Heavy Metal

An interesting odd aircraft Grumman’s OV-1 Mohawk. 380 made.
I remember seeing a couple of them at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in the late 80’s.

"Grumman OV-1 Mohawk. Originally to have been known as the Montauk (a location in NY state) The Vietcong supposedly knew it as Whispering Death, and Israel gave it the formal name of Atalef (Bat) Mohawks fitted with the 18ft long SLAR pod projecting from under the fuselage were considered to be the male of the species. "

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The USS Card (CVE-11) left San Francisco, CA, carrying a load of F-102 Delta Dagger fighters on its wooden WWII-era flight deck. The supersonic F-102 was stationed domestically and at overseas airbases in Japan, West Germany, and the Philippines. It was also deployed during the Vietnam War in South Vietnam and was exported to Greece and Turkey.

More about the USS Card:
USS Card - Wikipedia

More about the F-102 ‘The Deuce’:
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger - Wikipedia

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Plus brass cajones!

Retired Brigadier General Steve Ritchie, a veteran pilot ace, with five confirmed kills to his credit, all Mig21s whilst flying the F4 over Vietnam in front of a F-4 decorated with the 5 kills.

Being the only U.S. Air Force pilot ace of the Vietnam War, Steve Ritchie, then a captain, shot down his fifth MiG-21 on Aug. 28, 1972, making him the only U.S. Air Force pilot ace in the Vietnam War, but his most thrilling aerial dogfight took place nearly two months earlier, when he shot down two MiGs with three missiles in 1 minute, 29 seconds - not bad, considering a bone specialist told him as a highschooler he'd never play football nor anything else that strenuous.

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