Fuel leakage during in-flight refueling

On 24 Mar 2005 10:18:18 -0800, "John" wrote:

Now that Ed has thrown the thrid strike, it is time for me to head back
to the dug-out and resume lurking. (Smiling)

blue skies . . .

P.S. to Mr Rasimus - Is the new book actually out yet (fingers
crossed)?

Actually, we don't throw strikes or even brush-backs in the better
newsgroups. We just share knowledge and hopefully get a bit wiser.

As for the book, coincidentally just this week I got a contract offer
from St. Martin's Press and the book which was delayed by the failure
of Smithsonian Books is now back on track.

The book should revert to the original title I had for it which is
"Palace Cobra: Fascination With A War" rather than the previously
announced "Phantom Flights, Bangkok Nights" (Smithsonian imposed, but
it sounded to me like a grade B porno movie.)

Anticipated availability won't be until the end of the year with the
new publisher.

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

Mr. Rasimus,

It was supposed to be on last Christmas' list. Now I guess I will have
to wait until next Christmas. Sheesh. Congratulations on the
contract.

But please, do explain the term "Palace Cobra"

John

On 25 Mar 2005 10:09:33 -0800, "John" wrote:

Mr. Rasimus,

It was supposed to be on last Christmas' list. Now I guess I will have
to wait until next Christmas. Sheesh. Congratulations on the
contract.

But please, do explain the term "Palace Cobra"

John

"Palace Cobra" was the program name for the AF personnel policy
regarding assignment of aircrews to Southeast Asia. It was the
misguided concept that no one should go a second time until everyone
had gone the first--which led to the idea of the "universally
assignable pilot". Thinking that you can take an "experienced" pilot
out of B-52s, KC-135s, C-124s or Training Command and with sixty hours
make that individual a competent fighter pilot is stupid.

The fact of the matter is that there were lots of tactical aviators
who went to SEA more than once and a lot of folks who successfully
avoided the exposure.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

I think the probe was "bent" to get the receiver out of the tanker's
wash. Most navy planes with probes had the probe out in front of the
pilot to make it easier to plug in. Some like the Fury had the probe
way out and were a bitch to plug. Crusaders probe was behind the pilot
and made for a few missed plugs. Little fuel leakage, even into the
intake, was no problem. But some guys just weren't happy unless they
could bitch about something. I liked to get the gas no matter some
leaks. Beat punching out all to heck.

"Bob" wrote...
I think the probe was "bent" to get the receiver out of the tanker's
wash.

Don't think so...

The A-4 with the straight probe was damn easy to plug -- just stick your
right foot in the basket! It was a whole lot easier than the A-6 with the
big bent probe way up top!

Ed brought up Palace Cobra. First, let me say I never evebn saw any
fuel when refuleing with teh F4 (Duh!- the recptacle's about three feet
beind the cockpit). Anyway - I was an RTU IP when this was going on -
we even got an O5 who'd been at Lawrence Livermore Lbs doing nuke
design for the last 10 years to check out in the F4. He was so full of
classified smarts he wasn;t going anywhere and definitely not to SEA.
But that was okay - he couldn't fly the F4 either and we finally gave
up trying to tech him how. . OTH I had a B52 copilot who oved the F4,
flew it like he was born in it and still hade to go back to B52s. TANJ
- there ain't no justice. If there was, USAF DCS/P would be frying in
hell right now. 'Palace Cobra' sent a lot of 'fighter pilots' over to
SEA who were seriously short of fighter skills. On the job training in
combat is not a very smart way to fight a war. But, seriously, it was
fun to sit around the Patrick AFB O Club (Cape Canaveral) and listen to
a lot of Space Command guys wearing wings whining about their
experience being too valuable to be sent off to SEA. Walt BJ