How...improve...pilot: ACM breakaway convo :-)

///AMG

///AMG

Well-Known Member
Hacker15e said:
Yep, Snort is a good example of the concept.
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Speaking of which, a few weeks ago at Tailhook, I was having a beer and looking at some of the aviation art for sale at one of the vendor stands. Chatted a little with some random old guy who had flown Tomcats. As I walked away, I noticed his nametag for the first time: "Snort" :)

Cool guy, and obviously very down to earth (would have never guessed who he was otherwise)
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

///AMG said:
Speaking of which, a few weeks ago at Tailhook, I was having a beer and looking at some of the aviation art for sale at one of the vendor stands. Chatted a little with some random old guy who had flown Tomcats. As I walked away, I noticed his nametag for the first time: "Snort" :)

Cool guy, and obviously very down to earth (would have never guessed who he was otherwise)
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My old boss was a former Tomcat RIO and later Tomcat pilot...one of the first class of 7 to transition from RIO to pilot. Anyway, Snort was in his first squadron. He said that guy never lost, at least in 1 v1, though he broke NATOPS to do so. Incredible pilot he said. Another guy he flew against was Hoser, the famous toe thumb fighter pilot. In 1978 or so, at Red Flag, the AF put up their best F-15 pilot agains Hoser in an F-14A. I've seen the pic of Hoser's pipper right on the F-15's canopy.

Anyway, to become a better pilot, you need to suck less. An old paddles of mine when I was flying FCLP's in T-2C Buckeye's years ago with VT-4, used to come on the radio:

"201 Paddles!"

"Paddles, 201, go ahead"

"Yeah, 201, I need you suck less next pass"

"Roger, suck less next pass" :o
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

bunk22 said:
My old boss was a former Tomcat RIO and later Tomcat pilot...one of the first class of 7 to transition from RIO to pilot. Anyway, Snort was in his first squadron. He said that guy never lost, at least in 1 v1, though he broke NATOPS to do so. Incredible pilot he said.
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So as Iceman says.......he was......dangerous! :)

Another guy he flew against was Hoser, the famous toe thumb fighter pilot. In 1978 or so, at Red Flag, the AF put up their best F-15 pilot agains Hoser in an F-14A. I've seen the pic of Hoser's pipper right on the F-15's canopy.
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TomGrape took a 15? Well.....I guess is is kind of Rodan vs Rodan there. Huge!
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

Ok, here is the pic and actual info:

heyjoe said:
Proof positive on Hoser's wall: the photo that was ordered destroyed after the best Eagle driver took on the best Tomcat driver during AIM/ACEVAL (75-77 at Nellis), which was strictly forbidden (they were supposed to fight the F-5E Red Team players). Despite the F-15 looking better on paper, Hoser has pipper on the Eagle driver's helmet literally gunning his brains out. When Air Force general found out, he charged into spaces demanded the HUD film, which he got, but not before Hoser got a copy of the frame he wanted.

Hoser_F-15_Kill-1.jpg
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Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

bunk22 said:
Ok, here is the pic and actual info:
Click to expand...

Have only gotten an Eagle once in air-air; however mine was nowhere the best Eagle pilot in the USAF.....was more like a Lt wingman, carrying 2 bags of gas, and who decided to drop down into a horizontal fight with 2 Hogs.

So, he was already somewhat meatloaf on the platter.....of his own doing.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

MikeD said:
Have only gotten an Eagle once in air-air; however mine was nowhere the best Eagle pilot in the USAF.....was more like a Lt wingman, carrying 2 bags of gas, and who decided to drop down into a horizontal fight with 2 Hogs.

So, he was already somewhat meatloaf on the platter.....of his own doing.
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So he decided to play your game and lost :pirate: My old boss said his proudest achievement as a Navy F-14B/D fighter pilot was never having an F-15 Eagle at his six. He said he had just about every other type at his 6 but not an Eagle. That whole rivalry thing.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

bunk22 said:
Ok, here is the pic and actual info:
Click to expand...

I don't know how the Tomcat HUD works, but that looks like a snap shot to me....not a track (that's based on the aspect of the Eagle in the photo and the fact that the gun cross is directly over the canopy). BIG difference, regardless of how the one-moment-in-time single frame appears.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

Hacker15e said:
I don't know how the Tomcat HUD works, but that looks like a snap shot to me....not a track (that's based on the aspect of the Eagle in the photo and the fact that the gun cross is directly over the canopy). BIG difference, regardless of how the one-moment-in-time single frame appears.
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I agree, from the little I know about air-to-air modes of the HUD (read T-45C). Heyjoe knows more about it than I and you know Heyjoe if you want the scoop. I heard it was more than a snapshot but take that with a grain of salt.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

bunk22 said:
I heard it was more than a snapshot but take that with a grain of salt.
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It's certainly possible.

Although I'm not really a big believer in the awesomeness of the F-14A (based on my own personal experiences flying against it in the F-15E), I also fully grasp that it's not about the iron, it's about the pilot and how they exploit the circumstances and situation.

Having fought and beat every USAF fighter (short of the Raptor) in an AT-38 taught me that even vastly inferior iron can score a kill given the right set of conditions (and ones that occur more often than you'd think). Just ask the AT-38 pilot who gunned the Raptor...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXmDj3mFrXQ
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

Hacker15e said:
It's certainly possible.

Although I'm not really a big believer in the awesomeness of the F-14A (based on my own personal experiences flying against it in the F-15E), I also fully grasp that it's not about the iron, it's about the pilot and how they exploit the circumstances and situation.

Having fought and beat every USAF fighter (short of the Raptor) in an AT-38 taught me that even vastly inferior iron can score a kill given the right set of conditions (and ones that occur more often than you'd think). Just ask the AT-38 pilot who gunned the Raptor...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXmDj3mFrXQ
Click to expand...

I think those who flew the F-14B/D models, especially the D, with the big motors were more impressed with those than the A models. Hoser was a legend and a bad-ass from what I hear and read.

I heard about a high time, experienced IP flying a T-45A/C whooping up on a baby Hornet out in Fallon. That whole it's the man in the crate that matters still holds true....that is of course if the 120 doesn't kill you at 20 miles out :D

A good buddy of mine is a Marine Hornet driver on the east coast and former aggressor who witnessed an F-5E bag an F-22, more than once as I hear it.

For the OP, I apologize for getting way off topic. Maybe the mods could split this if folks want the military part to continue.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

Hoser is one of the coolest guys I know....he is very humble about his experiences, and is very much into paying it forward. I wish I could get him to post on here.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

Bumblebee said:
Hoser is one of the coolest guys I know....he is very humble about his experiences, and is very much into paying it forward. I wish I could get him to post on here.
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That would be awesome.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

Well, somebody go recruit them man, then!

We can always use wise old birds 'round here to keep us young bucks on the righteous path.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

bunk22 said:
I heard about a high time, experienced IP flying a T-45A/C whooping up on a baby Hornet out in Fallon. That whole it's the man in the crate that matters still holds true....that is of course if the 120 doesn't kill you at 20 miles out :D
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Not saying it isn't possible, but I'd love to see this one. Before I left Meridian, there were a couple impromptu DACT hops organized....one with a Rhino, and another with a VFC-111 F-5E. They let studs trunk in them, with T-45 IP's flying. From what I heard, it was absolute murder. I have no idea how a Hornet pilot could put himself into a spot where he could get shot by a T-45 (can't imagine the flight regime they would need to be in), but my hat is off to the -45 IP if this is true.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

///AMG said:
Not saying it isn't possible, but I'd love to see this one. Before I left Meridian, there were a couple impromptu DACT hops organized....one with a Rhino, and another with a VFC-111 F-5E. They let studs trunk in them, with T-45 IP's flying. From what I heard, it was absolute murder. I have no idea how a Hornet pilot could put himself into a spot where he could get shot by a T-45 (can't imagine the flight regime they would need to be in), but my hat is off to the -45 IP if this is true.
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Probably one of the biggest mistakes made by young guys in their first fighter is to underestimate the capability of opponents.

Again, I've been able to get kills on F-15Cs, F-15Es, F-16s, A-10s, and even a classic Bug in the AT-38.

No radar...no radar missile...just heat, guns, and visual lookout. None of it had to do with any particular prowess I had, but most of it had to do with mistakes in radar coverage, comm, tactic execution, visual lookout, energy management, etc by the guys in the big gray fighters.

If you think it can't happen to you, then you're probably going to be a victim of it at some point. I know I have been on the receiving end of such a thing, and it is an important learning experience.
 
Re: How can you improve yourself as a pilot?

///AMG said:
Not saying it isn't possible, but I'd love to see this one. Before I left Meridian, there were a couple impromptu DACT hops organized....one with a Rhino, and another with a VFC-111 F-5E. They let studs trunk in them, with T-45 IP's flying. From what I heard, it was absolute murder. I have no idea how a Hornet pilot could put himself into a spot where he could get shot by a T-45 (can't imagine the flight regime they would need to be in), but my hat is off to the -45 IP if this is true.
Click to expand...

My understanding it was either an FRS or nugget in the Hornet, a baby Hornet. Of course, take that with a grain of salt as stories get passed down, they grow out of proporiton. It's hard to imagine as I'm learning the T-45A/C here in Kingsville, it's just not so much of a high performance jet trainer...seems more like a good intermidiate type jet trainer. Low thrust, not so great pitch authority, little bitty wings, etc.
 
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