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Got my jet back from rehab- The Wave


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On 8/8/2021 at 12:55 PM, Pete Fleischmann said:

As a privately owned jet, it’s pretty cool. Always draws a crowd! AB takeoffs and drag chute on landing. Very cool. Very high fuel burn and a lot of support equipment required. Dan got some training from a few former USAF Red Eagles, who probably flew the Flogger better than any Soviet pilot.

As a fighter however, it is severely hampered by a horrible turn rate/radius, terrible visibility, and an equally bad radar. If I had to fight this guy he’d likely die pre-merge; but if he was stupid enough to turn with me I’d take him one-circle for sure. Having said all of that, you have to have some respect for the missiles he carries. The AA-8 is an especially nasty round.

 

cheers

P

Supposedly the later model Floggers, like the MLD had significantly improved maneuverability.   The Israeli's tested a Syrian ML and were supposed to have been surprised by it.  Said it could out-accelerate an F-16 (although I'd assume it was an early C or an A model).     Interesting comment on the AA-8, never heard much praise of it.  Most of the talk on Soviet AAM's was focused on the later Archer.   I read somewhere that Soviet pilots nicknamed it the "humane missile" because it's small warhead would leave the other driver unscathed.   

 

Think you'll be able to get a Flogger ride from your buddy?

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38 minutes ago, John1 said:

Supposedly the later model Floggers, like the MLD had significantly improved maneuverability.   The Israeli's tested a Syrian ML and were supposed to have been surprised by it.  Said it could out-accelerate an F-16 (although I'd assume it was an early C or an A model).     Interesting comment on the AA-8, never heard much praise of it.  Most of the talk on Soviet AAM's was focused on the later Archer.   I read somewhere that Soviet pilots nicknamed it the "humane missile" because it's small warhead would leave the other driver unscathed.   

 

Think you'll be able to get a Flogger ride from your buddy?

The Flogger is certainly fast. Even in the overweight and underpowered (by F-16 standards) block 42, the only western jet that could out-accelerate me was the F-111 down low.

Both the long burn and short burn Archers, either the IR or SAR flavors, are great missiles. You fight these on the rail, initially, by fighting the Floggers radar, which has severe limitations. Once the SAR Archer is off the rail, you are fighting the missile and the radar, as well as maintaining a position advantage on the Flogger. You should already have shot(s) in the air however.

If he doesn’t blow up pre-merge and this thing collapses to a visual fight, time to be thinking about that Aphid shot. The AA-8 is a “dogfight” missile, with an impressive min range and short time of flight. Certainly employable within the gun WEZ.

What other driver were the Soviets talking about? Perhaps they watched Top Gun too many times. The F-15 and F-16 should have kept them up at night :coolio:

Ahhh…the sport of kings!

 

and yes- I’m sure I could fly with Dan…if I paid the fuel bill!

 

cheers

P

Edited by Pete Fleischmann
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On 8/7/2021 at 11:21 AM, Pete Fleischmann said:

Hey all-

this is my good buddy, fellow A320 captain at my airline, L-39 owner and MiG-23 owner Dan Filer. Dan is one of the most awesome humans I know. Former A-6 driver and combat vet. This is one of 12 MiG-23’s he owns..you read that right. 12.

Flogger flight

 

cheers

P

 

That is so cool Pete!  Thanks for sharing that!

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Hey Pete, since we’re on the missile/dog-fight topic - quick question: we had a guy at our airline that was a trained Mig-23 pilot from the DDR. I remember him telling me that one of his missiles was able to identify heat signatures from NATO aircraft and when launched the warhead would actually target the cockpit rather then the heat signature of the engines. Any truth to that theory? If so, which Warsaw Pact missile system was he referring to? 

Just curious,

Cheers

Alan

Ps. There is a great autobiography out by a former MIG test pilot. He tested the Mig-23 and I remember reading his adventure of swinging the wings forward and testing the G-limits on the wing box. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the book. But I do remember that on an official US visit he was given a backseat ride in an F-16 and commented that it was his favorite fighter. I found that anecdote interesting! 

 

Post edit:

The name of the Test Pilot is Stepan Anastasovich Mikoyan.

Edited by alaninaustria
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On 8/13/2021 at 9:24 AM, Pete Fleischmann said:

 

What other driver were the Soviets talking about? Perhaps they watched Top Gun too many times. The F-15 and F-16 should have kept them up at night :coolio:

Ahhh…the sport of kings!

cheers

P

I think they were just making general comments based on the very small size of the Aphid's warhead.   Not sure if that missile ever saw any actual combat, maybe with Syria?  Still have a thing for the MiG-23 (Krokodil), to me it's the Soviet Phantom.    I'd love to build it in 32nd but that Trumpy kit scares me.

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On 8/14/2021 at 10:09 AM, alaninaustria said:

Hey Pete, since we’re on the missile/dog-fight topic - quick question: we had a guy at our airline that was a trained Mig-23 pilot from the DDR. I remember him telling me that one of his missiles was able to identify heat signatures from NATO aircraft and when launched the warhead would actually target the cockpit rather then the heat signature of the engines. Any truth to that theory? If so, which Warsaw Pact missile system was he referring to? 

Just curious,

Cheers

Alan

 

Hi Alan,

Never heard that specifically, but perhaps he was referring to a “rate bias” that many IR missiles have. It is a flare-rejection system that biases the missile flight path ahead of the heat source to increase the Pk of the round.

 

cheers

Pete

Edited by Pete Fleischmann
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On 8/4/2021 at 6:00 PM, Pete Fleischmann said:


the runway is a very predictable surface. The dirt- not so much. 


When I served in the RCAF in my Twin Otter days we had a hard landing on the ice, we bent and buckled the ski’s, and the rigging was torn. This was in the Arctic in the middle of no where. We knew we could take-off, but we could not retract the skis to make a wheels landing at the base (CFS Alert). We landing on the gravel runway with our bent and buckled skis. That was quite the adventure.

 

Although we didn’t have sparks or fire like you did.

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7 minutes ago, ScoobyDoo said:


When I served in the RCAF in my Twin Otter days we had a hard landing on the ice, we bent and buckled the ski’s, and the rigging was torn. This was in the Arctic in the middle of no where. We knew we could take-off, but we could not retract the skis to make a wheels landing at the base (CFS Alert). We landing on the gravel runway with our bent and buckled skis. That was quite the adventure.

 

Although we didn’t have sparks or fire like you did.

Holy smoke..I bet that was exciting!

P

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  • 2 weeks later...

Kristi working the crown in Latrobe PA

it5m9q8.jpg
 

gotta watch the airshow crowd like a hawk. Love them all, but They will climb up on the wing, drop the steps, open panels, hang off the pitot booms, stick their fingers in random holes, lean on your paint job, and throw beer cups down the intake if you aren’t careful!

 

cheers

Pete

Edited by Pete Fleischmann
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3 hours ago, Pete Fleischmann said:

Kristi working the crown in Latrobe PA

it5m9q8.jpg
 

gotta watch the airshow crowd like a hawk. Love them all, but They will climb up on the wing, drop the steps, open panels, hang off the pitot booms, stick their fingers in random holes, lean on your paint job, and throw beer cups down the intake if you aren’t careful!

 

cheers

Pete

 

Air Show Crowds - sometimes "we" are the worst!:frantic:

 

P.S.  I respect air crews and aircraft, after working with them years ago.

 

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