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same physical properties of the contaminants the aircraft could
encounter. An aircraft had talcum powder applied loosely to it
surface to simulate the type of contact contaminants would have
with the airframe. In addition, certain parts of the aircraft had
powder rubbed into the surface of the airframe skin. This type of
application would be far more adhering than any contamination
encountered on actual missions. After the application of powder,
the aircraft was then flown in the local area, with the airspeed
and time of the sortie approximating a return flight from enemy
airspace. After the test aircraft landed, it was then inspected to
determine how much of the simulated contamination remained. This
inspection showed that all of the loosely applied powder had come
off during flight, while winds removed almost all of the rubbed-in
powder. From this test, the wing determined that in actual combat,
only a minuscule percentage of any contamination would remain on
the aircraft

	While the chances of aircraft carrying chemical or
biological agents back to the base were slim, the possibility did
exist. For this reason, the wing planned to decontaminate all
aircraft after they recovered from combat sorties.  King Fahad Air
Base had no integral decontamination facilities, so the wing had to
improvise. The method arrived at consisted of using 1,500 gallon
water trucks to spray down the aircraft after they returned to
base The trucks were fitted with four fire hoses, with fittings
designed and manufactured on base. On 14 and 15 January the wing

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