15s engine requires a differ ent said a 14year flight line a such As afterburner does not easily Lead to a cause with the Eagle Power he Quick troubleshooting often becomes lengthy about 25 Yards an Eagle with the name of Matt Blacks flight Joe is hitched up to a building called the sound work was begun the Day before on what in Layman terms would be a but problems cropped up on the Job Martin had optimistically predicted would take two the wealth of new problems make the plane a Goat in Martins language a plane on chronic sick Martin had spent hours in the cockpit on the previous Day taking the engine up to 80 percent Power while Jet testers Sherri Wilson and senior airman Cynthia Moore Laboured to Fine tune the right sure sounds said Wilson at one Point while checking the readings on an electronic trim Box hooked to the engine from a soundproof Moore occasionally popped into the hut to watch the dials after she made adjustments to the running by frustration is etched on the faces of All the language is stronger and the backs it gets to a Point where you just want to throw in the Towel and forget says but they Crew chief Robin dowdy checks with Pilot Matt Black in cockpit of f15 at spotters line runway Fence waiting to watch an Eagle take to the