QF-4N Phantom II launching and AQM-37D. A mainstay mission of VX-30. This was a sub-sonic launch, normally we did super-sonic. I checked my log book when I saw the date, I was sure I was either the shooter or the…
QF-4N Phantom II launching and AQM-37D. A mainstay mission of VX-30. This was a sub-sonic launch, normally we did super-sonic. I checked my log book when I saw the date, I was sure I was either the shooter or the…
F/A-18C Super Sonic at 100 feet, a great video. It happens fast, you can see the shock wave as a ball of vapor as the Hornet flashes by. Let’s take a closer look. In this picture you can see the…
Our two Phantoms came off target in formation. Quickly I pushed my wing man back into combat spread. We weren’t done by a long shot. “Beaver, picture between Shantini and Texaco?” Texaco was the KC-135 inflight refueler orbiting 200 miles…
Sliding the throttles outboard, I eased them further forward into the afterburner range. I heard the boom as they lit and began to stage, a quick glance at the burner can gauge showed the exhaust nozzles opening all the way,…
BLUEBIRD transmitted over the shot common frequency meant an Aegis Class Cruiser had entered the fight. Not good! The Aegis class was an SM-2-ER shooter, a particularly nasty Surface to Air Missile (SAM). The Spy 1 radar system could literally…
“Bloodhound 101, LA Center, switch Beaver control 354.5” “Flight go.” I dialed the manual frequency in the UHF radio. “Beaver Control, Bloodhound 101 flight of four Phantoms checking in for your control.” “Roger Bloodhound, squawk 1001, have your section leader…
“Tower, Bloodhound 101, flight of four, take off.” “Bloodhound 101, Point Mugu tower, you are clear to take off runway 11.” I tapped my helmet over the ear then held up 5 fingers to switch my flight to button 5…
Some great old footage of F-4 Phantom IIs, A-5 Vigilantes and F-8 Crusaders; enjoy!
As my readers know I have been writing about a looming pilot shortage for years. The world economic downturn, age 65, industry consolidation and gutted airline pilot contracts; have all slowed the pace. Two things are now evident: first, retirements…