Dogfights returns

[Twitch]

By accident I noticed a new episode of Dogfights was on History Channel last night! It was about the P-51 and profiled 3 pilots who flew it. I hope that means there are some more episodes out there that will air.[huh]

 

[deanglen]

One can hope! That program always lifts my spirits and engages my attention like few on TV can!






dean

 

[dostacos]

while scrolling to Saturday morning for Young Indiana Jones, I saw several re-runs real early in the AM so I checked the history channel and they said New Episodes ALL WEEK at 11PM/10C!

 

[jamespowers]

while scrolling to Saturday morning for Young Indiana Jones, I saw several re-runs real early in the AM so I checked the history channel and they said New Episodes ALL WEEK at 11PM/10C!

I thought I saw a new episode a few days ago. That was one on Vietnam era dog fights though I'll take it.
The program makes one wonder who the genius was that thought dog fighting was obsolete then and equipped the planes only with missiles for Vietnam. :eusa_doh:

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Thanks for the heads up!

James, that genius was probably a descendant of the genius who decided that dogfighting was obsolete after the Great War and thought that heavy bombers could fly into hostile territory unescorted if they were fast enough.

Or the geniuses in England who decided that fighters, let alone dogfighting were obsolete and could be replaced by SAMs, thereby bringing the great English fighter tradition to a grinding halt (Well, OK, there was the English Electric Lightning and the Hawker Harrier) and causing my Dad and many of his colleagues to emigrate to the United States in the "Brain Drain."

 

[Mike K.]

I recall reading some time ago that all the stealth and other high technology of modern warplanes is actually bringing back a need for pilots and dogfighting skills. When the technology can't beat the other technology, it takes a real combat pilot to get the job done.

 

[jamespowers]

James, that genius was probably a descendant of the genius who decided that dogfighting was obsolete after the Great War and thought that heavy bombers could fly into hostile territory unescorted if they were fast enough.

Or the geniuses in England who decided that fighters, let alone dogfighting were obsolete and could be replaced by SAMs, thereby bringing the great English fighter tradition to a grinding halt (Well, OK, there was the English Electric Lightning and the Hawker Harrier) and causing my Dad and many of his colleagues to emigrate to the United States in the "Brain Drain."

All good points. Makes you wonder what they were thinking.
In the Vietnam Era Dogfight, the Americans had to take off after exhausting their missiles in order to prevent getting shot down by lesser equipped enemy planes. :eusa_doh:
I will take the brains that drained away from any other country though.

 

[jamespowers]

When the technology can't beat the other technology, it takes a real combat pilot to get the job done.

I think it always has.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Good to know that there are new episodes! I really enjoy them...and the special effects kept getting more realistic. I had watched the reruns so many times....that I'd passed them over lately..not realising they may be new episodes. Thanks for the headsup!
HD

 

[Story]

When air supremacy is determined by who has the best UAVs, I wonder if the best aces will be 10 year old kids dragged away from their Wiis and X-Boxs? [huh]

 

[dostacos]

When air supremacy is determined by who has the best UAVs, I wonder if the best aces will be 10 year old kids dragged away from their Wiis and X-Boxs? [huh]

Just watched the dogfights that was on about Iraq {1} and a F111 Raven which is an unarmed radar jammer that flys AHEAD of the strike team was credited with downing a {IIRC} flogger. they got into a dogfight and the flogger augured in without them firing a shot {since they had nothing to fire anyway } The pilot and Radar intercept officer were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross :eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[SamMarlowPI]

When air supremacy is determined by who has the best UAVs, I wonder if the best aces will be 10 year old kids dragged away from their Wiis and X-Boxs? [huh]

have more kills on "Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII" on the PlayStation 3 than the real aces...lol

 

[Diamondback]

See that and raise with killing entire fighter squadrons... from a B-52, no less! (No, I wasn't bombing 'em on the ground, they were airborne--okay, I'll admit I rearranged the program just a little to support some theoretical air-to-air weapons upgrades I was writing a project proposal on...lol )

 

[Twitch]

Yeah that one about the F-4s from the USS Midway was a new one too. They ran it last night. The web site says "new episodes nightly 11PM eastern"

I don't know if that wa all this week or next but it was on at least 2 night this week. At least we know they'll be repeated...

 

[Absinthe_1900]

The program makes one wonder who the genius was that thought dog fighting was obsolete then and equipped the planes only with missiles for Vietnam. :eusa_doh:

McNamara & his Whizz Kids.:eusa_doh:

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Whizzzzzzzzzzz pphhhttt!

 

[jamespowers]

McNamara & his Whizz Kids.:eusa_doh:

Why did I not figure he would be involved? :eusa_doh:

 

[Hondo]

Any one own first season DVD of History Channels "Dogfights"?
An old friend of mine is hearing impaired, at HC website they have it listed
as Closed Caption: No, am I correct to assume that mean No as in CC?
Pity if it is, such a great program (series) aired in CC but not for sale in CC.
Any help is grateful.

 

[Twitch]

On the 29th of Feb they are having a special using Dogfights type of superb CGI to illustrate the Battles of the Enterprise or similar title. Ought to be fine stuff.

 

[jake431]

I thought I saw a new episode a few days ago. That was one on Vietnam era dog fights though I'll take it.
The program makes one wonder who the genius was that thought dog fighting was obsolete then and equipped the planes only with missiles for Vietnam. :eusa_doh:

There were many geniuses - but the driving force behind the removal of guns was (in the Air Force at least) the ranking generals, most of whom were from bombers in WW2 - Strategic Air Command was ascendant in the 1950's, and as the military-industrial complex began ruling the pentagon, the costs, the belief in the wonders of technology soared - and our planes, which wouldn't need guns began showing up. Also you have the multi-purpose planes showing up at this time - the F-111, the F-4. Gone were the purpose built planes of earlier wars. In fact the Pentagon had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to agree to build three of the most successful fighters ever - the F-15, F-16 and A-10. All three were created to do one thing well - the F-15 and F-16 to be fighters (although the "Fighter Mafia" - Col. Boyd's men, would swear that they attempted to gold brick the F-15 and make it less than it could have been), and the A-10 to be a ground attack airplane (which the Air Force did not want at all - in fact it's tried to retire the plane at least twice, but in both cases war has saved it's "life" - first in Gulf War 1, the second time in Afghanistan). The F-16 and A-10 in particular, have just the technology needed to make them good at their jobs. Hell, the A-10 didn't even have (or need, really) a radar in it's early models. But it could take a ton of damage and carry a ton of ordinance and help the troops below.

Anyone interested in the history of Fighters in the US should read anything they can get their hands on about Col. Boyd. He invented the Energy Maneuverability Theory, which was a revolutionary way to measure the performance of aircraft (still used today by aircraft designers) he was able to prove the superiority of Soviet MiGs then in use in Vietnam, spurring development of the F-15. I won't say more, but if you are curious how a practically unknown Air Force Colonel fighter pilot revolutionized not only fighter design and tactics, but war itself, or how such a man came to have a full Marine honor guard at his funeral (not Air Force, Marine), go read his biography.

Sorry for the detailed answer.

-Jake