Replies

I gather you fly (flew?) the 14? I have always been in awe of what combat pilots can do with the machines they command. I remember I enjoyed a really dumb ass scifi time travel movie, The Final Countdown, simply because they used a real F14 squadron to do their flying. There was one amazing scene of an encounter between a pair of F14s and a pair of Zeros (don't ask). The work those pilots had to (apparently) go through to work against such incredibly slow aircraft was amazing.

Did you know the RIO in question? God rest both of them.

I'm retired; soon to join Delta Airlines training program. I knew Bates. He was nuts. I flew for the Dogs, Sundowners and Agressors, and I was an instructor. (see profile) Final countdown was cool. VF-84 Jolly Rogers got that duty.

Actually, the Tomcat could fly slower than a Zero if need be. It has amazing AOA capability. Lots of lifting area. I did not know the RIO personally. With the newer Engines, both Bates and Hultgren woudl still be alive, but that is no excuse for poor airmanship.