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Enthusiast Joined: Aug 07, 2008 Posts: 74 Status: Offline

I was just wondering if America had an F-16 ace because I don't know whats been happening in Iraq. How big Is there air force do they dogfight?
Help me please!

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Enthusiast Joined: Apr 11, 2008 Posts: 42 Status: Offline

No. We haven't had an ace since Vietnam. The USAF had 1 during that war with 2 WSO aces. During the first Gulf War we shot down some planes but no aces. During OIF they didn't even come up to greet us. They buried some of their jets in the sand.

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 07, 2008 Posts: 74 Status: Offline

Aww man. so this means USAF won't be able to show off it's toys for a while.

Newbie Joined: Jul 28, 2007 Posts: 6 Status: Offline

No we use our "toys", we just use them for their other roles. Just because the Viper and company aren't lighting up the skies with Migs doesn't mean they aren't being effectively employed in other aspects of the fight. Quality CAS missions are the current focus. Maybe they need to come up with an ACE equivilent for dropping bombs or successful straffing runs. I know there's probably quite a few A-10 and Viper pilots who would qualify.

hobojet wrote:

Aww man. so this means USAF won't be able to show off it's toys for a while.

If you kill them on the ground, you don't have to fight them in the air.

Mike

Fighter crews make movies- bomber crews make history. Wink

Here buddy, some good reading here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ace

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 14, 2006 Posts: 505

hobojet wrote:

I was just wondering if america had an F-16 ace because I don't know whats been happening in iraq. how big Is there air force do they dogfight?
Help me please!

So far there hasn’t been an enemy arrogant or stupid enough to put up enough aircraft against US manned F-16s for the US F-16 pilots to become aces.

( my comment may be somewhat joking, and very arrogantly patriotic. But there is some truth to what I say. My jest might ruffle some feathers, but might get some applause. Mods feel free to edit or delete, if you feel this is too inflammatory)

ATFS_Crash wrote:

( my comment may be somewhat joking, and very arrogantly patriotic. But there is some truth to what I say. My jest might ruffle some feathers, but might get some applause.

Thanks for that! Cool

Enthusiast Joined: Sep 21, 2005 Posts: 87 Status: Offline

Never hurts to have a disclaimer...

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 07, 2008 Posts: 74 Status: Offline

thanks you've all been helpful

Quote:

If you kill them on the ground, you don't have to fight them in the air

This made me think... it is better to have killed them down o the ground than to fight them up in the air where theres a larger chance of the enemy on your six.

Quote:

So far there hasn’t been an enemy arrogant or stupid enough to put up enough aircraft against US manned F-16s for the US F-16 pilots to become aces

I really liked this because it's kind of true why would they want to fight such a well trained and equiped airforce like america.

Yet again thank you all.

Quote:

So far there hasn’t been an enemy arrogant or stupid enough to put up enough aircraft against US manned F-16s for the US F-16 pilots to become aces.

Well, considering Iraq did hide some of their planes under the SAND I don't think you could be too wrong.

Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2823 Status: Offline

The last US pilot ace was BGen (ret) (then Capt.) R. Steve Ritchie. The last US ace was Col. (ret) (then Capt.) Jeffrey S. Feinstein. There are IIRC, 3 Eagle Drivers and 1 Viper Driver with 3 kills. That's as close as anyone in the modern era has come to ace status. I'd prefer we maintain control of the airspace in the AOR. I'd rather have it that way than giving the MiGs a chance to give our fighter pilots more A2A kills.

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Does the US have an F-16 ace?