VISUAL AIRCRAFT RECOGNITION

On 16 Apr 2007 08:51:48 -0700, "John" wrote:

On Apr 15, 3:06 pm, Ed Rasimus wrote:
On 15 Apr 2007 11:41:55 -0700, "Gordon"
wrote:

Mistaking an F-4 for a Scooter or a MiG 21 is like mistaking an 18-
wheeler for a Hummer. Sure, a moron could do it.

It's remarkably easy to mistake a Scooter for a MiG-21 from some
aspects. Been there, done that. Didn't shoot!

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

Hey, hey, hey . . . just a minute . . . details, details, we want
details on this.

Seriously, I don't remember this particular war story. I am sure that
I am not the only one in the group would appreciate it if you could
tell us more about this experience.

Thanks and blue skies to all

John

Stories that don't get told, are usually stories with not much to
tell. This one was simply a case of milling around over N. Vietnam and
finding myself directly below a suspicious silouhette--in those days,
the general rule that I followed was that you can't be too fast, and
you can almost never be too low.

Clearly defined black silhouette above of small aircraft with narrow
fuselage, fairly small delta wing and a distinct tail plane. All the
components of the MiG-21 silhouette. Single exhaust, no smoke.
Instantaneous analysis was enemy aircraft--three seconds later, the
bogie rolled and the humpbacked, stubby fuselage of an A-4 was clearly
indentifiable and my equally instantaneous analysis was "how could I
have ever thought it looked like a MiG?"

Fortunately the whole sequence took place too quickly for me to engage
mouth and broadcast my stupidity to the civilized (i.e. USAF) world.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com