Well, here’s the caption:
” U.S. Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4E-36-MC Phantom II (s/n 67-0390) from the 70th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia (USA), with a tow target attached to its underside takes off during the air-to-air weapons meet “William Tell ‘86” at Tyndall AFB, Florida (USA).”
Thats actually when I belonged to the squadron although I pulled the pic off the web.
OK. Makes that makes sense: He’s pulling a bright “red” target on a wire behind the wing-mounted retrieval winch, so the following planes can take pot shots at the drogue for a aerial dog-fighting competition between fighters.
To be clear, the drogue which he is flying in front of is the target.
So ... who is the braver pilot?
The guy pulling the trigger? Or the guy pulling the drogue?