General Discussion Thread

[Poohbah]

Looks like 20th AF is in good hands.

Flying began today with the experimental stuff-the homebuits, one-of-a-kind demonstrators, that sort of thing. The WW II warbirds fly tomorrow-and one of those scheduled is a P-47D Razorback that was recently restored, and in 5th AF colors from the SWPA theater in 1944. The jets fly on Saturday.

It gets better.

CINCSAC and CSAF apparently roped Boss-Ma'am into a conference call yesterday afternoon, and both expressed a desire for her to fly her Skyraider into Oshkosh. She flew out of Cheyenne Muni at 5 AM and made it Oshkosh in time for lunch, and she's on the warbird flyby card tomorrow, plus a heritage formation Saturday with a Hog out of Selfridge, an A-26 restoration out of Arizona, and a Hog out of Maryland.

What model of A-1 does she have? I've been fascinated with the Skyraiders with access door in the fuselage. I finally found a Youtube video showing the night fighter version.

Started life as an AD-6,, redesignated A-1H and transferred to the Air Force in 1963.

[jemhouston]

Thanks

[Wolfman]

So you’re fascinated by the likes of the electronic warfare, night attack, and airborne early warning versions?

[jemhouston]

So you’re fascinated by the likes of the electronic warfare, night attack, and airborne early warning versions?

Yes. There's something interesting about a single engine strike craft with a crew compartment. Same with the RB-47 with the bomb bay with the operators in it.

[Wolfman]

Then you’d also like the EA-3B (A3D-2Q) Skywarrior.

[Poohbah]

And Attack Wing Pacific out at Whidbey Island is crowing mightily today, and it is well-earned.

They ran a det out at McConnell AFB, they sent some SEALs and Force Recon into the South Training Area at Welch in eastern Colorado, and they utterly bushwhacked a training convoy. The security element had no idea that they were getting stalked by some serious operators. Part of the problem is that missile convoy protection is just one phase at the security forces academy, despite my recommendation last year to make it an entirely separate course for personnel being sent to their first Midgetman or Peacekeeper Rail Garrison posting.

Fielded a phone call from Senator Mason's office, and her military affairs remembered that little factoid, off AETC caught a rocket. Ah, the sweet smell of another MAJCOM getting a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot call from a Senator's office instead of your own...

[Matt Wiser]

Seafair was great! Think of it as a combination of Fleet Week and an air show. Blue Angels flew, USN Heritage Flight (with the ONLY FJ-4B Fury flying anywhere), warbirds, SOF demo, Doc flying by, etc..

The Navy had a special flyby to mark the 50th Anniversary of Females wearing Wings of Gold, and some of them came by the warbirds and had a look at 512. Goalie and I had a pleasant chat with them, and though they wear Wings of Gold and we wear Silver Wings, they were glad to talk to two for-real WW III vets (who also went to the Baja War). Much hand-waving and talking, and Goalie and I came to the conclusion that "the Kids are doing all right."

[Poohbah]

Seafair was great! Think of it as a combination of Fleet Week and an air show. Blue Angels flew, USN Heritage Flight (with the ONLY FJ-4B Fury flying anywhere), warbirds, SOF demo, Doc flying by, etc..

The Navy had a special flyby to mark the 50th Anniversary of Females wearing Wings of Gold, and some of them came by the warbirds and had a look at 512. Goalie and I had a pleasant chat with them, and though they wear Wings of Gold and we wear Silver Wings, they were glad to talk to two for-real WW III vets (who also went to the Baja War). Much hand-waving and talking, and Goalie and I came to the conclusion that "the Kids are doing all right."

Boss-Ma'am talked me into doing the Gowen Thunder Open AFSOC demo August 26th and 27th, along with her, MGEN Alyssa Miller, LTGEN Samantha Carter from 14th Air Force, LTGEN Schulteis from 23rd Air Force, and LTGEN O'Neill from Cheyenne Mountain.

Yup, an all-general AFSOC Special Reconnaissance Team. I suggested instead of the standard combat ruck hanging down, we jump with fully loaded golf bags.

Boss-Ma'am is thinking about it.

[Wolfman]

O’Neill? I thought he retired after the Third World War?

[Poohbah]

O’Neill? I thought he retired after the Third World War?

Different guy, actually. You're thinking of O'Neil with one L, who didn't have much of a sense of humor. This guy is has a sense of humor, albeit a tad peculiar. Graduated USAFA class of '87 (first three-year class), STO out of Elgin in '87, earned the Air Force Cross during Midland-Odessa, was in the AFSOC community until 2021 when he became the J-3 at NORAD.

[Wolfman]

The other O’Neil was Sophie’s wartime commander, right?

OOC: Might I suggest reposting those works?

[Poohbah]

The other O’Neil was Sophie’s wartime commander, right?

OOC: Might I suggest reposting those works?

Yes, he was.

OOC: It's a bit of a long-term project, since I didn't keep copies...

[jemhouston]

O’Neill? I thought he retired after the Third World War?

Different guy, actually. You're thinking of O'Neil with one L, who didn't have much of a sense of humor. This guy is has a sense of humor, albeit a tad peculiar. Graduated USAFA class of '87 (first three-year class), STO out of Elgin in '87, earned the Air Force Cross during Midland-Odessa, was in the AFSOC community until 2021 when he became the J-3 at NORAD.

Rumor had it they were supposed to keep at 500 miles apart unless an Empty Quiver or something equally dire happened.

I think I ran into O'Neill at JSC one time. Only problem is, I think his ribbons said he had two Air Force Crosses.

[Wolfman]

OOC: Question: Are we including Stargate SG-1’s canon about their activities and actions or is this just rumors and speculation?

[Poohbah]

OOC: Question: Are we including Stargate SG-1’s canon about their activities and actions or is this just rumors and speculation?

Let's just say that people will make all manner of irresponsible speculation regarding the activities of the species Sciuridae Secretus, and that some of those irresponsible speculations may or may not be fact.

The Truth is Out There. WAY out there. (Nonchalantly whistles X-Files theme.)

[jemhouston]

OOC: Question: Are we including Stargate SG-1’s canon about their activities and actions or is this just rumors and speculation?

Let's just say that people will make all manner of irresponsible speculation regarding the activities of the species Sciuridae Secretus, and that some of those irresponsible speculations may or may not be fact.

The Truth is Out There. WAY out there. (Nonchalantly whistles X-Files theme.)

When Sciuridae Secretus gets revealed, it's normally stranger than fiction. Consider this, the one-woman invasion of the Soviet Union, if we didn't have proof it happened, would any of believe it?

[Wolfman]

OOC: A straight answer please?

[Poohbah]

OOC: A straight answer please?

OOC: Their antics would be postwar, and would no doubt be highly classified.

I think they were doing SOMETHING along those lines. Probably without the bad science of SG-1...

I note for the record that one of the most popular SyFy shows in the 1990s and 2000s were Wormhole X-Treme, about an elite Air Force unit exploring the cosmos with an alien artifact, and Teal'c: Private Eye, about an alien who makes his living as a private investigator, keeping the streets safe while keeping it real. You may draw your own conclusions.

Indeed!

[Wolfman]

OOC: Okay.

IC: Are we fighting a war somewhere? Or am I imagining things?

[Poohbah]

I have been voluntold to give this year's Truman Lecture at the Air Force Academy, in late October. I was also told to be thought-provoking. But only as far as decorum shall permit, of course.