European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 b the stars and stripes sunday april 28, 1991nasa prepared for Complex Mission Cape canaveral Fla apr Nasa headed into the final hours of its second countdown for space shuttle discovery so Star wars research Mission with High Hopes for a sunday liftoff. Mission managers halted the first countdown when a pressure sensor on one of the main engines failed As the external fuel Fink was being filled for a tuesday launch attempt. The sensor was replaced and the new part tested Fine. A we be been set Back several times so there a a lot of anxiety a said Michael Harrison a research official for the strategic defense initiative better known As a Star  liftoff was scheduled for 7 01 . Edt sunday. Weather forecasters said Early morning fog put the Chance of an on time liftoff at Only 20 percent. The fog was expected to lift later in the morning. Nasa flight directors consider it one of the most Complex shuttle missions Ever. The Crew will split 12 hour shifts during the right Day flight. One of discovery a two main payloads a a $160 million set of instruments to observe the atmosphere Aurora and stars a was supposed to go up in july 1986. The challenger Accident six months earlier wiped out those plans and the experiments were put on hold. Ski officials said they need infrared ultraviolet and a Ray measurements from naturally occurring Phcnom-1 Cna to develop sensors that can distinguish ballistic missiles amid All that clutter. A. Discovery s exhaust plumes will be studied by the other main payload a $94 million sol spacecraft released from the shuttle. The spacecraft will orbit near discovery for 36 hours analysing its plumes before being placed Back in the cargo Bay the Only information scientists have on How plumes behave in space has come from unmanned rockets observing one another. The spacecraft commanded by Remote control by the astronauts also will examine chemicals and gases sprayed into . A a a a a a a a a a a a a a / tornadoes from Page 1 Mobile Home Paik resident Anton Kemper whose Wile Elsi was killed. A we did no to even have time to jump in our boots. We ran out to try to get away from it. We ran into the heavy tool  but the Tornado hit the shed. A it just twisted it around and around in circles a Kemper said. Scores of people were injured and ambulances streamed in and out of Andover carrying people to hospitals in Wichita. Tornadoes Rake Plains x Kansas Topeka Wichita a Andover a a a a Copan a Tulsa Oklahoma Texas a amps. Sharon Kilday doctors treated Tornado victims into the Early hours of saturday the devastating twisters inflicted abrasions head injuries heart attacks broken Bones and Auto accidents. A the Tornado sat Down and just did no to lift Back up. It did a lot of damage Quot Debra Alfers an official with Wichita a Riverside Hospital said of the destruction. A a it a Gonna be a Day that people Are going to remember for a Long Long time Quot said Dick elder mitc urologist in charge of the National weather service in Wichita. He estimated damage in Andover alone at More than $50 million and counting a he said a Tornado went right through Mcconnell fab a it made a hit on the base Hospital there and caused a Good bit of damage to the Hospital As Well As parts of the base housing  the Kansas National guard and Sedgwick county sheriffs deputies patrolled the towns perimeter late Friday to prevent looting. Hospital officials confirmed at least five More deaths in Wichita and two in separate communities Southeast of Wichita. Kansas lawmakers evacuated the Capitol on Friday before tornadoes hit Topeka. The Kansas House ended its session in mid debate and evacuated the building when a Tornado touched Down in the Northeast part of the City. No damage or injuries were reported. In Kansas alone twisters struck in  of f v it it 1 c Xyz kit v. St it c v ,1 rubble is All that remains of a Mobile Home Park in Andover kan., on saturday after tornadoes swept through the area Friday night. Near Topeka Washington Dunlap Council Grove Eskridge Manhattan Alma Wichita Anthony Conway Springs and Peck the news said. One Tornado left cars a rolled up like Little balls in the Community of Copan okla. Nine Miles South of the Kansas Border said Bartlesville fire chief Larry Topping. Power lines were knocked Down in Skiatook South of Copan and 12 Miles North of Tulsa and 12 people were Hurt at Oologah 20 Miles Northwest of Skiatook when twisters damaged the High school and destroyed More than 30 Mobile Homes barns and other  from Page 1 away a while another could emphasize close air support. A a a a a a a and what makes it so neat a Downer said a is that it s flexible enough so that if you change the Type of aircraft you can move one out put another one  in Turkey Downers unit included f-1m Long Range tactical fighters f-16 fighting Falcons f-4e and g phantom 1 is f-15 eagles ef-111 tactical jamming air Craft ec-130 Compass culls Kc-135 tankers a acs Early airborne warning aircraft and Rf-4c phantom ii reconnaissance planes the 7440th initially operated in Northern Iraq Over. Mosul Kirkuk Cikrit Maiyah and Erbil among other Lor cations. As the War progressed the Wing ventured farther South to the Taji area of Northern Baghdad. Toward the end some 7440th planes bombarded iraqi troops with propaganda encouraging them to surrender. The Wing flew 4,600 combat sorties. No aircraft were shot Down in combat although one was lost because of a mechanical failure. Ait. Force officials said the 7440th�?Ts performance validated the composite Wing concept the number of wings the service would like to have is unclear but previous statements by service officials indicate the Long Range plan May be to have at least two in the United states and one each in the Pacific and Europe. One definite site is Mountain Home fab in Idaho. Maj. Gen. Eugene e. , the air Force director of programs said the service is submitting recommendations to move a variety of aircraft to Mountain Home As part of a proposed composite Wing there. That would mean altering a recommendation by the 1988 base closure commission to move f-4g aircraft to Mountain Home Habiger said. However since most f-4 wild weasels Wilt be re tired because of the declining soviet threat space would be available at the base. A similar scenario faces Span Dahlem a Germany where aging f-4gs Are to begin leaving late this year. The air Force announced earlier this month that a 1993 a area it alignment a at Span Dahlem will bring together f 16s, a-10 Thunderbolt ii tank killers and of to target Hunting aircraft but officials stopped Short of calling the revamped organization a composite Wing. Another stateside base that will be housing a composite Wing is Seymour Johnson fab . The new Wing will consist of strategic air come Kc-10 tankers of the 68th air refuelling Wing and tac Ai Conid f-15e�?Ts from the 4th tac fighter Wing both at Seymour Johnson. The Wing consists of three squadrons of f-15e�?Ts and two squadrons of pc 10s. When composite wings Are formed they should be manned primarily by experienced people Downer said. A i would like to have a Wing that did t have a big initial training commitment a he said. A a you be got to have some rookies but not nearly As Many As you might have in a typical Wing. The emphasis would not be on training but on  for pilots Downer sees a composite Wing As a a stepping Stone to a next Echelon of capability a tougher place. I look at a composite Wing of the future As being a very leading cutting Edge operation. So you can to afford to always be training new  in Turkey the wide Range of experience within the wings ranks proved to be essential to the missions sue Cess. For example a snowstorm in Germany kept some f-4 mechanics from Span Dahlem a from immediately following their aircraft to in Ciurlik. Fortunately there were mechanics with f-4 experience among the ranks of f-16 workers in in Ciurlik. A one was tech. Sgt. Frank Myers from Torrejon a Spain who worked on f-4s for 12 years before switching to f-16s. I loved it a Myers said of his experience in the composite Wing. A we were working All together to make one thing happen. I done to think it could be done any bet. Ter.�?�. A a the composite Wing concept also won Over Many of the pilots. The aviators liked working face to face with other types of pilots instead of having to Hope that everyone from various bases would meet in the air at the right time a we knew everyone was there before we left the ground basically a said 1st it Dave Sveden jr., an f-15 Eagle Pilot assigned to Pitburg a in Germany. Mcpeak also made that Point in his Airpower journal Art Cei a things now stand our operating concept is to task a Large group of strangers to join up and gel acquainted on their Way to the target a he wrote. One major unanswered question about the composite Wing concept is its Cost. Air Force officials have estimated that composite Wing operating costs could run As much As i p a rent higher than a traditional Wing because of added logistical support and the need for a wider variety of spare parts. We ought to acknowledge at the outset that composite wings May be somewhat More expensive to operate Quot me reak wrote. But he argued that Many bases particularly at overseas locations already Are set up As rudimentary com Poste wings although different commands May own the various aircraft. Acif  a Okinawa Japan and Elmendorf am Alaska As examples. Both have a mix of fighters airborne warning and control planes electronic Jammer aircraft tankers transports and Rescue and recovery assets. A a. A Cost Cou id be the Factor that eventually Fosters Congres-?1? in the development of the concept but it is still top new to receive serious scrutiny from Congress. However some lawmakers and their aides Are keeping in formed on the plans Progress. A a to a important for the service to make serving in a com pos Tew no an Opportunity and not a dumping ground or the whole thing will never work a said a Senate armed serv ices committee staff member