Global Aviation Magazine - Issue 22 - February / March 2014

Page 89

ds mal l HRt ai l codet odenot et hati twast heBos sBi r datHahnAB,Ger many,i n1988 ( L i nds ayPeacock)

dur i ng whi ch he f l ew 30combatmi s s i onsand s cor ed t en Maver i ckmi s s i l e ki l l s .L i ke t he vas t maj or i t y ofpi l ot st of l yt he ai r cr af t ,t he F 16 i mpr es s edhi mf r om dayone. " Myonl yf l yi ngas s i gnmentpr i ort of l yi ngt heF 16 wasasa T 38i ns t r uct orpi l otatRees e AF B,T X, and Il ef tt hatas s i gnmentwi t h 1, 200 hour sof f l yi ngt i mei nt heT 38.Ir emembermyf i r s tf l i ght s i nt heF 16andmar velathow eas yi twast of l y and how power f ul i t was f r om a t hr us t s t andpoi nt .

" Is houl d not et hatwhi l ef l yi ngt heF 16wasnot di f f i cul tf orme,i tt ookagood12t o16mont hst o gai n comf or t empl oyi ng t he F 16 weapons s ys t ems .My yeari n Kuns an wi t ht he 80t hT F S gavemeat r emendousamountofconf i dence i nt he F 16.If l ew wi t h pi l ot s wi t h year s of ex per i enceandIl ear neds omet hi ngf r om ever y oneoft hem. "

" I tt ookt wo s or t i est o getus ed t ot he s i de s t i ck cont r ol .T he 30degr ee s eatr ecl i ne i nt he F 16

wascomf or t abl e, t houghI f oundi teas i ert ol ean f or war d and s i tmor e upr i ghtdur i ng nor mal f l yi ng.T heonl yt i meIl eanedal l t hewaybacki n t he s eat was dur i ng hi ghG def ens i ve manoeuvr i ng.I n a hi ghG def ens i ve t ur n,t he 16C 841310/ HRoft he50t hT F W bas edatHahn bes tandonl ywayt okeept r ackofabogeyat F i n We s t Ge r ma n y i s s e e n we a r i n g t h e mar ki ngs yours i xo' cl ockpos i t i onwast ol eanal lt heway oft he 10t hT F S ,when i twasphot ogr aphed at backwi t hyourheadt ur ned. t heRAFWaddi ngt onPhot ocal lon28Apr i l1990 ( Kevi nWi l l s )


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