There were shouts of “SHE’S HERE!” as soon as Ms. Galore arrived, and Vic can see crew members crowding the boom operator window for a peek as camera flashes also go off
The F-105D was one of the most famous—or infamous, depending on your perspective—planes and was also called P***y Galore. Captain Victor “Vic” Vizcarra piloted this aircraft.
The first Py Galore I marking was painted in July 1965, according to an intriguing Reddit thread. Py Galore was painted directly on the nose so that her, uh, “Strategic Part” was just above the receptacle as an inside joke for the KC-135 tanker crews, especially the boom operators who had difficulties placing the boom into the receptacle! She was given the same name as the executive pilot who flew the evil Goldfinger in the eponymous James Bond movie.
Ms. Galore and the tankers had a difficult first encounter. The tanker crew was informed by the pilot—not Vizcarra—that “she” was a virgin and that this was “her” first experience. To the amusement of all the involved Thud pilots, the boom operator mistook the phrase as the pilot’s first in-flight refuel and talked him all the way in. To their disappointment, Galore was not mentioned.
Later flights turned out to be considerably more enjoyable. There were shouts of “SHE’S HERE!” as soon as Ms. Galore arrived, and Vic can see crew members crowding the boom operator window for a peek as camera flashes also go off. There were snickers when the boom operator inserted the boom into Galore’s “Strategically Positioned” receptacle, completing the equivalent of an umm… oh yeah! After coming off the boom, there were cries of “Was that good for you?” “Ok, just how much did it cost me this time?” “Take good care of her now!” and “God damn it! There go another 100 bucks down the drain!” can be heard. Both sides reacted to those with a good deal of laughter, snickering, and smiles. Sadly, everything eventually came to an end.
During a dreaded journey “downtown,” the original Py Galore was shot down in 1967, leaving the pilot missing (not Vic). By that point, she had changed from a silver-painted finish to the typical South-East Asian three-tone finish, sadly with Ms. Galore painted over. Vic had already completed a Py Galore II by that point, in October 1966. The typical three-toned SE camouflage was used on this F-105D. Vic had to go through three hoops to obtain authorization to do Py Galore II. The tankers found it to be equally as popular as Py Galore I.
Sadly, this aircraft likewise failed to land. P***y Galore II was dispatched to Taiwan for a crucial significant maintenance and overhaul operation during the bombing lull LBJ authorized in 1968. She, unfortunately, sustained severe damage in a ground collision accident and was written off completely.
The marking itself though didn’t last that long. It was found out by the new Wing commander three weeks after application. Robert Scott, a legendary pilot from World War II, served as the commander. He suddenly grew apoplectic and demanded Galore be removed right away! So the P***y Galore tale comes to a close.
How well-known was P***y Galore? On a necessary R&R trip to Guam, Vic and his fellow Thud pilots broke into the local watering hole. They were immediately met by several KC-135 tanker crews. Their Thud patches allowed them to identify them. The tanker crew immediately inquired about a unique and really impressive Thud since it had a huge naked chick sprawled on the nose, with her special part strategically covering the receptacle.
They claimed that in addition to giving everyone involved an “eyeful,” Thud also significantly improved morale during an otherwise dull tanker sortie and made the life of the boom operator much simpler. They prayed every day that this Thud would appear and make the tanker crew’s day a little bit better. This is why her eventual, permanent disappearance was so disappointing.
They enquired as to who had thought up the idea and who was driving the Thud. They also said this wasn’t their first time asking this question. Well, someone on Vic’s team ratted him out as the guy who came up with THE P***y Galore concept! The tanker crew actually cheered when they realized not only did they find out the pilot, but got a name to go with the plane also! For the rest of that night, Vic couldn’t buy a drink without someone from the tanker crew picking up his tab!
No matter where it came from, never EVER undervalue the power of a good morale boost!
Photo by U.S. Air Force and Kits World