F-16s from the Ohio Air National Guard patrol over Iraq during Operation Northern Watch in 2002. (SSGT Shannon Collins, USAF)From Air & Space Smithsonian:
Patrolling over northern Iraq in 2001 felt like driving through a small town with Hell's Angels.
Inside the shelter, my F-15C was loaded for action with eight air-to-air missiles bristling under the wings and fuselage, hundreds of armor-piercing 20mm bullets in the Gatling gun, three bulbous external fuel tanks, and a full load of chaff and flare countermeasures—a fearsome load that would be the nightmare of any MiG pilot. The marriage of air-to-air weapons, twin afterburning engines, and powerful air intercept radar made the F-15C THE top air superiority fighter, with an impressive 104:0 air-to-air kill ratio. Performing the preflight walkaround in the early morning, checking the jet like a jockey inspecting his horse before the big race, the emotional reality of the moment finally caught up with me: Today I would fly into combat for the first time.
Read more ....
My Comment: A little bit of history.
No comments:
Post a Comment