Australia helped defeat the North Vietnamese Air Force.
How do you wonder?…..
Back in the Vietnam War, the RAAF’s 79 Sqn flying CAC Sabre Mk 32 jets was based in Thailand at Ubon Air Base flying CAP for the base/area and would at times intercept returning USAF F-4 Phantoms and F-105 Thunderchiefs to give them training in the missing art of dissimilar air combat.
They would intercept and using their guns and AIM-9B Sidewinders to practice their skills of CAP and air to air dog fighting.
The training was done to give the USAF aircrews a better way to take on the North Vietnamese MIG -17 fighter.
The MIG-17 was similar to the CAC Sabre jet Mk 32 in size, performance and abilities.
Here we see a short film clip about a USAF F-4 crewman discussing how the Aussies helped save them over North Vietnam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3LEB3kX-g0
Another small , generally unnoticed but obviously vital bit of work undertaken by the Aussies in the long war.
Phil
By: spiteful21k - 7th October 2011 at 09:43
My Father was an Armourer with 79Sqn in Ubon during this period and has told me a few stories about these events. He said that the Americans were very very poor at the beginning until they learnt (as the video said) to not ACM in the MiG-17’s realm but to Zoom and boom instead. Funnily enough a lesson lost from the P-40 / A6M era IMHO.
By: Arabella-Cox - 7th October 2011 at 09:33
It will be in the book!!!
Due out 1st December- with thanks to the help of members of this forum SF
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October 7, 2011 at 9:15 am