S-3 vs F-4s...splash two

Yesterday I was flying with a former S-3 "Hoover" guy...he told a "sea
story" where a pair of Allied F-4s and an S-3 were hassling over the
Med. He thought they were Greek.

Anyway...the story basically has the S-3 heading toward the water in a
steep dive (evasive maneuver) with both F-4s in trail...S-3 deploys
his spoilers and pulls out while the pair of Phantoms mort themselves
(literally) in the Med.

What I do know so far...the Greek AF has not lost two F-4s on the same
day, so they're ruled out. But the Turkish Air Force did lose two on
17 Nov 83 with apparently four fatalities. I was in USAFE at the time
but don't recall anything about the nature of their loss.

Comments?

I can't speak to whether or not it's true, but it's feasible.

The S-3 has a phenomenal descent rate -- it can sustain 20k ft/min.

When I was a SENSO in the very early 90's, we were intercepted in the
CentMed, 500nm from the boat, while looking for an unlocated diesel at
zero-dark-thirty.

We'd turn off our lights, he'd turn off his. When we turned them back on,
he was still there. We tried to look at him on FLIR, but he was too close
and too high, and the S-3 FLIR software would not let the turret be trained
above the horizon.

Anyway, after we'd had enough of this (and we figured we were dealing with a
Turkish or Greek F-4 as well) we took it down to the deck -- 400' night-time
NATOPS min. We never thought he'd splash, but we correctly figured nobody
in a fighter's going to want to follow us that low. Once we dove down, we
never saw him again.

We headed home a little early that night. If the ship's intel office knew
who it was, they never told us.



"Juvat" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I was flying with a former S-3 "Hoover" guy...he told a "sea
story" where a pair of Allied F-4s and an S-3 were hassling over the
Med. He thought they were Greek.

Anyway...the story basically has the S-3 heading toward the water in a
steep dive (evasive maneuver) with both F-4s in trail...S-3 deploys
his spoilers and pulls out while the pair of Phantoms mort themselves
(literally) in the Med.

What I do know so far...the Greek AF has not lost two F-4s on the same
day, so they're ruled out. But the Turkish Air Force did lose two on
17 Nov 83 with apparently four fatalities. I was in USAFE at the time
but don't recall anything about the nature of their loss.

Comments?

Rick Koch twisted the electrons to say:
and the S-3 FLIR software would not let the turret be trained
above the horizon.

Presumably to stop the FLIR being pointed at the sun? (Which I imagine
wouldn't be good for it?)
--
These opinions might not even be mine ...
Let alone connected with my employer ...

Is it possible that your Dad is Dick Koch, former VF-74 F-4 driver?

"Rick Koch" wrote in message
...
I can't speak to whether or not it's true, but it's feasible.

The S-3 has a phenomenal descent rate -- it can sustain 20k ft/min.

When I was a SENSO in the very early 90's, we were intercepted in the
CentMed, 500nm from the boat, while looking for an unlocated diesel at
zero-dark-thirty.

We'd turn off our lights, he'd turn off his. When we turned them back on,
he was still there. We tried to look at him on FLIR, but he was too close
and too high, and the S-3 FLIR software would not let the turret be
trained
above the horizon.

Anyway, after we'd had enough of this (and we figured we were dealing with
a
Turkish or Greek F-4 as well) we took it down to the deck -- 400'
night-time
NATOPS min. We never thought he'd splash, but we correctly figured nobody
in a fighter's going to want to follow us that low. Once we dove down, we
never saw him again.

We headed home a little early that night. If the ship's intel office knew
who it was, they never told us.



"Juvat" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I was flying with a former S-3 "Hoover" guy...he told a "sea
story" where a pair of Allied F-4s and an S-3 were hassling over the
Med. He thought they were Greek.

Anyway...the story basically has the S-3 heading toward the water in a
steep dive (evasive maneuver) with both F-4s in trail...S-3 deploys
his spoilers and pulls out while the pair of Phantoms mort themselves
(literally) in the Med.

What I do know so far...the Greek AF has not lost two F-4s on the same
day, so they're ruled out. But the Turkish Air Force did lose two on
17 Nov 83 with apparently four fatalities. I was in USAFE at the time
but don't recall anything about the nature of their loss.

Comments?