Boomer's F-15 Flight
"Boomer"
was a boom operator for air-to-air refueling while serving with the
USAF. Now living in Guam with his 20 dogs and wife of 40 years, Boomer
is a main dorfworld supplier of jokes and humorous cartoons. A
rabid Packer fan, he can frequently be found on various message boards
mixing it up with trash-talking punks from rival teams.
Here is one of his favorite stories:
Subject: One more pic...
While I'm at it, may as well send one more...this one taken in December 1984 when I was "rewarded" by being allowed to fly an F-15 mission. One hour and one of the real kicks in the butt. Let me tell ya. Down the runway, leveled at about 50 feet for a bit then nose straight up and out of sight in no time. The F-15 can break the speed of sound going straight up. Tho we didn't exactly do that, we busted 20,000 feet so fast you wouldn't believe it. Watched the island of Guam shrink below me in the rear view mirror.
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| A younger and skinnier "Boomer" poses in front of his ride |
Went into a dogfight for about ten minutes with another F-15, we in trail first, then in the lead being chased. From the rear it looks like we were right in the other guy's tail pipe. Every imagineable attitude you can think of...upside down, sideway, straight up, then straight down. Had the distinct feeling the aircraft was completely out of control (it wasn't).
After that we topped 50,000 feet (space suit altitude just about). I had been to 48,000 in a tanker and even then it was extremely eerie at that altitude. About the limit for a tanker and besides you can't exceed 50,000 without a pressure suit anyways. And...thank God for one of those when flying a fighter. Hate to think what it would be like pulling those G's without it. It literally holds you together and allows the blood to flow inside your body.
The pilot turned the aircraft over to me with the normal "It's your aircraft". I said OK, grabbed the stick (big mistake) and immediately dumped us on our side. He laughed and said something to the effect that this isn't a tanker, pretend you're holding a pen when you fly this thing. It's fly-by-wire...now I know what they mean. So he gave me the airplane back and within a short time I got the feel of it---After a lot of wallowing trying to stay level.
Once I got the feel I climbed some and flew the airplane north 100 miles to Saipan where we descended to less than 5,000 feet and did figure 8's around the island. Am I catching on? You bet. It was so easy as to be unreal. Climbed back out and headed back for Guam.
Pilot took the airplane back and said "This is a jet fighter and fighters are supposed to go fast." With that he shoved the throttle up and I'm telling you we literally jumped forward. Amazing acceleration, really plants your back to the back of the seat. Back at Guam we did some low approaches over the runway and those damn pitch-outs...these really got my neck. My helmet felt like it weighed about 100 pounds and I thought my neck was going to break. I finally surrendered and said I'd had enough fighter time for one day.
I realized how great these pilots are and their job isn't all that easy. And the capabilities are aerospace. With the gadgets and the displays etc. available, not to mention the weapons available, hell you don't even need to see the enemy. He's dead and doesn't even know it yet. And consider the F-15 is kind of an "old" aircraft now. Imagine what is on the F-117 or the newer ones being developed to replace even that one. Somewhere in the desert in Nevada is some kind of aircraft that we'd think of as sci-fi stuff...right now.
I ached for a week after that. During the initial climb-out the FAA guys were telling the pilot that they'd buy him a case of beer if they got Adams sick. I didn't get sick, but there were a few moments when I'd have loved to puked. The Polack in me carried me thru tho. One of the FAA guys, a private pilot and a long time personal friend, has always been envious of my flight that day. Whenever F-15 comes up he reminds me too.
Back on the ground and completely awed I realized another thing. I'm a Tanker Toad at heart. One reason is I like to get up and move around to keep the blood circulating, have a cup of coffee, eat some popcorn, take a dump (naw, never did that inflight), go in the back and look out the windows at the clouds to relax...and get away from the guys in front for awhile. Read a book, smoke a cigarette (back in the days when I smoked) and just generally loosen up. And yak with the passengers, if we had'em. Yep, Tanker Toad is fine with me.
Boomer In your Face!!!
One lalapalooza of a read from a Navy Admiral
who speaks for the many veterans who questioned john fonda kerry's
decision to render a weak salute and report for duty.
His saluting days are, thank goodness, OVER!!! OVER, I SAY!!!
To those veterans who chose to side with the traitor it would be my wish
that they too board the ship of fools that should be in the process of
being readied to depart with those who made a certain promise should George
Bush win. He won. Now it's time for them to keep their
promise and set sail toot sweet. Will they? YOU know they
won't. That would require something they don't have - courage of
convictions.
IF my sentiments offend of my friends, military or civilian, so
be it. The choices are to either use the DELETE key, put me
on your ignore list and 'bounce' me, throw rotten fruits and vegetables
at me or never exchange pleasantries again. Be BIG enough to
stand up and express just how you feel. I have and have zero remorse
or shame for doing so. Fel free to rebut anything I have to
say.
To the swift boat veterans who stood tall and made a difference:
SALUTE!
Boomer on the Tsunami
I
recently sent out one with subject "The Ant & the Tsunami Victims:
A Marxist Perspective" that included some personal comments on
the U.S. being accused of being stingy.
Here's more to add to that:
I am becoming tired of the continuing attacks on this country, both direct
and by innuendo from our own press and our “allies” so I am
venting my frustration by listing a few facts related to the recent tsunami
catastrophe and related "attitudes".
