Fang - The Most Unexpected Killer of the Vietnam War

[@richardgoebel226]

THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO! I was stationed at Udorn Royal Thai Airforce base In October 1972 right after Captain Feinstein became an ace. At 19 years old I saw all 3 three aces as heroes. It was the high point in my time in service to actually work on the aircraft they flew. And to ultimately work on the APX-76 IFF and APX-81 EIFF transponder interrogators that helped find the bogeys when hidden from the aircraft radar.

[@JSFGuy]

Did you continue working aircraft after the service?

[@richardgoebel226]

@@JSFGuyNo. I did not get my license to do so. I got into other electronic jobs.

[@JSFGuy]

@@richardgoebel226 very good, I did APG work with f-16 and went on to corporate delivery and then Lockheed because no A&P required so.. your name looked a little familiar so I thought I would ask. Have a good one.

[@MetaLungs420]

Thank you for your service sir

[@charlesdavis7940]

What a great guy. Thank you Mr. Feinstein.

[@johnshields6852]

1970 I was 10 and my uncle Jack who piloted the F4 phantom in Vietnam was on leave for Christmas, I was in awe, I wanted to ask questions but he didn't speak about it, so I kept my mouth shut. God bless the United States of America🇺🇸

[@festus512]

Having served in VN as an aircrew on C-130 I am always amazed at how officers always receive so many medals

[@carlparlatore294]

I was "summer help" when my sq. (308TFS) deployed from Homestead AFB, FL to Undorn Royal Thi AB in 1972. I was there when Steve Richie and the rest of the gang was spreading Mig parts all over North Viet Nam. I can tell you from personal experience they were true heroes of the war.

[@Ron-d2s]

Star Trek: TNG "The Royale", Col. Stephen Richey, is a NASA astronaut found by the crew as ashes... now I know where they got the name.

[@fontcaicoya5686]

That's amazing. Thank you for your service. I live a couple miles from Homestead AFB, watched a C-5 Galaxy take off while I was at the range the other day.

[@tomclancy8281]

I knew Major Feinstein in 1978 at Homestead AFB, Florida. I was an Army Lieutenant with the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade stationed at Homestead AFB. At the Officers' Club, my wife would drink with the fighter pilots and I would drink with the nurses from the base hospital. He never bragged about his accomplishments as the only back-seater ace of Viet-Nam.

[@MrSimonw58]

Neil Armstrong was my drinking buddy for years

[@dukecraig2402]

What was your MOS? I was a 16R, Vulcan.

[@tomclancy8281]

@@dukecraig2402 I was a 67B Medical Service Corps Officer.

[@dwaynefisher4333]

Thank you for your service! I was a PJ/ Pararescueman at the 301st ARRS in Homestead from 85 til 94 . Sadly, when Hurricane Andrew hit Homestead in 92 . We moved our unit up to Patrick AFB. I enjoyed my time at HAFB.

[@luddite4change449]

There were three back seater aces of the war. Colonel Charles Barbin DeBellevue with 6, and CDR Will Driscoll. Feinstein was granted a vision waiver to become a pilot after the war, also Colonel DeBellevue was ordered to attend pilot training as well or accept a discharge.

[@sgtsempersquid531]

Just think how many more aces there might have been if the F4 had a freaking gun!

[@TheGravitywerks]

Or even reliable missiles....

[@RicktheCrofter]

Or if the Air Force had been allowed to attack enemy aircraft on the ground, attack other ground based air assets, or attack anti-aircraft weapons. For many years they were only allowed to attack airborne enemy aircraft within visual range. Thus playing into the strengths of the MiGs.

[@fredberger2451]

True

[@JamesDalpe]

Friendly reminder that the navy F4 never had a gun and still had the same kill rate as the airforce f4 with its gun

[@Ron-d2s]

The real problem is for quite some time the nations with a lot of planes don't get into it directly with others that have a lot of planes. 2000+ US pilots vs 50 enemy planes...... do the math. And it's not like it was EASY in WWI or II, most of the time it was more down to luck.

[@srcottonmouth7824]

Love these videos keep up the good work y,all ❤👍👍👍

[@Furball2k]

You always have the best videos

[@mikesierra71]

The Aim-7 is not heat seaking but radar guided (3:11)

[@joeblow5037]

and I used to work on Marine Phantoms with the Westinghouse AWG-10 radar. (MOS-6657) Pretty sure we couldn't fire THREE Sparrows at a time....haha Aim-9's....I guess

[@90whatever]

You don’t win the Air Force cross you are awarded it

[@chuckhoward3626]

The guy only made Lt Col, tough crowd...

[@longtabsigo]

Proof positive that the USAF is, in fact, a pilot’s mafia.

[@BilgePump]

@chuck: See my comment above. Shame on the Air Force.

[@phmwu7368]

More flying time though !

[@nelsonzambrano5788]

A great pilot and there must ve been ALOT of jealousy and envy..only retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

[@donmulder8061]

I wanted to be a back seater hoping to get a waiver into UNT. But my astigmatism was too bad and they didn't need pilots and navigators in the early 80s so I went in the Army and flew tanks instead. I had the great honor to have met Steve Ritchie, Randy Duke Cunningham and Chuck DeBellevue along the way. Ritchie was a hard guy to talk to. Very self assured if not egotistical. But being a fighter ace can do that to a man I suppose. Duke Cunningham had his scrape with politics later in life but I found him to be a fantastic human being to talk to. DeBellevue I don't remember very well but he was my role model growing up as I wanted to be a F4 WSO so bad as a kid.

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

didn't know the air force even allowed someone that near sighted to have such a position in fighter aircraft but think it's cool that they did⚛😀

[@paktahn]

they didnt along the way restrictions have gotten a lot less strict to the point now that if your eye sight is correctable be it through surgery or with glasses/contact lenses you can be a pilot it makes sense as way back pilots relied almost totally on eye sight to pick out and identify potential targets but with radar and iff the need is almost non existent now in fact most fights the planes dont even see each other due to the range of air to air missiles i predict that eventually the military will switch to unmanned fighters and the height restrictions will be removed possibly along with others as sitting in a virtual cockpit piloting with a vr headset or something similar wont require all the physical requirements that are needed when in an actual plane dog fighting this will make recruiting and retaining pilots easier

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​​@@paktahnisraeli ace of aces giora epstien put his success done to above clinical perfect eyesight its important nowdays if visual is required before engagement

[@paktahn]

@@Eric-kn4yn visual before engagement isnt really a thing in air to air combat in current times due to the range of missiles potential hostile targets almost always have beyond visual range weapons once a hostile target locks on to you and takes a threatening posture you get cleared to engage long before being in visual range as far as giora epstien all of his kills were in the early 70s back when radar still wasnt the best and neither was iff and he was facing less than equal opposition if you look at what current radar and rwr can do you will se that the combination can narrow down aircraft to a specific model from miles away couple that with iff and the need for visual isnt really needed in combat the days of actually getting close enough for gun kills are long gone if you get that close either you or your opponent has made many errors because the closer you get the harder it gets to survive due to current missile technology

[@Eric-kn4yn]

​​​@@paktahncheers from australia 21C radar and stealth ?

[@paktahn]

@@Eric-kn4yn i dont think you understand how stealth works you seem to have the same misconception that the majority of people have just because your aircraft has some level of stealth does not mean that it cant be seen on radar it may be that it will be picked up and then dropped intermittently and probably wont be able to be locked by the radar rendering radar guided munitions useless but there is a technology that already exists that can get around stealth and that is irst and is passive meaning that if you get a radar hit you can use a combination of irst and what ever electromagnetic signals the potential target is emitting to track and identify it and practically al ir missiles used now are all aspect so once in range you can lock and fire i dont know what you mean by 21c radar do you mean 21 century radar if so it does not matter all radar is active and can be used to identify a target by the actual signal it sends out its the main reason the f22 raptor s hunt in packs the ones in the lead keep their radar off to be less visible and are fed data by those in the rear or by awacs the idea of needing to visually identify a target before engaging will realistically only ever be used in airspace that is already under control to eliminate friendly fire in hostile uncontrolled airspace no one in their right mind would require it

[@davidmorais480]

I flew them for 20 years and they did have a gun. C and D models had guns externally mounted under the belly while E models had them built in. In the early years however they didn’t.

[@theduck1972]

The gun pod wasn't exactly conducive for air to air was it? Seems kinda like going in with a belly tank that is full all of the time.. Though it could be done. I worked on the SUU-23 (as well as F-4E and F-105G guns before going gunner on Buffs). The Pod was an engineering marvel, but not much fun to work on; loading it on a phantom involved doing it all doing a duckwalk with no pneumatic tool to turn the gun... 1,000 rds. all by hand crank. When it jammed, the feed system between the gun and storage drum was usually trashed.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Nice introduction...F -4 phantom detective and radar were more ranges than Mig 17,Mig 19

[@Fyrpylit]

My cousin flew F4 Wild Weasels Hes a professor of aeronautical engineering at Auburn. Well retired. Hes old Like me

[@chrisenglish4380]

Thank you for reviewing the Vietnam conflict. So much lost to history on Y. T.

[@mrhassell]

Fangtastic work Captain!

[@Fyrpylit]

Fangs out has forever been a call to battle. Right on brother

[@nickmcgrath2553]

When I saw the icon for this video and read the title, I had to reboot my brain, because I thought that was Weird Fruit Explorer!

[@lightningdriver81]

I fought there with the Marines, 1967. A waste of everything, eg all that dogfighting but we never obliterated North Vietnamese airfields. Does that make sense to you. It never did to me.

[@markg4459]

Decisions in the war to attack or not attack certain enemy targets were made by politicians. The warriors knew what they were doing...the politicians did not. Still don't.

[@678rwhp]

That's the story of every military conflict the US has engaged in since WWII. None have any good reasons, good operations, or good outcomes. It's almost like they aren't trying to win and are just padding their government contractor buddies pockets.

[@theduck1972]

Thanks to rules of engagement and sharing location with an International Airport. In fact, the French were still flying commercial flights in and out, therefore the positive ID requirement, no BVR (Beyond Visual Range) shots... It wasn't till later someone with the gut to tell people if they fly into a war zone knowingly, we aren't responsible for what happens and we started hitting the airfields. Same with the port, when silly ass games were stopped as far as off-limits areas for bombing, the North's stockpile of SA-2 SAMs got burned to the ground in one night.

[@mattclark6246]

This guy narrator knows his censored history But Also gotta share your history with other YT creators as well such as simple history and JT3 history as well Just another food for thought Plus maybe give us viewers a behind scenes of you 🕊️ Of peace

[@philandersen7841]

5.25 million sorties United States Air Force. All told, the U.S. Air Force flew 5.25 million sorties over South Vietnam, North Vietnam, northern and southern Laos, and Cambodia, losing 2,251 aircraft: 1,737 to hostile action, and 514 in accidents. 2,197 of the losses were fixed-wing, and the remainder rotary-wing. Thats a lot of missions flown. Those numbers to me are just crazy.

[@noelwest6130]

USN allowed B/N in A6 Intruder to fly with contact lenses. This was the 1970's.

[@michaelchristensen5421]

Glasses were allowed when I was A-6's in the early 90's. 20/100 correctable to 20/20 as a BN/NFO.

[@scottwhitmire6577]

Next time some country challenges us... Every Victory would receive talley, our fliers haveGo Pros. 🇺🇸 USA-USA-USA🇺🇸

[@dawightg9787]

The Fact is that the LBJ administration made phantom pilots Gunfight with missiles that failed 90% of the time and pilots not properly trained to Dogfight because of the BVR only Doctrine that was Forced into the system. However Frank Ault and the Ault report showed the poor ratio of 2:1 was due to poor missiles and poor training with this Beyond visual range only Doctrine that was changed during combat and than forced pilots to visually ID each encounter.,However Dan Pedersen the founder of Top Gun armed with the Ault Report and the other Top Gun pilots took the ratio from 2:1 to 24:1 with the phantoms by the end of Vietnam. This fact is rarely reported..

[@daviswall3319]

Badass!!

[@hlg2491]

The Generals were so sure that a “gun “ wasn’t needed in Vietnam that it was almost laughable. However the number of pilots lost because of faulty missiles made them rethink the need for a gun.

[@williamhudson4938]

And how many F-4Es, which had a gun, did you work on that had bullet holes from Viet Nam IN their structure in the late 70s/early 80s? Several close-ups in this video showed the 35thTFW patch on the inlet. I was assigned to that Wing in 1978 at George AFB and had F-4s from the 1969 era. We prepped a F-4 for a trip to McClellan AFB for paint and we found several bullet holes filled with Bondo! that had been hidden for years. Many of the pilots, as well as older groudcrew I served with had seen combat in Vietnam. They didn't elaborate about the day to day and would talk about the funny or humorous stuff that happened. But, to a man, they were dedicated to serving our country in the capacity they had chosen.

[@dennisvandermarkt8263]

Never knew about him. Thanks

[@Svensk7119]

Air Force cross. I have never heard of that before. Granted, I wore a different suit....

[@WilliamHolden-t5g]

The F-4E's included an M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon mounted internally under the nose, 640 rounds. Some models before that in Vietnam were outfitted with a 20mm gun pod under the fuselage. I counted five 20mm gun kills by F-4s, four with F-4E's and one F-4D, but there might have been more

[@MomentsInTrading]

That Thumbnail looks like civil war historian Garry Adleman

[@danduffy7974]

GO Air Force!!!!!

[@nathanscott1315]

I dont know if you've covered Robin Olds but that would make for a good video for you to do. He was quite a guy.❤

[@richardmeo2503]

In the Spring 72 while peace talks went on, N Vietnam launched a massive armored invasion into S Vietnam! Nixon was furious, and ordered massive retaliation. US strategic bombing went into the North, while our tactical strikes attacked the many NVA tank formations. Within weeks the NVA gave up and retreated while the Strategic attacks continued. That included Mining Haiphong Harbor. NVA supplies from Russia by sea were stopped, and the NVA returned to the peace table.

[@LOGISTICS1987]

I wonder what would happen if the operations had continued at the same pace

[@richardmeo2503]

@@LOGISTICS1987 That was what the JCS had yelled at LBJ for 4 years to do. He refused, and then to help Humphrey in 68 election LBJ stopped the bombings! It restarted in spring 72 by Nixon to fight the NVA invasion. When talks resumed our flights stopped. In Dec 72 North again walked out, Nixon hit them again for 13 days. Treaty was signed 2 weeks later.

[@ronaryel6445]

Aces were recognized beginning in World War I, not World War II. By World War II, the ace was a well-established status. Also, the AIM-7 Sparrow is not a heat-seeking missile. It is a semi-active radar guided missile.

[@oveidasinclair982]

Feinstein only retiring as a Lt Colonel doesn't sound right, being an fighter Ace and receiving all those heavy weight medals/awards, you would think he would have retired as a full bird Colonel.

[@silverhammer7779]

If he had been a pilot, he would have retired as full bird or a one-star. Gotta preserve the hierarchy, dontcha know...

[@markg4459]

Doesn't always translate that way. I'm retired AF. Once lived next door to retired ace from Korea. Retired Lt Col. Never interested in command or staff duty for the next promotion.

[@silverhammer7779]

@@markg4459Could be. He seems to have spent his remaining time in service as an instructor, which would have insulated him from the politics of staff or command duty that are so important for advancement at the higher levels (IOW, ass-kissing). Still, the USAF was damn fortunate to have someone like him regardless of rank.

[@DesMen-i9z]

Same happened to Maverick too. RADM Cain: Maverick. Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations. Only man to shoot down three enemy planes in the last 40 years. 'Distinguished.' 'Distinguished.' 'Distinguished.' Yet you can't get a promotion, you won't retire, and despite your best efforts, you refuse to die. You should be at least a two-star admiral by now, if not a senator. Yet here you are: Captain. Why is that? Maverick: It's one of life's mysteries, sir.

[@wcate8301]

If you're the type of warrior that's a standout in combat, your skillset is likely not adapted to the staff and administrative work that gets you promoted in the peacetime service. A REMF - NOT!

[@dmac7128]

The F-4 was not built to be a dog fighter and the performance of its AIM-7 missiles left more to be desired. Yet they were able to become aces. And one would think they helped to create the cirriculum. for Fighter Weapons School of the Navy and the Airforce's respective program.

[@rogerramjet7567]

F4 was a great plane. Missiles were junk. Great plane ,great pilots. Piss poor armament.

[@gsaunds100]

Cunningham and Driscoll - USN - got their 5 BEFORE Ritchie and the others.

[@joeshaboo9112]

@12:04 what kind of plane is that with forward swept wings?

[@Carlos27thFS]

It's a mig 17. That jet was inverted and pulling down and it tail was shot off. It looks as if its going one way to make it look like it's wings were forward swept.

[@Tillersweep]

Does anybody, except Jeff, know the amazing significance of the callsign Fang? Hint, I was there when he got it in Kunsan South Korea while in the 80tfs.

[@johnmaus4408]

Its unfortunate that this man retired as a Lt Col after those awards and his time in service.

[@daviddesmond2143]

Thanks all who served but the USA should never have bothered to go to war in Vietnam. It was not winnable. Our leaders need to be more careful about deciding to go into war and evaluate what life would be like if the war was won or lost. Again respect for all who fought in Vietnam and for their families.

[@Ron-d2s]

My CAT has 4 confirmed mice...... Spring is coming and I'm dreading *WHAT* he's going to be bringing into the cat flap. He'll make ACE when I step on *SOMETHING* very early in the morning....... and I don't wear slippers.

[@rachels209]

Congratulations. But you should also know that one of my cats is beyond ‘ace’ status and is now worryingly headed towards mass genocidal levels. She overstepped the boundaries when depositing one of her trophies on top of my daughters bible. Frogs, lizards, mice, birds are shared as gifts. Flies, crickets and beetles are just tasty treats.

[@Ron-d2s]

@@rachels209 Mr Tiddles the light house keepers cat on Steven's Island is the only case of one single individual removing an entire spices from the planet, the Steven's Island Wren.

[@bothanjedirogue]

The Daily Wire series ‘What we saw’ did an amazing documentary on this shift. Watch it crazy good

[@morganlove3576]

GIB GUY IN THE BACKSEAT

[@paul9745pdb]

The US was so haughty during the early stages of this war. Unfortunately, so many great airmen had to pay for that haughtiness.

[@jonsingle1614]

F105 had a gun....

[@galesams4205]

The Navy F-4 Phamtom did my unit bombing runs alone with b-52 whitch droper 750 and 2000lb bombs near pleiku and the hoe trail, Head quarters would tell us to button the hatch m-48 tanks if dropping closer than 200 meters. 4th inf div. 1969.

[@thomassmartin9728]

I'm reading so many of these comments, where people's spelling just sucks ! Completely unreadable or understandable. I have a word for all of you . . . PROOFREAD !

[@nigelwatkins558]

Was not Col. Olds also a Viet Nam fighter ace ?

[@shawntailor5485]

Migs can really got the tail between legs maneuver down pat .

[@bubbajeph]

It is a bandit. Enemy aircraft. An unidentified aircraft is a bogie.

[@americanmonster8342]

Never heard a control stick called the joystick in an aircraft before holy crap that's good stuff ❤😂👍

[@oscargrouch7962]

"Joystick" is a British term.

[@americanmonster8342]

@oscargrouch7962 no way? Like as in official British aviation terminology?

[@americanmonster8342]

@oscargrouch7962 center stick, control stick, or just stick I've heard but if in the cockpit the joystick would be the responsibility of the best looking flight attendant. 🕹

[@oscargrouch7962]

@@americanmonster8342 Way!

[@oscargrouch7962]

@@americanmonster8342 The Brits called the control sticks of their Spitfires the "joysticks" during WW2. That is where the term "joystick" of video games came.

[@auro1986]

how many f4 did he pilot?

[@bobl6329]

He was the weapons systems operator, not the pilot.

[@mfreed40k]

AIM 7s are NOT heat seekers

[@kenhnsy]

Need a show on why only 5 aces in the entire Vietnam war.

[@jhorn100]

You know pilots don't grasp joysticks like you said in the intro

[@Thornus_______]

The Navy thinking they didn't need a gun that missiles were the future how wrong they were

[@adammckenzie6074]

And people say u only fire 2 missiles in ace combat. This guy clearly believes it

[@Mrgunsngear]

🇺🇸

[@PapiBienzobas]

Pese a los acuerdos de París de 1973 firmados a causa de la operación Linebacker II, el conflicto continuó hasta la primavera de 1975. Una presión, por lo tanto, que fue innecesario y no supuso éxito algo para Estados Unidos. Fue la conquista de Saigón el 30 de abril de 1975 por parte del Vietcong, la guerrilla comunista del Vietnam del Norte, lo que se puso fin a este prolongado conflicto de tres décadas que costó millones de muertos, muchos de ellos civiles, y causó gigantescos daños en el país asiático. Murieron 58.000 soldados norteamericanos, la mayoría de reemplazo, pues entonces existía el servicio militar, mientras que 300.000 resultaron heridos. Cayeron cuatro millones de toneladas de bombas y 75 millones de litros de un herbicida, el agente naranja , que causó todo tipo de enfermedades y deformaciones. Las secuelas siguen afectando a miles de niños.

[@RUcookoo]

Damn and we still lost !

[@joequackenbush4125]

We didn't lose...We left.

[@RUcookoo]

@@joequackenbush4125 smart move

[@RUcookoo]

and they came and invaded us rite ?

[@williamedwards8493]

Just realized I wasn’t subscribed lol

[@shawn1432]

The only Achilles of the Phantom…..If it only had a gun

[@MartinVSmith6334]

They also had a 2 mile long black vapor trail.

[@kenreckless2757]

Even once they got a gun, it was rarely used. What they needed was not a gun - it was more capable missiles. They got both!

[@frankquevedo3453]

Not having a gun is a perfect reason to NEVER allow a calloused ass politicians choose Fighter (F-4) designs.

[@timothyroche6445]

or missiles that actually worked !

[@warped-sliderule]

WSO is "Wiz-oh"

[@Lightning613]

and, they’re also a penguin: they have wings, but they can’t fly. Pretty sure their pilots did the flying. ? ? ?

[@silverwings1843]

Looks mean nothing in Combat!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing !!!!

[@chrishall426]

🙏🇺🇸🙏

[@mikeking7470]

Lots of allied air forces footage.

[@bitrage.]

On one hand depressing but on the other hand nice because no wars???? 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ wait..... nvm

[@briancooper2112]

Joysitck? Wtf?

[@pearly872]

LOL @aces, some war. We lost victory but had plenty of "aces".

[@BilgePump]

With these accomplishments how in the hell was he not a Full Bird/General. oh i think i know…same way that Jewish hero from the Korean war last name kept him from receiving his Congressional Medal Honor for 47 years. Shame on the U.S. Air Force. We’re supposed to be better than that.

[@kashaw33]

I don't trust 3 week old documentary yet lol

[@mannyg9059]

North Vietnamese pilots were not very experienced and were only fighting in a defensive role. The American counter parts were traditionally highly skilled in air war and were the aggressors. It was a totally different mindset. How many North Vietnamese bomber aircraft were destroyed by the South Vietnamese ground forces using missiles or AAA batteries around Saigon? lol . The American pilots were brave and skilled no doubt about that, but the comparison on the quality of the pilots is like comparing apples to oranges. Poorly trained farmers on modern Soviet aircraft were like tits on a board.

[@davemact301]

Very poor mix of German WW2, Vietnam war, and Korean war era aircraft. You must be really reaching!

[@mandzhin]

Россия неподима

[@michaeladams9641]

Not really

[@lenkop487]

BS