How to choose a fighter?

[Hacker]

Originally posted by ENJJPT IP:

I'm curious to know what you think the Achilles Heel is?

Having two people in the cockpit can sometimes mean that there are two very different SA levels. While the vast majority of the time a 'pitter is able to enhance the SA of the pilot, with one wrong word they can also take it all away in an instant.

[Guest rumblefish_2]

Originally posted by Hacker:

I've been in just such a situation, threat reacting off a SAM while in the terminal phase of guiding in an LGB. Happened in OIF, April 03. Be happy to show you the video some time...of the target getting shacked.

I almost caveated my post knowing that this happened to you. However, you know it is not the norm for this to happen to anyone. Not even close. If I recall your story, you didn't know the missile was there until it was right underneath you, correct? Not a standard threat reaction I'm guessing. I can't argue with your war stories because I wasn't there. Good on your WSO for shacking the target. I look forward to dropping LGBs in anger someday...with no help from a back seat.

[EvilEagle]

Originally posted by f16wolf:

I talked to four Eagle Drivers prior to choosing the Viper and all four of them said the same thing. They all loved flying the Eagle, but they didn't want to go back to the Eagle community. What does that tell you?

Uh... the rest of us kicked them out for being pussies??? ;)

(sorry, I couldn't resist...)

[EvilEagle]

Actually, I wanted a Viper because I was in a Viper squadron (69th at Moody) prior to going to UPT. I bought into there standard "all Eagle guys are assholes or homo's" crap. I was a new 2LT, what did I know? I knew the Viper dudes I knew then were great bro's and it seemed like a good jet to fly.

In 38's at UPT, my flt cc, squadron cc and wing cc were all Eagle guys. I flew with all of them quite a bit. The squadron commander told me after my assignment night "dude, we threw your preferences in the trash. You are an Eagle guy even if you don't know it yet." So, I went to the Eagle and I thank them all every single day. I LOVE flying the Eagle. I see now what I didn't see in that year of a Viper squadron -- the Viper's don't understand as much about a/a as they think they do. But, then again they have a million missions to know. They can't be the best at all of them. And I know it varies from block to block, but Eagles are still the a/a authority.

I like being in the community that is recognized as the world-wide leader in something. Yes, we don't have a lot of action right now, but we are ok with that. There will be a shooting match one day.

[Guest Hoser]

Originally posted by f16wolf:

I talked to four Eagle Drivers prior to choosing the Viper and all four of them said the same thing. They all loved flying the Eagle, but they didn't want to go back to the Eagle community. What does that tell you?

You are going to find guys that are co@ks, and guys that are great dudes in any community. The Light Gray's still, and I think always will have, the stigma of eating their own and being a bunch of d!cks.

I think they have some reason to have that attitude, seeing that the community is undefeated in air-to-air combat. It's one thing to drop iron on a 2 story building, but these guys are undefeated in the human vs. human arena.

Hoser