rc_fields

I am going to try to make it to Nellis this week to visit a friend and specifically see 64-0806. My father flew this very aircraft during his tour in VietNam in 1968. He was an instructor in the F-4, and was giving a "check ride" to a new pilot that had just rotated in, meaning he flew "GIB" while the new guy was "pilot in command". During the pre-mission briefing (the check ride was an actual mission) my father instructed him to stay at altitude until right before delivering the ordnance, then dive in, deliver, and get the hell out of there. Unfortunately, the hotshot new guy had his own ideas, and came in low on the target to deliver the bomb load. One round from ground fire struck the aircraft near the forward missile station and punched a hole between the front and rear seats. There were no injuries to either of the aircrew, but my father, upon landing back at base, dressed the young hotshot down. Having been on the receiving end of some of his lectures during my youth, I can imagine how he felt when my father was through "talking to him". Anyway, if I do manage to make it to Nellis, I will certainly take lots of photos and would be very happy to upload one or more of them to the site. Nice job on the model, by the way. Thanks for your hard work- Roger C. Fields Eagle Mountain, Utah, USA