|
|
|
? - October 21, 2012
Roadrunners Internationale and the aviation community are greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Clyde Calvin Fancher, 83, of Logandale, Nevada on October 21, 2012. Clyde is remembered by the Roadrunners as the tower air traffic control and radar operator at Groom Lake for the 1129th SAS during the CIA Project OXCART, the Mach 3+ A-12 Archangel high-flying reconnaissance plane that preceded the Air Force SR-71 Blackbird. At the end of the OXCART project, Fancher continued with other classified projects in Nevada that concluded with his being the manager of the Desert Rock airstrip at the Atomic Energy Commission's Mercury basecamp. Fancher's love and participation in aviation did not stop there. He purchased a 1950 Ryan Navion B, and a 1947 North American aircraft that is parked at the North Las Vegas Airport today. Fancher and his this beautiful planes participated in various Navion events over the years. He was also active with the Civil Air Patrol and the Young Eagles. Roadrunner President Barnes and various other of Fancher's Groom Lake associates often joined him at the EAA pancake breakfasts at the North Las Vegas airport. We will miss you, Clyde.
Services for Clyde will be held Tuesday, October 30 at 3:00 p.m. at the Metcalf Mortuary, 5090 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., Logandale, NV
and
on Wednesday, October 31 at 1140 at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Buchanan Blvd., Boulder City, Nevada
Clyde Fancher's 1950 Ryan Navion B plane
Clyde's 1947 North American plane that he purchased from the AEC. The plane was at Camp Desert Rock near Mercury, Nevada, the entrance to the Atomic Proving Grounds
Clyde, second from the right at the table during a Roadrunner gathering
Former Area-51 employees T.D. Barnes and Clyde Fancher after locating two AEC mannequins that survived an atmospheric atomic test in Yucca Flats of the Atomic Proving Grounds. The photo was taken at one of the EAA pancake breakfasts at North Las Vegas Airport
 |
 |
 |