"Red Eagles: America's Secret MiGs"

[Steve Davies]

Posted with kind permission of Mr. Baseops:

You'll have to excuse the blurb in the advert - it was written by the publisher's advertising people, and it's cheesy as hell. Suffice to say, the book is not at all cheesy.

Anyway, if any Baseops members want to purchase a signed copy of the book for $20.00 (plus shipping), then please PM me.

The book is out on 23 September, RRP $25.99, and here is the Amazon link.

Here's a small excerpt from Part 2, Chapter 5:

EJECTION SEAT UNCERTAINTY

Gennin grounded the MiGs on a number of occasions soon after assuming command. Whatever the fault, when he imposed a grounding he would issue the instruction first, and then inform his chain of command. "They saw this sort of step as being positive. My job was to fly airplanes, but I wasn't going to fly them when they were unsafe."

On one occasion, Tittle had discovered that the SK-1 ejection seats in the MiG-21F-13s were not being inspected periodically as they should have been. Since Oberle had received the reverse-engineered pyrotechnic cartridges from the Navy labs, they had been largely neglected. "That meant that the seats were questionable. Would they work if we needed to use them? The bottom line was that we didn't know, so I grounded the fleet," said Gennin. He returned to the Navy and asked them to test the old carts and build new ones before he would allow the older Fishbed to fly again. The more recently acquired MiG-21s, with the newerMK-1 seats, were believed to be in good working order, Geisler recalled. With the Navy labs working quickly to test the carts, there was improved confidence in the SK-1 ejection seat of the Indonesian Fishbeds. It was just one example of the Red Eagles' commander "forcing 'scheduled' maintenance practices, versus some 'hit or miss' maintenance practices that had been ongoing until that time. It resulted in much better MiGs to fly in the long run," Geisler concluded.

There were more examples: "I walked out onto the ramp one day and saw this MiG-21 leaking fuel," Gennin recalled. "I asked the maintainers what was going on, and they told me that the fuel bladders on some of the MiGs routinely leaked. So, I grounded the fleet until we repaired it." Henderson, who investigated the leaks, explained: "The fuel bladders on the MiG-17 and MiG-21 were made of rubber and they rotted out easily. We had some reverse engineered and tried to replace most of the old Soviet bladders, but their shelf life was not very long."

These discoveries, "backed up by documentation," Gennin said, had led him to draw some scathing conclusions, all of which contributed to the eventual fall from grace of Ellis and some of the other senior maintainers: "I believed that the condition of the airplanes and the fact the seats had not been checked for years was definitely known to Bobby Ellis and his maintenance folks. Over the years, the level of maintenance on the seats had hit rock bottom." Despite this criticism, Gennin was certain that an emphasis on operations – being pressured to get the MiGs ready to fly each day – was at the root of it all. "Many aircraft were flown with known malfunctions, and these aircraft should have been fixed first. This practice, to produce sorties at the risk of safe operations, would cease." The brief groundings of the MiG-21s allowed the new commander to ensure that all of his pilots had their T-38 currencies up-to-date – they would fly instrument check rides in the Talon, for example.

While fixing MiG-21 fuel bladders took mere days, there were no quick fixes for theMiG-23's engine problems, which would often see the Flogger fleet grounded for several months at a time. The Flogger was already unpopular because it was so dangerous, and it was even less attractive when a Red Eagle considered its frequent groundings and how little time he would get to fly it. Part of the problem was that when one Flogger motor presented a problem, the whole fleet had to be grounded to check that the fault was not systemic but was instead peculiar to just one particular motor.

To remedy the situation, Gennin would transition his MiG-23 pilots back to the MiG-21. This was far from desirable, although ultimately the only recourse available. Shervanick recalled upgrading from the MiG-21 to the MiG-23 under the tutelage of his mentor Watley, only to be forced to return to the MiG-21 when the Floggers were grounded. Months later, he again went back to the MiG-23. Matheny explained: "Each of the MiGs had their own little idiosyncrasies, and you wanted to know what they were. Once you had moved to the MiG-23, you tended not to take much notice of what was happening with the Fishbed anymore, because you wanted to spend all your concentration getting to know the MiG-23." Having to return to the Fishbed meant re-learning some aircraft and systems knowledge that had been allowed to slip into the recesses of the mind.

Constant problems with the Floggers' wing carry-through boxes also meant that they were subject to austere G limitations that were often applied for long periods of time. "The MiG-23 carried fuel in the fuselage wing box for the swing wing," explained Henderson, who also investigated this problem as part of his role heading special projects for the 57th FWW. "They developed hairline cracks and fuel would seep out. We researched old intelligence reports and found that the Soviets had a similar problem eight years before, especially on older model Floggers that we were flying. They fixed the crack problem by putting a plate on the inside surface and a stiffener on the outer skin. We did not have that capability. The decision was made to weld on top of the crack on the outer skin and reduce the G-load allowed in flight." The G limits that followed were prohibitive. "They turned us into little more than a baseball being swung around on a piece of string," said Bucko. "We would fly around in this circle and guys would come up to us and fly formation. We would show them the different wing positions: Alpha, the wings all the way forward; Bravo, the wings midway back; and Charlie, the wings all the way back. Then we would do a 'drag race' to show them our acceleration." But the Red Eagles never flew the Flogger on a "pitch rate demo," which was used in the MiG-17 and MiG-21 PPs to show the other pilot how rapidly the MiG could point its nose in a different direction. "In the MiG-23, doing a pitch rate demo would scare the shit out of you – you'd constantly be on the edge of departure," Bucko recalled. The Flogger's wing carry-through box problem regularly surfaced and was never fixed, so the self-imposed G limits were never removed, although they were eventually reduced enough that the Flogger could once again maneuver quite aggressively.

The MiG-23 was still viewed with distrust when it came to its ejection seat, though. ItsMK-1 seat was big and heavy, and was not a "zero-zero" ejection seat: it would not work at zero airspeed and zero altitude. Bucko joked that to his mind, theMK-1 was a zero-zero seat in one sense: "There was zero chance that I would ever use it, because I felt there was zero chance of it working. They looked old, they smelled like an old baseball glove, and they had tubes and wires all over the place. To eject, you had to let go of the stick, lift both of your feet off the rudder pedals and place them in stirrups, grab two trigger handles, one with each handle, squeeze and lift. That can take a long time when you finally realize that it is time to go!" The seat had been built with extreme altitude and airspeeds specifically in mind. Matheny explained: "It had leg stirrups, shoulder harness, pelvic D-rings, and a three-parachute system for stabilization, speed reduction, and personnel descent. The drogue system that stabilized the seat had been designed for high speed ejection." Myers said that there had been a general distrust of the MiG-23's seat that predated Postai's fatal mishap. "This wasn't like an F-15 squadron, where the ejection seat was looked at every day and had a proven track record, and the truth was that there was just not much of a supply of spares for the Flogger seats. By the same token, gliding an airplane that has those kinds of speed requirements, 200 knots plus, meant that you could not touch down unless you could make a dry lakebed or the runway."

In the immediate aftermath of Postai's death, a test sled at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, was used to trial the Flogger seat. "It was an outcropping from Mark Postai's fatal accident," Scott, who monitored the test, recalled. "The investigation revealed a general lack of confidence in the seat among our pilots – it was thought that this lack of confidence may have contributed toMark's delay in initiating an ejection. I emphasize may have as opposed to did, because there were many other factors that were at work influencing his decision to bring the aircraft home. The test proved the seats, or at least that particular seat actually did work!" But in the years ahead, some of the pilots came to distrust even the sled test. It consisted of two ejections. The first, with zero airspeed, had been a failure. The second, with the sled hurtling down the track at pace, had been successful. That had temporarily alleviated some of the pilots' confidence issues in the MK-1.

Each pilot had his own view on what he would do if faced with a carbon copy of Postai's mishap. When Press deadsticked the Flogger into TTR in 1980, following the spin and engine flameout on his third MiG-23 sortie, the choice had been clear: "I didn't want to eject when McCloud told me I was on fire and to get out. That was simply because I didn't trust the seat."Whether a successful MiG-17 deadstick influenced Postai's decision once again to attempt a deadstick landing when his Flogger lost power will never be known, but Matheny said that as the squadron's life support officer (in charge of everything pertaining to equipment and ejection seat training) he knew that "Toast had no confidence in the seats. None whatsoever." Given his experience with the MiG-17's seat earlier in the year, that was hardly surprising.

One way to fend off being put in the invidious position of deciding whether to trust the seat - or not - was to be aware of alternative locations to land. Shervanick was "constantly on the lookout for lakebeds I could land at if I couldn't make the airfield. There were geographical points that I would remember from which, at various different altitudes and airspeeds, I knew whether or not I could make it back to Tonopah. If I could not, then there would be a lakebed that I had physically gone out and walked along, as an alternate. From altitude, the beds look perfectly level, but as you drive over them in a jeep you see crevices that you know the undercarriage won't be able to handle." Distrust of the seats aside, he noted, "You would do almost whatever you could to save the airplane – it was a national asset."

When Myers had first started flying the Flogger, the Red Eagles would practice SFOs only in the MiG-17 and MiG-21, since even simulating the emergency was deemed too risky in the MiG-23. Flogger pilots instead flew a more sedate "precautionary landing" practice. Besides, with the exception of Press' exceptional feat of airmanship in 1980, it was accepted that gliding the Flogger was such an unattractive proposition that no one was actually going to attempt it again. The precautionary landing, Myers revealed, was a sort of SFO lite. "You would arrive overhead the airfield at 10,000ft with the engine at idle. The intent was to simulate a motor that wasn't running quite right, not a no-kidding flameout." The Floggers did eventually start flying SFO approaches some time later.

The inevitable question was whether Postai's death and the increased risks of flying the MiG-23 were actually worth it. Creech obviously believed so, as did those Red Eagles who flew what the Soviets had christened "the Crocodile." "The accident was a really big deal for the squadron. Toast was one of the best, and if it had happened to him, then … After that, you saw a lot of people clearing out their desks and making out their wills," Matheny admitted. "Everybody grieved for Mark," Myers added, "but then a couple of days later you have to strap the jet back on and get back to work."

They had known all along that their work was dangerous, but for the most part the men compartmentalized such thoughts. The work they were doing was of tremendous importance to national security, after all. The MiG-23 represented an excellent tool to learn from, believed Matheny, if only to refute some of the claims that the Air Force's own intelligence community had previously made about the Flogger. "I ended up not believing a lot of what they told us. When the MiG-23 had first come out, they had told us that this was going to be a huge threat to American and Coalition airplanes. They told us it had tremendous capabilities and that we should all be scared to death of it."

But since HAVE PAD in the summer of 1977, the real truth trickled slowly into the vaults at tactical fighter squadrons around the world. TAC's findings from the Flogger's exploitation were covertly introduced into the 3-1 weapons and tactics manuals of the various fighter communities. The Red Eagles' exploitation of the Flogger built on that process, and of course gave other fighter pilots the chance to see the MiG's deficiencies first-hand. For Matheny, who had so keenly studied the Air Force's threat assessments on the Flogger, actually flying it was nothing short of a revelation. "From a tactical fighter pilot's point of view, the thing was a piece of junk." It was a lesson that had no price.

Table of Contents attached.

redeaglestableofcontent.pdf

[JarheadBoom]

Sounds good to me...

Check PM.

[brickhistory]

Steve,

My pre-order has been with Amazon for over a month.

Congrats!

Brick

[Sim]

May I suggest posting this on flight simulation message boards such as SimHQ, They would find this fascinating.

[Steve Davies]

May I suggest posting this on flight simulation message boards such as SimHQ, They would find this fascinating.

Thanks for the support, chaps.

Thanks also to all those who have PMd me.

[Guest Cap-10]

Steve,

Count me in. Check PM.

Cap-10

[Hacker]

The book is, as Steve woud say, 'pukka'.

Great read, fascinating story. Those of you who buy it will be very happy with it.

[Flare]

Steve...empty out your PM container. You're missing out on potential sales, including mine!

[Mambo]

Steve...empty out your PM container. You're missing out on potential sales, including mine!

2

[zrooster99]

Steve...empty out your PM container. You're missing out on potential sales, including mine!

3

[Guest Fuse]

Make that #4.

Youre going to have a sore hand from all the Baseops related signatures. =)

[Steve Davies]

Gents

Many thanks for the support - PM container now empty.

BREAK, BREAK

To all those who have expressed an interest/confirmed intention to purchase a copy, I am going to use this thread to keep you all informed of the status of your order (i.e. how much postage across the pond is, and when the books have been posted). I have had so many interested Baseops members that it would take all day to PM you all. So, apologies in advance for the impersonal service! Feel free to PM me with specific Qs, though.

As a starting point, I will be posting the air mail cost of sending the book across the pond on this thread later today.

Cheers

Steve

[uhhello]

Gents

Many thanks for the support - PM container now empty.

BREAK, BREAK

To all those who have expressed an interest/confirmed intention to purchase a copy, I am going to use this thread to keep you all informed of the status of your order (i.e. how much postage across the pond is, and when the books have been posted). I have had so many interested Baseops members that it would take all day to PM you all. So, apologies in advance for the impersonal service! Feel free to PM me with specific Qs, though.

As a starting point, I will be posting the air mail cost of sending the book across the pond on this thread later today.

Cheers

Steve

I know there are a few of us right next door on Lakenheath. I would be willing to send some downrange for anyone who is interested. Would save some shipping time.

[Guest Fuse]

Would also be helpful to post in here how to pay you...

[Toro]

I know there are a few of us right next door on Lakenheath. I would be willing to send some downrange for anyone who is interested. Would save some shipping time.

You beat me to the punch. I had already PM'd Steve and told him to use the Lakenheath or Mildenhall APO for shipping to any stateside or APO address. Not only will it be significantly cheaper than sending via the British post, but the fact that USPS will allow you to ship it as media mail should further decrease the price to only a couple bucks. I shouldn't need to be said, but I can personally vouch for Steve and would sponsor him onto base myself if I was there (he's been on base many times as it is). Please PM him if you're willing to help him and everybody else out who ordered a book.

[Steve Davies]

You beat me to the punch. I had already PM'd Steve and told him to use the Lakenheath or Mildenhall APO for shipping to any stateside or APO address. Not only will it be significantly cheaper than sending via the British post, but the fact that USPS will allow you to ship it as media mail should further decrease the price to only a couple bucks. I shouldn't need to be said, but I can personally vouch for Steve and would sponsor him onto base myself if I was there (he's been on base many times as it is). Please PM him if you're willing to help him and everybody else out who ordered a book.

Thanks, Toro.

Yes, I would be pleased to post via the APO if someone at LN or Mouldyhall will sponsor me on base.

If there is someone who is going to be available to sign me on base at some point in the last two weeks of September, then that would be much appreciated.

Would also be helpful to post in here how to pay you...

The best way to pay is via PayPal. My PP address is: ebay@fjphotography.com

If you are internet-challenged, you may also pay cash or cheque.

[uhhello]

I'll gladly sign you on base or just pick up the books at the gate, whichever you feel more comfartable with. Email me at kruse.adamATgmail.com

[rv10]

The best way to pay is via PayPal. My PP address is: ebay@fjphotography.com

If you are internet-challenged, you may also pay cash or cheque.

Any update of what to include for shipping fees? I'm waiting for that info before I send payment via paypal.

thanks!

[Steve Davies]

Gents

Having done a little research into pricing for P&P with the help of uhhello, here is a breakdown of the posting options available to you.

Please select the option you prefer (priority mail, or media mail) and PM me with your preference. Once you have done that, payment can be made via PayPal to the following address: ebay(at)fjphotography.com

If you have any queries or specific requirements, please let me know.

I expect the books to go out at the end of the month, but will post here to confirm.

Many thanks

Steve

Product Dimensions:

• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
  
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
  

Shipping Rates (2lb parcel):

USPS, (Mil Mail) Priority Mail - up to 20 days delivery time, apparently

Add $1 for packaging material to the following:

AK: $8.25

AZ: $8.25

CA: $8.25

CO: $7.70

FL: $7.20

GA: $6.80

OH: $5.60

OK: $7.20

OR: $8.25

NC: $5.60

NV: $6.80

PA: $6.88

SC: $6.80

TX: $7.70

USPS, (Mil Mail) Media Mail - who knows how long it will take?

All Zones: $2.58 & $1 packaging materials

UK postage rates:

$4.00 domestic, Royal Mail first class (1-2 working days)

Europe/other postage rates:

$8.00 Royal Mail Airsure (up to two weeks)

Plus $1 packaging

Total Cost:

I am selling the book at $20.00, so please add the postage cost for your area (to include the $1 to cover the cost of the jiffy bag it will ship in).

If you do not see your state listed above, please PM me - there are a handful of guys who have not yet sent me their postal addresses, or for whom I have a zip code but no idea which state it is located in.

Any questions, just ask.

[Guest TheWestCoast]

May come in handy -

http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown_zip.jsp

[Steve Davies]

May come in handy -

http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown_zip.jsp

Very much so, thanks. :)

[Guest L Unit]

Sent, can't wait!

[Steve Davies]

Gents

The books are now here in my possession and ready to go out.

I am going to coordinate with Uhhello to get on base and post them before the end of the week - I will post a message here to confirm that has happened.

If you have asked for a copy, but have not yet arranged payment, now is a good time to do so.

Similarly, if you would like a copy but have not PMd me, I have a small number of the 120 copies I ordered remaining - they will not last long!

Thanks to Mr. Baseops for allowing me to peddle my wares here, and thanks to all of you who have purchased a copy.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest IncompletePete]

Cheers, Steve! My copy arrived today and it looks great.

[uhhello]

Cheers, Steve! My copy arrived today and it looks great.

I sent the remaining copies out yesterday (Tuesday).