I had thought about letting the 75,000 page hit thing just slide by, with no "official" mention of it. But on the other hand...
My ego has been boosted quite nicely lately, thanks to all you folks who keep coming here, reading my meanderings and having a look at all the airplanes and such.
Things have been rather exhilarating for the past few days.
So to all of you...
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| F-4C |
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| Um, yes. I do love the Phantom, why do you ask? |
Congrats if you feel good advertise it.Now I must come up with a dastardly plan to derail your obvious attempt to pass me.Stay frosty my friend.
ReplyDeleteGo for it stevierayv!
DeleteOh, and thanks!
;-)
The Phantom is a fine bird and could take a lot. I know, I asked a lot from one to keep my pink butt out of the South China Sea. I'm pretty sure that was it's last flight, but fortunately wasn't for me and my back seater.
ReplyDeleteNow there's a story I'd like to hear.
DeleteWere you at Kunsan when an F-4E out of Clark went into the Yellow Sea? One engine (#2 I think) burst into flame as she was going down the runway. Pilot got her into the air and then he and the WSO stepped over the side. The wreckage of that bird was in our Radar Cal hangar for quite a while for the investigation.
I had just come out of the NCO Club after lunch after it happened. I'm glad I didn't see it.
Who doesn't love the Phantom? I mean, other than a few hippies and America's enemies.
ReplyDeleteHeh.
DeleteI don't recall that one. The Juvats had had a fatal a month or so before my arrival. My story would have been around Jan 80. I was still getting checked out in the jet and had an IP in the pit. He was checking me out on the night range and Dive Toss (you may remember that radar technology :-) ) In any case, the radar would not log on to the ground return, so my IP elected to try and track the return manually. First pass went by with no major problems, but the haze was augmented by a high cloud deck, so there was not much (any) horizon. Trying to keep track of the flares on Koon-Ni island, I got myself in too tight, rolled in was cleared (we were single ship) and put the pipper on the target. Unfortunately, I had the reticle intensity too high and lost sight of the target. Kept pressing in expecting the target to appear, forgetting two important factors. I was steep and I forgot to adjust those throttle thingy's. SOOOOO....when the target appeared out from behind the reticle, I pulled for all she was worth, was supposed to recover from my 30 degree pass at 3500'AGL. Not sure what the actual dive angle was, but I do remember climbing through 500'AGL. Key'd the mike and told the range officer that we were going home. He said, and inflection conveys a lot of meaning, "Roger". The IP in the pit asked "Why". I said, "Sir, three reasons. I've overstressed the aircraft, the right engine isn't running and most importantly, I've scared the shit out of my self!". Wing Commander met us on shutdown, the G meter was pegged. He asked me why I'd pulled so many G's and I replied "Cause I couldn't pull any more!"
ReplyDeleteNothing to be proud of, I don't think I had a hundred hours in the jet yet, made several boneheaded mistakes, but managed to survive. LtCol Swope sentenced me to a week or so out in Mobile and then assigned me one of the best WSOs and Flight Lead's in the squadron, so I guess it worked out ok.
I remember the fatal. Too well.
DeleteI remember Dive Toss, even kind of remembered where the switch was. I looked it up to be sure and yup, same panel as the Master Arm/Safe switch. The various bombing modes were selected by a big rotary switch with that "NUCLEAR PUSH TO JETT" button in the middle. (I actually found a photo of that panel on the internet, just so you don't think my memory is that good. 'Tis not.)
On the over-G, right engine out, climbing through 500' AGL (!!!) and the aftermath. Sounds like "Batman" knew his business. I wonder what they would've done to you nowadays. I shudder to think.
Sometimes the best lessons are the hardest.
Congrats! Keep up the good work!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you kind Sir.
DeleteEssayons!
Onward and upward! And they are great pics!!
ReplyDeleteStrive we must, blog we shall.
DeleteThanks Proof!
Every milestone is a good milestone, n'est pas?
ReplyDeleteOui, c'est vrai!
Delete"Natick" means "Thank You" in some language? Around here it means "The place you drive through on the way to Worcester".
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know. I've tried to find out what language that is, no joy so far. (I always thought it meant "near Framingham".)
Delete