Sorry!! I couldn't resist!

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 10:10 AM

Classic, but true catagorie, I grew up reading Bob Stevens "There I was..." series and Air Force Magazine, I usually go straight to Stevens work before reading the articles.
Great Stuff especially a young jet jock asking an old Col telling his glory days of flying prop planes...."What's a prop?"

LT

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 30, 2003 1:14 PM

Airline folklore tells the tale of a British Airways jetliner approaching Frankfurt airport in the early '70's. The pilot, a senior B.A. captain, asked the tower ATC to repeat his landing instructions, which the ATC did in a very haughty manner. Apparently, Frankfurt ATC's were infamous for their snobbish and brusque manner. He then asked the B.A. captain (with a sneer in his voice) " Sir, have you not been to Frankfurt before?" To which the captain responded, "Why yes, as a matter of fact, I was here before. But it was in 1944 and I didn't stop."
Tony Ryan

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gregers

Member since
February 2003
From: UK

Posted by gregers on Thursday, May 29, 2003 2:56 PM

One that i heard was this. A B36 "Magnesium cloud" tookoff from its base in the states to fly across the pond to Spain, couldn't land at his destination due to weather so the pilot set course for England' couldnt land at the base he wanted due to weather and was asked if he wants an alternate by A.T.C his reply was reported to be "aw hell i might as well go home " so he did . True or not i don't know but it gave me a laugh. Did the 36 have the range to do this?...Gregers

Why torture yourself when life will do it for you?

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 29, 2003 10:15 AM

Great way to start the day :-)

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 5:34 PM

My cousin, an ATC in Gander, relates the story from many years ago, of a BUFF diverting to Gander airport with engine trouble. Seems as how his #6 engine quit on him. The pilot requested a direct-in emergency landing. Came a comment from a civilian airliner awaiting landing clearance: "Oh no! Not the dreaded 7-engine landing!"

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JGUIGNARD

Member since
March 2003
From: USA

Posted by JGUIGNARD on Friday, April 25, 2003 4:12 PM

Ray:

Your lending those books to the young officers reminds me of one of Bob's cartoons. An old pilot is desciribing a manuever to some freshly minted pilots, and says something like "...and there I was hangin' on my prop !" One of the young pilots says "What's a prop ?"

Jim

Most of us are acquainted with at least one "know-it-all". He may be as close as the mirror. [}:)]

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JGUIGNARD

Member since
March 2003
From: USA

Posted by JGUIGNARD on Friday, April 25, 2003 4:05 PM

Derek:

I saw an interview with Randy Cunningham on TV a few months ago. He was a tech. adviser for "Top Gun", and said that some things in the movie were based on his own experiences. The canopy-to-canopy incident happened to him. Also, he sang "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" to his future wife. He may have mentioned some others, but those two are the only ones I can remember.

Jim

Most of us are acquainted with at least one "know-it-all". He may be as close as the mirror. [}:)]

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, April 25, 2003 1:05 PM

I heard the "inverted greeting" incident in "Top Gun" was based on a true story.

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Ray Marotta

Member since
December 2002
From: Lyons Colorado, USA

Posted by Ray Marotta on Friday, April 25, 2003 10:20 AM

I too have copies of Col. Bob Steven's books. I'm a defense contractor working
for "my Air Force" (I was born and raised in the AF). I've taken great pleasure in lending those literary gems to some of the young Air Force officers I work with so
they will know about the "real" Air Force from a flier's point of view rather than a historian's.

]

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JGUIGNARD

Member since
March 2003
From: USA

Posted by JGUIGNARD on Friday, April 25, 2003 12:21 AM

Blackwolf:

I remember Bob Stevens and his cartoons very well, and also have all of his books. Used to see him at fly-ins and airshows in So. Cal. before he passed on. He also did cartoons for Private Pilot magazine. Besides his cartoons, he had a series of pewter "pilot's wings" made. One set of wings for student pilots had a prop beanie in the center of the two wings - I had a set of them. He also did a small book of fractured aviation terms titled "Prop Wash".

I think I remember one of the terms going like this:
" CRAB: chief instructor before his first cup of coffee".

Bob was a Thunderbolt pilot during WW2, with the 81st FG in the CBI I think.

Jim

Most of us are acquainted with at least one "know-it-all". He may be as close as the mirror. [}:)]

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 10:53 AM

hehehehehe!!! LOL, very nice tale!!!

Regards

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 10:27 AM

Top stuff my friend
Radio, Australia

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 6:47 AM

THAT WAS RICH !!!!!! Smile [:)]

Vance

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BlackWolf3945

Member since
December 2002
From: Pominville, NY

Posted by BlackWolf3945 on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 9:54 PM

Anyone remember Bob Stevens and his comic strip in the back of Air Force Magazine and AOPA Pilot? (others too, can't recall which) He did some great (mostly hysterical) stories, including the B-52/F-4 deal and another variation on the inverted fighters panicking a transport pilot into rolling "upright". (Jets this time) AF Magazine had the military stuff and AOPA Pilot had the civilian stuff. He also did a few books, "There I was...", "More There I was...", "There I was, flat on my back..." and "If You Read Me... Rock the Tower!".

If you can find some old Air Force rags there's one of Bob's toons on the last page of every ish until he passed away. His cartoons were always the last thing I read when I got my AF rags. Not because they were on the last page, but because I like to save the best for last.

Fade to Black...

Steve O. Reno Check Out My Photo Sets on Flickr

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berny13

Member since
February 2003
From: Panama City, Florida, Hurricane Alley

Posted by berny13 on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 9:01 PM

My uncle was stationed on the East coast flying P-47's after WWll. They were deploying to a bombing range in Utah. After take off they went through a lot of cloud cover when they saw the C-54 carrying the ground troops for the deployment. The P-47's came out of the clouds inverted. The C-54 pilot started to panic and tried to roll the transport over on its back. They were able to stop the pilot before he was able to do it.

Berny

Phormer Phantom Phixer

On the bench

TF-102A Delta Dagger, 32nd FIS, 54-1370, 1/48 scale. Monogram Pro Modeler with C&H conversion.

Revell F-4E Phantom II 33rd TFW, 58th TFS, 69-260, 1/32 scale.

Tamiya F-4D Phantom II, 13th TFS, 66-8711, 1/32 scale. F-4 Phantom Group Build.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 1:18 PM

LMAO! that was good.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 7:24 AM

The version I heard was;
B52 captain," Well I've just been back to the john, now I'm having coffee & a sandwich, and later I may take a nap!"

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JGUIGNARD

Member since
March 2003
From: USA

Posted by JGUIGNARD on Monday, April 14, 2003 11:54 PM

I read of a similar incident involving two earlier aircraft. Remember the Ryan FR-1 Fireball ? Had a radial piston engine in front with a turbojet in back. A P-38 pilot pulled up along side of a Fireball, shut down and feathered one of his engines. The Fireball pilot proceded to shut down his piston engine and feather the prop. The Lightning pilot, not being familiar with the FR-1, was amazed to see the Fireball, seemingly with it's only source of power shut down, maintaining formation with him !

JIm

Most of us are acquainted with at least one "know-it-all". He may be as close as the mirror. [}:)]

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BlackWolf3945

Member since
December 2002
From: Pominville, NY

Posted by BlackWolf3945 on Monday, April 14, 2003 10:44 PM

Older than dirt, but still funny as hell!

Fade to Black...

Steve O. Reno Check Out My Photo Sets on Flickr

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 14, 2003 7:33 PM

LOL!

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Buddho

Member since
March 2003
From: Newport News VA

Posted by Buddho on Monday, April 14, 2003 7:01 PM

Great Joke!
Regards, Dan

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Keyworth

Member since
January 2003
From: NE Georgia

Posted by Keyworth on Monday, April 14, 2003 6:37 PM

Outstanding ! :)- Ed

"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Monday, April 14, 2003 6:20 PM

After a day like today I appreciate the funny. ROFLMAO

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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Butz

Member since
February 2003
From: Niagara Falls NY

Posted by Butz on Monday, April 14, 2003 4:04 PM

ROTHFLMAO....!!!!!!!!! Tongue [:P]

Sure Made my day Big Smile [:D]

Flaps up,Mike

If you would listen to everybody about the inaccuracies, most of the kits on your shelf would not have been built Too Close For Guns, Switching To Finger

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therriman

Member since
January 2003
From: Central MI

Posted by therriman on Monday, April 14, 2003 11:48 AM

It works for me!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tim H. "If your alone and you meet a Zero, run like hell. Your outnumbered" Capt Joe Foss, Guadalcanal 1942 Real Trucks have 18 wheels. Anything less is just a Toy! I am in shape. Hey, Round is a shape! Reality is a concept not yet proven.