Fighter Sweep

F-14 Tomcat Tales: In the Break at NAS Key West

September 19, 2019

From Reggie: Some tales you just shouldn’t tell your mother about, especially if you are a pilot and there’s a chance you’ll have to face the same demons the next View More ›

F-105 “Thud” mechanic recalls Vietnam days

September 18, 2019

An F-105 Thunderchief avionics technician remembers what is was like to work on the jet and live in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. I’ll be writing from memory after View More ›

The Road to Wings: OTS, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve

September 17, 2019

So far in our examination of Air Force commissioning sources we’ve looked at the U.S Air Force Academy and Air Force ROTC. Both of these provide an excellent path for View More ›

The Road to Wings: How to become a US Air Force pilot

September 16, 2019

If you’re asking “How do I become a U.S. Air Force pilot,” then read this first post in our series, “So you want to be an Air Force Pilot?”

Why Navy pilots hate the KC-135

September 13, 2019

Depending on who you ask, the response to uttering the words “Iron Maiden” bring about very different emotions. Ask any fan of rock music and chances are the reaction is View More ›

There I Was: F/A-18E Super Hornet vs. two Iranian Su-25 Frogfoots

September 10, 2019

I’ve been hearing and telling “There I was…” stories for my entire adult life. It started for me in flight school, listening to a grizzled old sim instructor tell me about View More ›

Watch: Awesome slow motion low transition by Blue Angels

September 9, 2019

“Not a bad start to the day !” That’s what Blue Angels Lead Solo Ryan Chamberlain posted on his Instagram account along with an awesome video of this low transition. View More ›

Navy Fighter Pilot Jay “Faceshot” Consalvi talks about Czech Mate and the Reno Air Races

September 6, 2019

Jay flew the F-14D Tomcat and F/A-18 C/D/Fs in the Navy. After leaving the service he has become an emerging figure in the rarified world of unlimited air racing. We View More ›

How Do You Intercept an SU-24? Hockey Stop a Tomcat

September 5, 2019

Get into the cockpit with CDR Reggie Hammond when he intercepts a Russian SU-24 Fencer near the coast of North Korea in one his first flights in the F-14 Tomcat. View More ›

Photo Gallery: McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

September 4, 2019

If the term “blue-collar” could describe any aircraft since the dawn of flight, it is certainly apropos of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. Tagged with such affectionate nicknames as “Double View More ›