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for airplane lovers

I like F4s too, however these are what I worked on, along with KC-135s. U-Tapao 1968.
 

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This F-4 was due to depart Bien Hoa on 31 January , 1968 for it's home base in Da Nang. It had diverted to Bien Hoa 3 weeks earlier due to battle damage. The repairs had been completed and it was fueled an armed ready for an early AM departure.

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In the early morning hours of the 31st the Tet Offensive began. During the attack a 122mm rocket landed under the nose of the F-4 setting it on fire.

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About 50 of us spent the early morning in a bunker about 100 meters from the burning plane and hoped that no bombs had been loaded...they weren't. However, listening to the 20mm rounds cook off was a little unnerving.
 
Shuttle Piggybacking

I heard the shuttle was being flown back to florida and had landed at Offut AFB so me and about a million other people rode upto the fence and took pics. this was the best i could do with what I had. Incredible to see it after re-entry.
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I've always liked this plane by Epic out of Bend OR. Very cool with turbo prop 1200 horsepower and largely carbon fiber airframe. Almost 400mph and can fly at 30,00 feet. These were kits and the plane never got certified before going bankrupt in 2009. A new company from China has since bought the remains with some of the kit builders who invested and were never able to finish their kit before the company went under.

A real head turner!
 

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I am in one just like this one taking a picture of my buddy Lou who I just spent an hour and a half dog fighting with. If you look closely, you can see Lou telling me I am NUMBER 1 too :laugh
 
Took this pic at Reno 08. (My handle should give you a clue as to my passion) :p This year will be my 30th Reno National Championship Air Races. Went for the first time in 74, then I went in the Navy flying on P-3 Orions. Didn't get back until 82, been going ever since. And I have a crapload of pics.
 

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Chino Air Show, Replica of the Storch, complete with pilot in period uniform.
 

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..Fiesler Storch...

That's one of the airplanes that was used in the daring commando rescue of Benito Mussolini from the Campo Imperatore Hotel at Gran Sasso, in 1943. Captain Walter Gerlach put it into a 50 metre clearing near the ski resort, and later used it to fly out Il Duce and the famed commando, Lt. Col. Otto Skorzeny. The overloaded aircraft almost crashed.

That looks to be an exotic location, that I'll have to visit if I'm ever in Italy.
 
Picture of #2 in a 3-ship training flight.

That was a fun day...beautiful weather...light winds... birds well below us...
 

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