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Recent Posts
- Checkride! June 27, 2022
- On Being a Fighter Jock April 27, 2022
- Fighters and Targets March 25, 2022
- Two types of flyers… March 8, 2022
- More Random thoughts from The Pit – Phantom II February 6, 2022
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Copyright notice- An American Family, 2013- 2022
© John Norvell
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Category Archives: Fighter Aircraft
Thoughts from the Pit
As I completed my time at Luke upgrading into the backseat some thoughts crossed my mind: 1. The Ejection seat was my friend and I took great care to make sure that everything was right. When I stepped in the … Continue reading
Down to the “South 40”
In May 1973, I checked in, as a new GIB, assigned to the 13 TFS at Udorn RTAFB. I had come to the war late as a non rated officer who entered Nav School in the fall of 1971. Now … Continue reading
FUFs, Pecker Pockets, and RCRs
When I graduated from Nav School, I moved on to the backseat of the F-4 and discovered I had to speak a whole new language. First of all unlike Nav School, we didn’t turn left, we made a port turn, … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, 43 TFS, Air Force, Air Force lingo, Alaska, Alaskan Air Command, American History, Anchorage, Anchorage Alaska, F-4 Phantom II, F4 emergency, F4 Phantom II, F4 PhantomII, Fighter Aircraft, Fighter pilot lingo, Fighter pilot slang, Thailand, U Dorn RTAFB, Udorn RTAFB, Vietnam War
Tagged Aircraft malfunctions, RCR, SOF
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Udorn We Have A Problem
July 22, 1973 started off like any other bombing mission. We did our preflight, routine, strapped in and taxied to the arming area. For this mission we had 18 Mark 82 – 500 pound bombs loaded, a more or less … Continue reading
Care Packages
Care packages are in the news a lot this time of the year. With good reason, the holiday season is one of the worst times for American military men and women serving overseas. It is hard for those who have … Continue reading
Posted in 13 TFS, Air Force, American History, F-4 Phantom II, F4 PhantomII, Fighter Aircraft, Thailand, Udorn RTAFB, Vietnam War
Tagged Care Packages, Christmas, Christmas at War
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The Udorn trots and other quick steps….
Phantom crews during the Vietnam War overseas always had the possibility of contracting local diseases. Its not that we weren’t prepared, before departing CONUS we had shots for almost every possible disease: hepatitis, typhoid, small pox, diptheria, plague, yellow fever, … Continue reading
Off the coast of China and other adventures in taking an F4 to Taiwan
In October 1973, I had the opportunity to ferry an F4 to the depot in Tainan, Taiwan China, as a member of the 13th TFS. The Air Force used a system of central depots to perform upgrades that couldn’t … Continue reading
Tales of My Phantom FNG Moments
Everyone who has flown has been an FNG more than once. For the uninitiated that is a F’ing New Guy. The term FNG has been used in the Air Force, I can bet, as long at there were aircrews. It … Continue reading
How I came to fly the Pit of the F4 – a story of genes, rejection, and being where I was meant be,
In 1962, I went to college and joined the AF ROTC program with the hopes that I would be a pilot when I graduated in 1966. Well, my entry into the Air Force was not without some bumps. After graduation … Continue reading
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