Referencing the night time T-38 disorientation incident, in 1968 as I was getting my night solo time in along with 4 other solo T-38 students over South Texas, I witnessed an explosion on the ground. I thought that it was an oil well going up. It was pitch black out there with bright stars and very few lights on the ground . Within minutes we received a Recall transmission to base for full stop landings. A T-38 had gone straight in and we lost our class leader that night. Vertigo was the assumption along with this being his third flight that day, fatigue was also cited as a possible cause.
My father had a similar experience, to yours, while instructing in a T-33 at Bainbridge AFB, in Georgia, in 1953. The canopy jettisoned, due to a loose screw that shorted some contacts, while at cruise altitude. It emptied the pockets in his flight suit, and sucked out everything loose in the cockpit, but his helmet and oxygen mask remained on. He and his student went on to have a normal landing. He said that the pilot's handbook stated that in the case of an ejection, the backseat pilot should lower his head because the hydraulic piston that raised and lowered the canopy, between the two pilots, would swing back and could decapitate the instructor. The fact that he was only 5'10", with a fairly short torso, may have been what saved him.
I heard two F-4s go by once while flying service test on the Beech Skipper. Southeast of Wichita a flight of four apparently split around me and reformed ahead on their way back to McConnell.
Another interesting video, thanks! I was expecting one of the four times being when you told your wife, "Honey, guess what, we're being transferred to...(fill in the blank)
Thanks for sharing, Ron. My dad was a IP in the T38 so I grew up around them. Years later I was an enlisted aircrew member on Marine helicopters and did a small DET to Yuma AZ where they used the F-5 for aggressor training. One of the IPs my dad flew with was a pilot that was on loan to Canada and folded the front strut on the F-5 that darn near took his leg off. At that time, Capt Leason. Semper Fi
I had an" Thought I was going to die event in the AirForce too" got my typhoid shot Friday afternoon at Sheppard AFB and didnt wake up until sunday afternoon!
Nah, it was just the Sheppard shuffle lol. I still remember the dumb stuff I did there. One year of hell, though oddly enough, I have the most photos of any base Ive been from Sheppard. And some are some spectacular pics...allegedly.
@@RipRoaringGarage I got the shot on.my lunch break, by 2 i was feeling bad, class ended early at 3 and I went to my dorm room and layed down. My dorm mate was living off base. I fell asleep or passed out and nobody checked on me all weekend and I just woke up on sunday... I remember " eye of the tiger was playing on my clock radio..lol
I guess, you had a successful ejection out of that Sukoi-57. I like your newer thumbnails, Ron. The warped Algerian looks cool. Great video, per usual. You are just a wealth of great stories and information. TH-cam is the perfect platform for you to put this stuff out for posterity. "I've never seen a Roadster '38 before." Hahah. Good stuff.
In Milt Thompson's excellent book "At the Edge of Space" he discusses spatial disorientation that the X-15 pilots experienced due to the aircraft's incredible straight-line acceleration. In the chapter that discusses the only fatal accident of the program he claims that all of the X-15 drivers experienced vertigo: "Every pilot thought he was climbing straight up or was even over on his back at engine shutdown." Flying that beast had to be addictive.
Ron, Looking through my flying stuff, I found a 50 year, re-dedication of Edward's AFB (must have gotten it when I flew in there to pick up a couple of stranded Army Aviators). Will you be invited for the 75th Anniv. in October? Hammer
I met Steve Naagel when I was working at Byerly the FBO at PIA summers during college. Nice guy, he was from Canton and would fly in every so often in his T38 and would come in and talk to us ramp service guys.
Stepan Mikoyan has a funny ending to his autobiography where he was flabbergasted that he survived so long to the moment he truly thought he was going to die was in his old age jumping a railing he slipped and fell down a stairwell
Referencing the night time T-38 disorientation incident, in 1968 as I was getting my night solo time in along with 4 other solo T-38 students over South Texas, I witnessed an explosion on the ground. I thought that it was an oil well going up. It was pitch black out there with bright stars and very few lights on the ground . Within minutes we received a Recall transmission to base for full stop landings. A T-38 had gone straight in and we lost our class leader that night. Vertigo was the assumption along with this being his third flight that day, fatigue was also cited as a possible cause.
Awesome stories, thank you.
My father had a similar experience, to yours, while instructing in a T-33 at Bainbridge AFB, in Georgia, in 1953. The canopy jettisoned, due to a loose screw that shorted some contacts, while at cruise altitude. It emptied the pockets in his flight suit, and sucked out everything loose in the cockpit, but his helmet and oxygen mask remained on. He and his student went on to have a normal landing.
He said that the pilot's handbook stated that in the case of an ejection, the backseat pilot should lower his head because the hydraulic piston that raised and lowered the canopy, between the two pilots, would swing back and could decapitate the instructor. The fact that he was only 5'10", with a fairly short torso, may have been what saved him.
I heard two F-4s go by once while flying service test on the Beech Skipper. Southeast of Wichita a flight of four apparently split around me and reformed ahead on their way back to McConnell.
Great stories. Really interesting. God had 4 reasons to keep you flying.
Absolutely!
Another interesting video, thanks! I was expecting one of the four times being when you told your wife, "Honey, guess what, we're being transferred to...(fill in the blank)
Thanks for sharing, Ron. My dad was a IP in the T38 so I grew up around them. Years later I was an enlisted aircrew member on Marine helicopters and did a small DET to Yuma AZ where they used the F-5 for aggressor training.
One of the IPs my dad flew with was a pilot that was on loan to Canada and folded the front strut on the F-5 that darn near took his leg off. At that time, Capt Leason. Semper Fi
Go Vance AFB! That part of Oklahoma is pretty dark at night. Although in a T38 you can be in OKC in just a few minutes.
I had an" Thought I was going to die event in the AirForce too" got my typhoid shot Friday afternoon at Sheppard AFB and didnt wake up until sunday afternoon!
Nah, it was just the Sheppard shuffle lol. I still remember the dumb stuff I did there. One year of hell, though oddly enough, I have the most photos of any base Ive been from Sheppard. And some are some spectacular pics...allegedly.
@@RipRoaringGarage
I got the shot on.my lunch break, by 2 i was feeling bad, class ended early at 3 and I went to my dorm room and layed down. My dorm mate was living off base. I fell asleep or passed out and nobody checked on me all weekend and I just woke up on sunday... I remember " eye of the tiger was playing on my clock radio..lol
@@47colton lol, yeah. Military grade, means lowest bidder.
I guess, you had a successful ejection out of that Sukoi-57. I like your newer thumbnails, Ron. The warped Algerian looks cool. Great video, per usual. You are just a wealth of great stories and information. TH-cam is the perfect platform for you to put this stuff out for posterity. "I've never seen a Roadster '38 before." Hahah. Good stuff.
I thought it was a Soviet jet. Looks more like a SU-35
@@fjp3305 I think you are right. Ok, Ron. You didn't mention surviving the ejection during your supersecret Russian exchange pilot program.
In Milt Thompson's excellent book "At the Edge of Space" he discusses spatial disorientation that the X-15 pilots experienced due to the aircraft's incredible straight-line acceleration. In the chapter that discusses the only fatal accident of the program he claims that all of the X-15 drivers experienced vertigo: "Every pilot thought he was climbing straight up or was even over on his back at engine shutdown." Flying that beast had to be addictive.
Yes, great book and it is in my library!
I am glad that you are still with us. Thanks for the video.
You bet!
Ron, Looking through my flying stuff, I found a 50 year, re-dedication of Edward's AFB (must have gotten it when I flew in there to pick up a couple of stranded Army Aviators). Will you be invited for the 75th Anniv. in October? Hammer
I met Steve Naagel when I was working at Byerly the FBO at PIA summers during college. Nice guy, he was from Canton and would fly in every so often in his T38 and would come in and talk to us ramp service guys.
Stepan Mikoyan has a funny ending to his autobiography where he was flabbergasted that he survived so long to the moment he truly thought he was going to die was in his old age jumping a railing he slipped and fell down a stairwell
Crazy stories, as always enjoy the videos!
Thanks!
incredible
Because we were inverted!
Capt. Ron, I'm very curious to know if you've ever flown a gyrocopter. I apologize if you've previously mentioned this before and I missed it.
Yes I have!
That should be classed as your 5th near death experience then Ron😂😂
I do enjoy your adventures
Thanks!
1st comment, crazy stories Ron!!!!
And this is the first Kris has heard of these? 😜
No, she has known these stories for a long time.
Roadster 38 😁