I am one of many who are ashamed of what NATO did to Serbia.

Been in BiH and Kosovo. Seen more than a few remains of what was once a village. Today, as then, I refuse to take either parties side, but opinions as to why you are there, changes. When a kid with no parents alive, wearing rags in a winter Balkans weather, is shivering before you as you put a wool blanket on them... your opinion as to why you are there, changes. -not ashamed.

@@robinac6897 you would be more ashamed of what the people of that region/neighbours did to each other

@@patthewoodboy Yes. Like what the Croatian Ustashe did to the Serbians in WWII. Even the Nazis were sickened.

@@ЗоранХулк I am unfortunately familiar with it, going back to battle of kosovo polje in 1448, and even eralier Roman 5th Macedonian Spanish Equine Cohorts south of Pristina; why I do not take any side, then or now. The mission was to maintain peace, and help when possible...mission accomplished. During my off-time (there wasn't much,) I read as much as I could, to better understand- memories run long in those places. Still have friends from all sides, whom I chat with on a regular basis.

They now have live problems from 100's of Gallons of Beer being bought for them from the Pilots they helped out

I think this sort of thing happens more often than people realize. In Robin Olds's memoirs, he talks about how a tanker flew into a prohibited area to refuel an F-4 Phantom that would not have been able to RTB otherwise. The pilot of the tanker was going to get court-martialed as a result, but that went away after the one of the higher-ups among the fighter pilots recommended the tanker pilot for a Silver Star.

Exactly what KillerSalmon said. Tanker crews in SEA often went farther than permitted, but to report doing so would have brought down discipline from higher. I know there were instances when a (remember, these were A-model 135s) crew towed a fighter back, and "went the extra mile" to get fuel to thirsty airplanes. Dad's talked a little about that with me as we reminisce quietly about his career as a navigator (3rd BW Korea, KC-97s, KC-135A, and a tour in C-130s 1968-1970). Before he retired in 1972, he served as a Young Tiger StanEval navigator. I recall Mom asking once about his flying hours, and it was about 22,500 hours KC-135, 2,000 in the "green and brown whisper jet" C-130, plus B-26 Invader and KC-97. Mom passed last year, and Dad's in the same room at the same wonderful assisted living facility she departed from. He (and I) know that she's saving him a place, and after an incredible 65-year partnership, I rejoice at the example they've set. Dad often said that we are so good at policing ourselves, that we use up good people and equipment, in that effort that should have been focused on the bad guys. They all knew that the target lists sent to SE Asia commanders were passed from the White House to Hanoi at the same time. Col. Jack Broughton's books, Going Downtown, and the one that followed, are worth reading. I thank Mom and Dad for raising me to serve the public, which continues as a retired volunteer. Forever an AF brat (only lived on base for the last couple years of Dad's AF career) and forever grateful for all we have been given.

Further tanker reading RE: SEA. “Young Tigers & their Friends”, Air Force Magazine June 1998.

It's true that the tanker crews don't get the glory but neither does the crew chief, or the weapons load team, or the POL fueler, or the life support shop, but that doesn't mean those critical support teams aren't appreciated. The tip of the spear gleams brightest. Same as it ever was

Awesome that you was a "Wizzo" Weapons Systems Officer ) WSO in the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle "Mudhen"!! That's a hell of an awesome Aircraft and definitely a favorite of mine! Yeah this man is a badass too! So you met his wingman at Prince Sultan Air Base in Al' Kharj, Saudi Arabia!? Sweet! Thanks for your service as well brother! 🇺🇸🦅 By the way where you with the 48th Fighter Wing, 4th Fighter Wing, 366th Fighter Wing, or 3rd Wing with the F-15E?

@@Tuglife912 I was in the WFFFFRs 336FS of the 4FW. Great memories!

@Bobber Dude!! Awesome the 336th Fighter Squadron "Rocketeers" are one my favorites!!

@@Tuglife912 ok nerd.

Hey F-15 pilot, what is the maximum engagement altitude of an F-15? If you really are an F-15 pilot you will know what that answer is, you will not give it out because it is classified. F-15 training was at Luke AFB in the 1970's.

@Nybbl er maybe not a CAS pilot, maybe not a pilot, maybe not even in aviation, maybe something better you have never thought about. You have to push to get to it. Whatever that is.

Don’t forget the Israelis!

@@ShooterOnTheRockrespect to Giora "Hawkeye" Epstein of the IAF.

@Nybbl er build or buy a part 103 ultralight get training but you dont need medical or license be smart an get training even though it's not required

Last name?

@@TRUTHandLIGHT4809 Wagle aka: "Wags" w'sup Ed ;)

@@rexw2203 I know I am getting old but I don't remember that name. I left June of 1992

@@TRUTHandLIGHT4809 No worries Ed, I DO remember you though...I think I can remember you getting 'hit' by lightning and we found you face down in the rain. Or...am I suffering from a bad memory as well?

@@rexw2203 Dead on with your memory

No doubt. Sluggo discusses that sort of thing in his 'Tanker Pilot' book.

Tanker crews.

I was thinking exactly that. Why don’t Netflix do a series on awesome air combat of real stories - Feature film style . Not documentaries !!! Maybe some DCS and a few cockpit clips and CGI cartooned like The Liberator style ( Me randomly rambling )

Big brass balls to be maneuvering a flying jet fuel tanker in enemy air space, true dedication obedience.

Tanks don't fly🤔

I also remmeber rico from DOGFIGHTS....so good to see he is doing well. "Rico" your a true champion.

After I finished this I went straight back to watch that episode again for the 400th time hahahahah

Haha same. The series is very biased toward the US (/allies at times) but still one of the most exciting series about military aviation of all time.

@@OmgReaverDrop I saw Dogfights giving credit where credit is due, especially to the Iraqi MiG pilots who used very good tactics that were clearly designed to counter the APG-63 and maximize deception so they could take away the F-15's BVR dominance. Still didn't work out for them.

@@LRRPFco52 Yes to be fair that was a very lopsided war, even in objective terms. Iraq had a good military (as the documentary stated, "battle hardened" from the Iran-Iraq War) but no country is a match for even the US alone. And not to mention the US had a coalition.

A real hero, not a Hollywood one.

Thanks! Will do...

We lose a lot of good digital men in DCS. God bless their digital families.

Yep. Claw came and talked to TOPGUN when I was in charge of scheduling "MiG Killer Debriefs" for awhile there.

I'd say there is a high likelihood of that

I have long said it needs to be in the AFM in Dayton. I took a photo of 114 with Rory Draeger flying it on the last day of DS. Tony Sciavi on his wing. Dreager was happy to pose his jet for my camera.

Agreed. It would be dishonorable to put them in the boneyard.

@@FighterPilotPodcast p

Interestingly enough was 114 not the same number residing on Maverick’s Tomcat?

Then be sure to head over to our Patreon page where you can hear Rico for two hours!

Nice.... As a machinist I subcontracted for Raytheon in Wichita Ks for years.

did you cry when you gave up your brain

@@Don-co9zs Nah. I actually enjoyed kicking in doors and seeing the whites of the eyes of my enemies.

@@John.Smith007 That's next level cring

@@colindooley4422 Yeah. As next level as your spelling.

Thanks, Eric. 👍

🤜🤛

would be possible to locate exact engagement location and where about them J-2 splashed. What I have heard it was 60 miles southwest of BanjaLuka but nobody never confirmed that.

Wow wow wow he's a god among pilots

Yeah, I agree, good comment especially looking at how modern jet fighters like the f-35 are stealth aircraft it goes to show that even situational awareness can be weaponized, popping up on an unaware enemy, it is especially important to keep track of the opponent

The beam maneuver exploits the doppler notch. To remove ground clutter from the scope the doppler radar is programmed not to show any returns that are moving below a set speed relative to the radar/jet. By turning your jet so as to fly perpendicular (putting the radar/jet on your beam) to the radar/jet your relative speed drops to zero and your jet disappears from the scope. Side looking radar would not help. Not sure if the beam maneuver works against current technology radars.

Camp Hansen. 3rd Tanks USMC 1970-1971

Indeed.

have you ever seen any picture or video of that AIM-7 continuous rod deployment?

@@sidv4615 It’s at 26:26 in this video.

I think he ment in US Air Force

They did say MiGs. Ward didn't have any MiG kills. He also did not have 3 kills in one mission. He shot down a Pucara in one sortie and then later in the day got a Mirage/Nesher. A week and a half later he shot down a C-130

Actually he meant Royal Navy

@Hello Paul how are you doing?

Thanks. 👍

Actually their is a USAF F-16 driver with 4 kills over FRY. Eagle guys don't like to acknowledge that.

If he didn't roll, he probably could have shined his boots with 80 grit that morning and been just fine :)

And the Air Force wants to replace the A10 with the F35. The A10 needs to be given to the Army.

@@oldmech619 Damn right

I heard that.

Nomad Jeff I still have my shirt! It’s framed these days on my wall. I still go by the Nomad user name too. Here’s to the Nomads that have ceased their wandering. Miss all of my brothers in the 33rd.

You're welcome, Richard.

What's the title of the book?

that's nuts! just too fly something like an f15 has got to be one of the most visceral awesome experiences . But to do that while trying to not get killed and in doing so putting your body through everything it can handle and taking you to the edge of consciousness....nutty. you're the man Rico

Mike Girard: lol, 😂🤣😂 I'm sure the F-15 crew chief is nothing but honored back then to fix Ricco's wear and tear!!

"Maintenence is not gonna be happy..."

Larry Pitts did a 12G split-S to get behind a MIG-25 and he said he was so pumped up of adrenaline it didnt even faced him

Thanks, AD2, long time!

Well said, Scott.

D Monroe, same in my UPT class. Roger Locher (3 kills as a WSO) was #1 in my class. Look him up in Wikipedia.

I’ve listened to Steve Ritchie’s account of his epic rescue numerous times. Never knew he went on to pilot training after the war. Great info! Thanks. With tons of experience and SA, the F4 guys were way ahead of the curve in UPT.

@@vv13346 Ritchie's WSO, DeBellevue, got a deservedly second chance at UPT after becoming an ace. He was a couple of classes after me. No kidding about the F4 WSOs....we had two.

Unless you were one of the guys flying the three other planes...