Snorvey wrote:scotia wrote:Snorvey wrote:Fifty years ago....
I believe the favourite trick by the Bear was to drop down to sea level where the Lightning gobbled through fuel at an enormous rate - and had to turn for home. The counter was to have a tanker accompany the Lightning, but I haven't seen any RAF photos with the accompanying tanker. Its only the dashing fighter boys that got into the pictures.
Maybe today we have dashing fighter guys and gals in the Typhoons?
I suppose they need the QRA launch practice, but it's a costly exercise, no doubt about it. I qonder why these days they can't just lock a ground based missile on to the Russkis and issue, say, 3 warnings?
Alternatively - why don't the RAF pilots issue an invitation to the Russkis to drop into Lossie, and have a few drinks in the Officer's mess?
I know that may seem a bit daft, but back in the pre-Putin days, it could have been possible. I remember at the 1991 Leuchars airshow the Russian Knights in their SU27s were a star attraction. (And I remember the multi-hour traffic jam when the airshow ended. )
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=russian+aircraft+at+leuchars+airshow&docid=607999134923294256&mid=015B5D23612836D14B49015B5D23612836D14B49&view=detail&FORM=VIRE