General Discussion Thread

[Wolfman]

Had a good flying day at Oshkosh: I took Goalie up in 512, and we showed the crowd what an F-4 can do (still). Not quite what the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels did when they flew Double-Ugly, but good enough. After we landed, MAJ Wolfe did her F-24 demo, and after she landed and both of us refueled, we did our Heritage Flight performance-and were joined by the WI ANG out of Madison with a couple of F-16s-at literally the last minute.

After we landed, there was a panel with WW III vets-with Viktor Belenko a special member. He told us that he wasn't surprised at our MiG-25 kill. He thinks that the pilot was so fixated on going after Athena and Helo-and one could have seen their RF-4 off in the distance thanks to the smoke trail-that he ignored the controllers' warning there was an F-4 on his tail. First indication the pilot knew he was in trouble? When the two Sidewinders took off his tail and horizontal stabilizers-and his engines blew up. THAT was time to eject. When he started cartwheeling? Too late.... Oh,well.

BOLO II came up, along with EASTERN EXPRESS (a couple of former B-52 drivers were in the panel), Day one, F-14 ops from Ranger, etc., etc. Too bad we fly back on Monday, this could go on for another week, easily.

Boss-Ma'am flew her Heritage Flight as well. Looks like the Hog from Selfridge and the A-26 had the full ETO Invasion Stripes scheme, and the one from Maryland had the PRAIRIE FIRE invasion stripes/Euro 2 scheme adopted for Wichita.

OOC: Poohbah, I’ve been rereading this thread this morning and came across this post. Could you please describe the Euro 2 scheme?

[Poohbah]

It's essentially the Southeast Asia Wraparound scheme with FS 36081 Gray replacing the tan.

SEA Wraparound scheme for reference:

images (5).jpeg

[Wolfman]

Thanks, Poohbah.

[Poohbah]

And my first novel, Fateful Lightning, goes live tomorrow (drops on Kindle at midnight EST, on bookstore shelves).

I'm doing a ten-city tour starting Wednesday. Tuesday evening, I'm at the Moreno Valley Barnes and Noble, then I take the red-eye to Phoenix for two signings, and then I'm off to Chicago with an appearance on WLS radio.

DoD has signed off on Books 2 and 3, Book 4 expected "real soon now."

(The reviewers were caught passing the manuscripts around; their boss told them to sign off the reviews and to just, and I quote, "buy the f***ing books when they come out instead of mooching the manuscripts...")

Good news is that the Amazon pre-order data is showing a robust demand.

[James1978]

It's essentially the Southeast Asia Wraparound scheme with FS 36081 Gray replacing the tan.

SEA Wraparound scheme for reference:

images (5).jpeg

Something closer to this?

[jemhouston]

And my first novel, Fateful Lightning, goes live tomorrow (drops on Kindle at midnight EST, on bookstore shelves).

I'm doing a ten-city tour starting Wednesday. Tuesday evening, I'm at the Moreno Valley Barnes and Noble, then I take the red-eye to Phoenix for two signings, and then I'm off to Chicago with an appearance on WLS radio.

DoD has signed off on Books 2 and 3, Book 4 expected "real soon now."

(The reviewers were caught passing the manuscripts around; their boss told them to sign off the reviews and to just, and I quote, "buy the f***ing books when they come out instead of mooching the manuscripts...")

Good news is that the Amazon pre-order data is showing a robust demand.

Any interest from Hollywood for a limited series?

[Poohbah]

It's essentially the Southeast Asia Wraparound scheme with FS 36081 Gray replacing the tan.

SEA Wraparound scheme for reference:

images (5).jpeg

Something closer to this?

Yes.

[Wolfman]

It’s all over the news now that Damascus has fallen to the Rebels and Assad has fled the country…

[Poohbah]

And my first novel, Fateful Lightning, goes live tomorrow (drops on Kindle at midnight EST, on bookstore shelves).

I'm doing a ten-city tour starting Wednesday. Tuesday evening, I'm at the Moreno Valley Barnes and Noble, then I take the red-eye to Phoenix for two signings, and then I'm off to Chicago with an appearance on WLS radio.

DoD has signed off on Books 2 and 3, Book 4 expected "real soon now."

(The reviewers were caught passing the manuscripts around; their boss told them to sign off the reviews and to just, and I quote, "buy the f***ing books when they come out instead of mooching the manuscripts...")

Good news is that the Amazon pre-order data is showing a robust demand.

Any interest from Hollywood for a limited series?

My agent is discussing a couple of offers for the rights.

[Poohbah]

It’s all over the news now that Damascus has fallen to the Rebels and Assad has fled the country…

Over/under on the total deaths from happy fire?

[jemhouston]

It’s all over the news now that Damascus has fallen to the Rebels and Assad has fled the country…

Over/under on the total deaths from happy fire?

Too damn many, but I suspect some scores will be settled and blamed on happy fire.

[Wolfman]

Navy just beat Army today!

[Poohbah]

Fateful Lightning is looking to be the #1 Fiction Bestseller at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

It is getting mostly positive reviews, although we had a few protestors show up at the Barnes & Noble in Chicago screaming that I was "whitewashing war crimes" and that "fascism won."

Hizzoner The Mayor was in attendance at last night's signing, and when the bookstore manager trespassed the protestors, Chicago's Finest told them, "Leave of your own accord and don't come back, or you can ride down to the Cook County Jail, your call." They left.

Roberta was asked by one of the local TV news stations why she was a long for the tour, and she said, "Two reasons. One, I sleep better when I'm snuggled up with my husband. Two, to make sure he doesn't clean out the military history section."

(Hey! I resemble that remark!)

[Poohbah]

Navy just beat Army today!

This is me WRT the Army-Navy Game: "Go, School I Did Not Attend! Beat The Other School I Did Not Attend!"

[Wolfman]

True, but seeing as how I’m an active-duty Marine, loyalty to Navy in this case is mandatory, otherwise: Gig’em, Aggies! My normal collegiate loyalty is to Texas A&M University.

[Poohbah]

Did a couple of signings and media appearances in Philadelphia today. Tomorrow, I'm in DC. After that is Jacksonville, NC, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas (complete with an appearance on the Tammy Cordwell Show, naturally), LA, Seattle, Boise, and finally Denver and Colorado Springs, where Roberta and I will spend Christmas with Tiffany, Cindy, Kim, Valerie , and Zack before returning to March.

Kim and her family are headed to RAAF Amberly in February (Valerie will be working with the Australians on Wedgetail).

[Matt Wiser]

Been there, done that when Wings of the Phantom came out....A lot of folks thought that Ryan Blanchard's escapade with that Cuban SOF guy was just for the movie. They were surprised to find out that it really did happen. And some have tried to track down that Cuban for his side of the story, but everyone who's tried has struck out.

[jemhouston]

Been there, done that when Wings of the Phantom came out....A lot of folks thought that Ryan Blanchard's escapade with that Cuban SOF guy was just for the movie. They were surprised to find out that it really did happen. And some have tried to track down that Cuban for his side of the story, but everyone who's tried has struck out.

The guy probably stayed in the US, changed his name and got the record sealed. I don't blame him.

[jemhouston]

Did a couple of signings and media appearances in Philadelphia today. Tomorrow, I'm in DC. After that is Jacksonville, NC, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas (complete with an appearance on the Tammy Cordwell Show, naturally), LA, Seattle, Boise, and finally Denver and Colorado Springs, where Roberta and I will spend Christmas with Tiffany, Cindy, Kim, Valerie , and Zack before returning to March.

Kim and her family are headed to RAAF Amberly in February (Valerie will be working with the Australians on Wedgetail).

Just out of curiosity, did you do any recruiting for AF Cyber?

[Poohbah]

Did a couple of signings and media appearances in Philadelphia today. Tomorrow, I'm in DC. After that is Jacksonville, NC, Miami, New Orleans, Dallas (complete with an appearance on the Tammy Cordwell Show, naturally), LA, Seattle, Boise, and finally Denver and Colorado Springs, where Roberta and I will spend Christmas with Tiffany, Cindy, Kim, Valerie , and Zack before returning to March.

Kim and her family are headed to RAAF Amberly in February (Valerie will be working with the Australians on Wedgetail).

Just out of curiosity, did you do any recruiting for AF Cyber?

On an incidental basis; at each signing, I gave a brief intro of myself and what I do, and a couple of youngsters were asking about cyber and Special Reconnaissance, so I told them what they'd need to qualify when they went to the recruiter.

One young lady was there; she's a history teacher at a Catholic school. She told me that she bought the book because her parents never talked about their wartime experiences, and she wants to understand what they went through, even if only a little bit. That really hit my heart for some reason.