A Fighter Pilot, Political Science Prof and Author with Opinions and a Weird Streak
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Discovery "Wings"
A few of my friends:
6 comments:
Dweezild Dwarftosser
said...
Thanks, Ed = I needed that! I didn't know any of those people (2 to 4 years before my time) - but I did get to see my old multi-story barracks, and the pool that nobody had the time to ever visit. (You had to be in the CBPO for that.)
But I did know the machines - intimately - during the ten years I spent (during 362 days) at Korat.
I'm all 'misty' now (not really), and wondering how many F-105s shot down Mig-17s using an F-4 reticle (as depicted in the film). I guess they're interchangeable these days, since I've seen an F-105 reticle splashing a Mig-19 (way too close) during a Discovery documentary about F-4s in SE Asia.
I didn't know the AGM-68 even existed; all we had on our Wild Weasels were AGM-78Cs, (and -45s). BTW - we had the only six 105Gs (which were actually highly-modified -Fs; no pod blisters) in all of 7th/13th AF, until a month before I went home. (May 22, '71). That was when the full-blown F-105Gs started showing up. Our 'test program' was evidently a success. . .
At least the 'first person interviews' likely were accurate.
I watched the Great Planes segment on the Chief that Kevin mentioned and I must confess I had never heard an F-105 pilot called a "one man Air Force" by hisownself or his peers. And there were some minor errors in the script that would lead the uninformed to think the F-105's were stationed in Vietnam which of course they were not. More interviews with Thud drivers would have added a lot to the program IMHO. If I ruled the TV world......
6 comments:
Thanks, Ed = I needed that!
I didn't know any of those people (2 to 4 years before my time) - but I did get to see my old multi-story barracks, and the pool that nobody had the time to ever visit. (You had to be in the CBPO for that.)
But I did know the machines - intimately - during the ten years I spent (during 362 days) at Korat.
I'm all 'misty' now (not really), and wondering how many F-105s shot down Mig-17s using an F-4 reticle (as depicted in the film). I guess they're interchangeable these days, since I've seen an F-105 reticle splashing a Mig-19 (way too close) during a Discovery documentary about F-4s in SE Asia.
I didn't know the AGM-68 even existed; all we had on our Wild Weasels were AGM-78Cs, (and -45s).
BTW - we had the only six 105Gs (which were actually highly-modified -Fs; no pod blisters) in all of 7th/13th AF, until a month before I went home. (May 22, '71). That was when the full-blown F-105Gs started showing up. Our 'test program' was evidently a success. . .
At least the 'first person interviews' likely were accurate.
Capable people. Capable machines.
Douchebags in Washington.
Ed, it's extremely rare that I'll watch a 48 minute vid clip on a blog - but this one was worth it.
I was 4-7 years old during that campaign - thank you for adding to my education.
BTW, did I spot a dashing young 'leftenant' at 10:31 and 24:13?
Hand salute to those who flew the mighty Chief.
HEADS-UP: Tonight (Wed, May 23rd) at 10PM, the Military Channel, show "Great Planes", featured aircraft is the Thud!
Kevin, do I get the impression you didn't notice the subject here?
I watched the Great Planes segment on the Chief that Kevin mentioned and I must confess I had never heard an F-105 pilot called a "one man Air Force" by hisownself or his peers. And there were some minor errors in the script that would lead the uninformed to think the F-105's were stationed in Vietnam which of course they were not. More interviews with Thud drivers would have added a lot to the program IMHO. If I ruled the TV world......
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