You Might Be A Fighter Pilot If ....
11-01-2010, 11:09 PM
#61
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,193
Originally Posted by KC135guy
Ok, since we're talking about planes that aren't supposed to down other planes, how about the EF-111 Spark Vark that out maneuvered an Iraqi Mirage and drove it into the ground? Didn't have a weapon and still got the kill.
11-02-2010, 05:08 AM
#62
Get's Every Day Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Retired
Posts: 1,858
Sheesh
Originally Posted by ExAF
And 0.0% of those not classified as fighter! That is unless you want to count the A-10 that shot down the Iraqi helo as a non-fighter, then it is about 0.0000000000000001% not classified as a fighter. 
While we are at it lets count all of the SAM operators in Viet Nam....Sheesh!
11-08-2010, 05:29 PM
#63
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Joined APC: Jul 2010
Posts: 82
Originally Posted by KC135guy
Ok, since we're talking about planes that aren't supposed to down other planes, how about the EF-111 Spark Vark that out maneuvered an Iraqi Mirage and drove it into the ground? Didn't have a weapon and still got the kill.
11-08-2010, 06:16 PM
#64
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Curator at Static Display
Posts: 5,681
I knew him
Originally Posted by N9373M
You got it USMCF -from Wikipedia:
The lead F-15E of a formation of two (from the 335th) acquired a helicopter unloading Iraqi soldiers through the FLIR pod and released a GBU-10. After 30 seconds, the F-15E crew thought the bomb had missed its target and the pilot was about to use a Sidewinder missile instead, but suddenly the Hind helicopter was vaporized. The Special Forces team estimated that the Hind was roughly 800 feet (240 m) over the ground when the 2,000 lb (910 kg) bomb hit its target.[23] But the air-to-air kill was not recognized until 2 November 2001.
The lead F-15E of a formation of two (from the 335th) acquired a helicopter unloading Iraqi soldiers through the FLIR pod and released a GBU-10. After 30 seconds, the F-15E crew thought the bomb had missed its target and the pilot was about to use a Sidewinder missile instead, but suddenly the Hind helicopter was vaporized. The Special Forces team estimated that the Hind was roughly 800 feet (240 m) over the ground when the 2,000 lb (910 kg) bomb hit its target.[23] But the air-to-air kill was not recognized until 2 November 2001.
He went to Seymour-Johnson and got to convert to the F-15E. Ran into him after the war, and he told me the story.
While patrolling, they picked up the helo and dropped the bomb while the helo was on the ground. It was dark (don't know if it was night, but it was almost certainly smokey and/or hazy from the bombs, oil fires, and general chaos of war). During the bomb time of flight, the helo lifted off.
"Rats," he said (OK, that wasn't what he really said, but I'm complying with the TOS). He told his WSO "Keep lasing it" because, he said, he didn't think the bomb would guide against a moving, airborne target. He hoped it would land, and they could get the bomb to follow the beam.
He said they were shocked when it blew up in-flight.
Even more shocking, after they relayed the good news to AWACS: "Uh, confirm you have a visual on the friendly helicopter in your area?" (I believe that was the helo for the Special Forces, mentioned above).
They spent a couple of anxious minutes hoping they had not made a tragic error, and were understandably relieved when all was well....AWACS had never told them there was a friendly helo there before the drop.
11-09-2010, 09:19 AM
#65
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Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,270
That has to be super stressful. 
I can't imagine the anxiety while waiting to find out if you killed the right guys.
Out of curiosity, do the strike eagle guys train for any air-to-air combat at all? Obviously their airframe can handle it.
I can't imagine the anxiety while waiting to find out if you killed the right guys.Out of curiosity, do the strike eagle guys train for any air-to-air combat at all? Obviously their airframe can handle it.
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