1100 Remington Man

How about this ? Maybe we can get stumaas to fly again.

Attached Thumbnails (click picture to enlarge it)

 

stumaas

Yowser! Absolutely ... I still have night dreams of those halcyon days! You have tripped my trigger~! I felt like Superman when I strapped that awesomely powerful warhorse on my back and welded my rear to that rocket seat. Not bad for a poor farm kid from Williamsburg, Iowa.

This specific Phantom photo above is of an F-4E Phantom II, from the 23rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. I was in that unit in 1985-1986. This crew is dropping a full load of Mk-82 500 pound high explosive general purpose [practice] bombs in a 30 degree, 500 mph, dive bomb pass ... on the Bardenas Reales Bombing Range ~50 miles north of Zaragoza, Spain.

I have been in that same dive position ... same place etc hundreds of times ... and "unloaded" well over 1,000 of those real weapons in Southeast Asia in 1971-1972! We would go to Spain or Turkey for 6 weeks, twice a year, for gunnery practice. Spain was especially fun - loved the flying and the camaraderie of the unit = flight crews and maintenance folks together. Started going to Spain in March of 1977 and last trip was in July 1986.

Thanks so much for the mention ... and for all those combat soldiers who were engaged below ... in mortal combat ==> SALUTE! Love'em so much.
And love'em even more today! Remember - never, never forget - these young guys and gals who stand the line and defend our LIBERTY, FREEDOM, OUR RIGHT TO OWN FIREARMS & OUR RIGHT TO HUNT! Pray for their safe return.


Here is the start sequence:

"Chief, are you ready?" He says "Yes Sir" into his ground cord mike or gives you his thumbs up ... and so here it goes ... "Intakes and exhaust areas clear ... steps up, fire bottle manned ... I'm ready for air on two ... I have rotation Chief ... oil's off the peg, hydraulics are comin' up, 15% ... 45% ... air off ... aux air doors clear?, generator coming on-line ... I'll take air on one!" You are right guys ... you never forget - even 30 years later - it is like riding a bicycle.

When both engines are running and everything is "in the green" ... that low freq vibration of the engines humming, the sounds of your breathing, the smell of cool oxygen in your mask and crackle of the UHF radios ... every care in the world that you might have are GONE! You are totally focused - gimbled around your eyeballs and brain. You and the jet are one being - totally ... it is better than sex or drugs ... I guarantee it! And then flying this Pegasus is a whole 'nother high! So lucky I was to serve in this manner.

YATYAS

Thank you for your service. Semper Fi from an Iraq vet. And entire family also from Williamsburg.

1100 Remington Man

stumaas I'm sure you could jump right back in light it up and go for one Hell of a good ride. Somethings you never forget. Thanks for your Service.
Semper Fi and I owe you a

brentbullets

Stu and all Veterens thank you for your service.

__________________
Walleyes and Waterfowl, what else is there?

Dirty Frank

Wish I could thank the OP...that's a good one!

__________________
There is a place for all of God's creatures... right next to the potato's!!!

C/SW District Chair, DU

geese-24
mallards-2
gw's-5
pinnies-5
gadwall-4
bw's-44
smilin mallards-8
spotted owls-69

stumaas

1100 ... Love that photo of my beloved Phantom in a dive bomb pass dropping 500 pound conventional cement filled practice bombs on the tactical range 45 nm north of Zaragoza Air Base, Spain! That is a place upon which I have dropped many such practice bombs. That is a great photo and THANKS!. Spent 8+ years in Europe. First in 1977 and last in 1988. I was young, eager, and agile. It was "living the dream" -- so lucky for an eastern Iowa farm kid!

Dean Downer

Thank you all and Stu thank you also for taking the time you did when I was teaching with my kids dow at your place!

14ducks

I think I drive by that model jet every day as it is on display. I might have been tracking you back then but everything was just numbers.