Republic of China Air Force F-16A lost

[Le Addeur noir]

At 19.18 local time on 4 March(11.18Z) a 5 Tactical Fighter Wing F-16A(unconfirmed report quotes tail number 6706) disappeared from rader screens 28 miniutes after take-off from Hualien AB(RCYU).

At this time the pilot Major Ting Shih-pao,34 is listed as missing.

A search was initiated with 2 S-70C and a C-130H plus 2 warships.

This is the fifth Taiwanese F-16 loss(2 F-16A and 2 F-16B),and the first loss of this type of airplane in the RoCAF since 1999.

[patrick dirksen]

A misleading title, but I guess it's formally correct..... You made me wonder for a few moments wether I missed the Chinese buying Vipers!

[phkza]

A misleading title, but I guess it's formally correct..... You made me wonder for a few moments wether I missed the Chinese buying Vipers!

Haha, yes me too. But as you said, the title is formally correct.

[dutchphantom]

Why misleading? Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China (ROC) while China is known as the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). So there is nothing misleading in the title.

But sadly enough the pilot is still missing.

[Le Addeur noir]

The F-16A lost in this crash is now confirmed as 6706.

Total airframe hours at the time of crash 1075.5.

For those confused by the reference to "Republic of China",RoCAF F-16s carry RoCAF on their tails.Do try to get out more often.

If The Republic of China changes it's name to Taiwan,they're likely to be invaded by the communist SOBs on the other side of the straits of Taiwan.

[patrick dirksen]

Do try to get out more often

No need to get nasty! I think I get out enough.

[Le Addeur noir]

Not meaning to be flippant.But Taiwan is forced to use the official name of Republic of China.This,I thought was widely known.Their F-16s have been marked RoCAF on their tails since 2000.

The Republic of China Air Force is covered in the Scramble Order of Battle and databases,and the level of coverage is excellent.

[Richard from Rotterdam]

Well I do believe your explanation is true about communist China invading Taiwan when they declare independence from the mainland, they are not forced to use the name Republic of China. Not by the commies anyway.

The Quomintang party has always claimed to be the rightful government of China, even when they fled the communists and landed on Taiwan. Giving up on that idea, thus giving up claims to the mainland and declaring indepence under the name Taiwan is only something of the last few years.

[Le Addeur noir]

Today,September 30,2008 the pilot of F-16A 6706 Major(posthumously promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel-effective Sepetmber 4th) Ting was officially declared dead and funeral ceremonies were held in Taiwan.

RIP,Lieutenant Colonel Ting