tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post2251787990056294679..comments2024-03-29T06:08:20.938-07:00Comments on Chant du Départ: The Friday Flyby - 23 AugustOldAFSargehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-31070041906432397162013-08-25T13:45:48.991-07:002013-08-25T13:45:48.991-07:00Thanks DM, I really appreciate it.
"Testoste...Thanks DM, I really appreciate it.<br /><br />"Testosterone-fueled menace"...<br /><br />Nice! (I will, no doubt, use that in the future.)OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-26309949900851353432013-08-24T09:20:38.245-07:002013-08-24T09:20:38.245-07:00You have the best looking blog on the net, no doub...You have the best looking blog on the net, no doubt. I wrote a piece long ago http://thediplomad.blogspot.com/2011/06/reflections-on-weapon-cool-reprise.html on how good weapons should also look cool. The F-4, in the opinion of somebody with no right to have an opinion on such matters, was/is the coolest looking aeroplane in history. It just reeked testosterone-fueled menace. DiploMadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02316439950882822419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-92232195750955576762013-08-23T17:07:46.955-07:002013-08-23T17:07:46.955-07:00Thanks c w!Thanks c w!OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-40001653157485814202013-08-23T16:28:57.638-07:002013-08-23T16:28:57.638-07:00Oh man, what a great post. Full of Phantom goodne...Oh man, what a great post. Full of Phantom goodness!c w swansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02735507642689652780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-42399502170015729572013-08-23T15:48:33.054-07:002013-08-23T15:48:33.054-07:00Man, small world. Back in my day we all knew the n...Man, small world. Back in my day we all knew the names Steve Ritchie and Chuck DeBellevue. That's one of the reasons that tail number 7463 occupies a spot in the masthead. That was their bird, those red stars on the side, they put 'em there. (Of course, I also worked on that jet at Kadena and Kunsan. So yeah, I'm fond of her.) And now she's on display at the Academy. The 7463 that the Collings Foundation flies is just painted to look like the "real" 7463. Same with their C-model, 7680 at the top of this post, she got her star from Robin Olds and his GIB, 1Lt C. Clifton. Unfortunately the actual bird was lost over SE Asia in '67. 7680 also had another MiG kill with Lt Col. F. A. Haeffner in the front seat and 1st Lt M R. Bever in the pit (433rd TFS). Not sure why the Collings' bird doesn't have a second red star.<br /><br />If you ever want to find out about a jet you flew, check out the link near the bottom of my sidebar "Aircraft Serial Numbers". Lists damn near every bird the USAF ever flew, from 1908 onwards (they claim). It's a pretty neat reference.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-31199812288929363432013-08-23T15:28:44.888-07:002013-08-23T15:28:44.888-07:00I had the sister of Ritchie's backseater, Chuc...I had the sister of Ritchie's backseater, Chuck Debellevue (Col USAF (Ret)) in an undergrad Poli-Sci class I taught as a TA at the time they made ACE together where she was an undergrad at the then Univ of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, La (now Univ of Louisiana-Lafayette...ugh...the U La-Las) where I was getting my MA after getting out of the AF. Renee was right proud of big brother..virgil xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14577165785872035948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-49694687599439290082013-08-23T12:11:41.973-07:002013-08-23T12:11:41.973-07:00Of course one tends to forget the long hours, the ...Of course one tends to forget the long hours, the nasty weather and the pressure to get a bird back to flight status.<br /><br />It all seems like beer and skittles looking back. (But really, I do know better.)OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-38021615450515706452013-08-23T12:10:20.751-07:002013-08-23T12:10:20.751-07:00Interesting tidbit. All aces seem ten feet tall to...Interesting tidbit. All aces seem ten feet tall to me.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-38767553459239881862013-08-23T11:21:42.920-07:002013-08-23T11:21:42.920-07:00He stood so tall that I didn't realize until I...He stood so tall that I didn't realize until I was looking at a picture that we were in together how short he really is. The man personifies "command presence".Murphy's Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17164780742334950772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-51698830485468900802013-08-23T10:59:49.360-07:002013-08-23T10:59:49.360-07:00You ALMOST make me wish I'd have played with j...You ALMOST make me wish I'd have played with jets. <i>Almost</i>, but not quite. <b>;-)</b>Buckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-83086611880931042802013-08-23T10:52:42.332-07:002013-08-23T10:52:42.332-07:00The Phantom will always be a favorite of mine. And...The Phantom will always be a favorite of mine. And not just because I was around them for seven years. It's just an awesome jet.<br /><br />I've heard that about BGen Ritchie.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-20599701246313668002013-08-23T10:07:40.688-07:002013-08-23T10:07:40.688-07:00Beautiful. Those things just radiated power and aw...Beautiful. Those things just radiated power and awesomeness.<br /><br />I met Steve Ritchie two years ago. Really nice guy.Murphy's Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17164780742334950772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-71154475509746826622013-08-23T07:32:53.252-07:002013-08-23T07:32:53.252-07:00I cleaned up your mess.
Believe me, I've been...I cleaned up your mess.<br /><br />Believe me, I've been there, done that.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-84465302918060937792013-08-23T07:32:08.952-07:002013-08-23T07:32:08.952-07:00Heh. I do that all the time.Heh. I do that all the time.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-73527672109060417122013-08-23T07:31:51.793-07:002013-08-23T07:31:51.793-07:00Yeah, that must have been something.
And crew chi...Yeah, that must have been something.<br /><br />And crew chiefs, ya gotta love 'em.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-33618713221310461342013-08-23T07:28:51.553-07:002013-08-23T07:28:51.553-07:00Heh, well played Joe. Well played.Heh, well played Joe. Well played.OldAFSargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15935839956936191547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-71564327017148104712013-08-23T06:50:25.051-07:002013-08-23T06:50:25.051-07:00A Phabulous Phriday Phlyby!A Phabulous Phriday Phlyby!joehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08520161706680568508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-24554978613080884842013-08-23T06:36:13.270-07:002013-08-23T06:36:13.270-07:00Sorry about that, must have got Parkinsons on the ...Sorry about that, must have got Parkinsons on the mouse button.juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-79268076944944126682013-08-23T06:29:23.605-07:002013-08-23T06:29:23.605-07:00Scene not seen. Darn!Scene not seen. Darn!juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684531976778247960.post-55664191229004353672013-08-23T06:28:49.053-07:002013-08-23T06:28:49.053-07:00Thanks,Great Pics. Nice reference to the McD theo...Thanks,Great Pics. Nice reference to the McD theory of Aerospace Engineering. "Put big enough engines on it even a brick will fly".<br />Saw a show on TV where they talked about converting F-4s into drones. They had a seen where the spokesman (Bob Kay a squadron mate of mine) talking about the program while standing in front of one. Brought my heart to my throat when I saw the Tail Number. It had had my name on the cockpit when it was at Moody. (For the non-fighter pilots in the group, I would have said it was My Jet, but OldAFSarge would have countered with "No, the crew chief just loaned HIS jet to you for an hour or two")juvathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09096708575138552532noreply@blogger.com