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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Today in History: Cunningham and Driscoll versus "Colonel Tomb" |
| 2008-05-10 |
| . . . As they approached the coast at 10,000 feet, Cunningham spotted another MiG-17 heading straight for them. He told Driscoll to watch how close they could pass the MiG's nose, so he could not double back as easily to their six oÂ’clock. While this tactic worked against A-4s back in training at Miramar, it turned out to be a near-fatal mistake here. ... A-4s didnÂ’t have guns in the nose. The MiG's nose lit up like a Roman candle! Cannon shells shot past their F-4. Duke pulled up vertically to throw off his aim. As he came out of the six-G pull-up, he looked around below for the MiG. MiGs generally avoided climbing contests. They turned horizontally, or just ran away. He looked back over his ejection seat and was shocked. There was the MiG barely 100 yards away! He began to feel numb and his stomach knotted, as both jets roared 8,000 feet straight up. In an effort to out-climb the MiG, Cunningham went to afterburners, which put him above the enemy aircraft. As he started to pull over the top, the MiG began shooting. This was Cunningham's second near-fatal mistake; he had given his opponent a predictable flight path, and he had taken advantage of it. Duke rolled off to the other side, and the MiG closed in behind. Not wanting to admit he was getting beaten, he called to Willie, "That S.O.B. is really lucky! All right, weÂ’ll get this guy now!" With the MiG at his four oÂ’clock, he nosed down to pick up speed and energy. . . . Go read the rest of it. One of the greatest duels in the history of military aviation. For many years, it was believed that the Vietnamese pilot was a top fighter ace named "Colonel Tomb." In truth, there was no Colonel Tomb; much of the "urban legend" of Tomb was based on the real-life career of a couple of other NVAF senior pilots. There's an interesting article here which compiles what little we do know about the mysterious ace who gave Cunningham and Driscoll such a gallant fight in the skies over Hai Dong. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #4 Anguper: History Channel did an episode of Dogfights which had a very good CGI re-creation of this action. |
| Posted by: Mike 2008-05-10 18:00 |
| #3 Anger, Get 'Top Gun' by George Hall available at Amazon.com - it has a full diagram with very clear explanations of Cunningham and Driscoll's fight. CDR Cunningham was kind enough to autograph my copy as well as make a few annotations. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2008-05-10 16:37 |
| #2 Try the O club at any AFB. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-05-10 14:55 |
| #1 I've read this story before, but am not a flyer & don't understand the terminology & dynamics of air combat. Would like to read an account with pics & diagrams. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2008-05-10 14:52 |