On Mon, 31 May 2004 16:33:41 +1000, Aerophotos
wrote:

My mate can confirm in LB2 - december 72, that Mig-21s were active in
the B-52 inbound/outbound streams and that one crew which was over nvn
nearly scored a kill but at night it was hard and they lost the lock.

Such is the life of a fighter puke at war.

Some get glory, some come close. Some get nothing.

"your mate can confirm"??? How does that happen? Was your mate on a
BUFF over Bullseye or in the MiG-21?

There were reports of some sort of cooperative altitude reporting by
MiG-21s to SA-2 sites--supposedly the MiG was seen on the wing of a
BUFF and shortly thereafter SAMs were launched at the cell. This is
highly unlikely.

There are also two confirmed kills by BUFF tail-gunners of MiG-21s
during night ops of LB II. Although confirmed and awarded, this also
is highly unlikely. More probably a public relations ploy to provide
motivation and reward for doing the job.

MiG-21s were active throughout LB II although they suffered a number
of losses. Operations were constrained by the F-111 night attacks on
the airfields starting on 18 December. At least one F-4E out of Udorn
was lost to a MiG-21 on Dec 27--Carl Jeffcoat and Jeff Trimble were
shot down and POWs for a short term.

You might want to refer to Michel's "Eleven Days of Christmas" for
more on the B-52 altitude ranging theory and tail-gun kills. Check
Hobson's "Vietnam Air Losses for the period of Dec. '72 to learn more
about the MiG kills.

Probably more reliable sources than "your mate" confirming.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8