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SgWatchBaron
·Looks like a can of worms have been opened...
2913 FAP from Phillips – from swan to ugly duckling
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watchknut
·Looks like a can of worms have been opened...
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MaiLollo
·Looks like a can of worms have been opened...
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sdre
·Back in the day we had a base CO (very high rank, probably = a General) who flew Meteors in the Korean War so he was well advanced in years (to be polite).
He liked to keep current, so once a month he'd come down to the flight line, suit up, take a piss, grab his helmet and climb into the cockpit of a Mirage III0 supersonic fighter.
Strapping him in, connecting all of his wires and tubes had to be done by an experienced techo. Starting the jet was done with TWO troops at the back in case he did a wet start (flooded it in car terms).
He taxied out OK (all other traffic was usually held) and off he went into the wide blue yonder.
Most times it was ok. A 30 minute trip over the local area and a fantastic landing (any one you walk away from was fantastic with Mirages) and back to the lines.
HOWEVER!
One day we got the equivalent of a "Code Red". About five knuckleheads (jet fighter pilots) came racing into the line office wanting jets ASAP! (ASAP in military terms is is an acronym for "RIGHT FUCKIN' NOW!").
We got them out to spare jets, buckled in, started and moving in less than three minutes.
It turned out that the "older gentleman" flying millions of dollars worth of Aussie jet fighter had forgotten where he was and was heading North with bingo fuel about five minutes away.
After being vectored in to the wayward jet by the fighter control unit, our intrepid rescuers politely comm'd the CO "Greetings Sir, fancy bumping into you, we're on our way back to base, we'd be honoured to escort if you like". (or facts something like that).
All ended happily and I don't remember the CO doing quals from that day on.
So ,"Generals" did fly jets in my day.
Sorry to chime in on such an old thread; but with regards to high ranking officers flying Jets, My S3 (back in the day, Royal Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the S3 of the base is a LTC and he flew F-16s.) I know this because I'm his assistant and helped booked his flights, appointments, medicals, handgun firing range, and also making him his favorite chai tea.
So for sure, high ranking officers do and will fly combat ready sorties. Hell, even my commander of the airbase flies regularly.
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JimInOz
··Melbourne AustraliaSorry to chime in on such an old thread; but with regards to high ranking officers flying Jets, My S3 (back in the day, Royal Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the S3 of the base is a LTC and he flew F-16s.) I know this because I'm his assistant and helped booked his flights, appointments, medicals, handgun firing range, and also making him his favorite chai tea.
So for sure, high ranking officers do and will fly combat ready sorties. Hell, even my commander of the airbase flies regularly.
I've got some good memories of Tengah Air Base. We were operating RAAF Mirages and the RSAF was still using some Hunters.
Guess which aircraft had the most number of PANs during the ex? 😉
The best part was finishing at 15:30 and then heading into town most nights.
No wonder I had so many headaches and no money on those deployments.
😁
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sdre
·I've got some good memories of Tengah Air Base. We were operating RAAF Mirages and the RSAF was still using some Hunters.
Guess which aircraft had the most number of PANs during the ex? 😉
The best part was finishing at 15:30 and then heading into town most nights.
No wonder I had so many headaches and no money on those deployments.
😁
Oh wow. Hunters were used in the 90s.
I was serving my national service during the 2000. Changi Air base =)
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zwjk
·This is one of the best posts I have read on any forum.
