When the Hunters Become the Hunted!

See how a Thud Pilot sent to bomb a railroad yard target in Hanoi turns the tables on MiGs sent to shoot down the F-105 strike group. Get your popcorn for a scene from our feature documentary, THUD PILOTS II will have you on the edge of your seat!
#carrierpilot #Aviation #Airplane #War #Aircraft #FighterPilot #Navy #airforce #Military #NavalAviation #USNavy #MilitaryPlanes #GForces #fighterjets #aircraftcarriers #FlyingGames #bestdocumentary bestwarmovies #warmovie #Vietnamwar #Vietnamveterans #F105 #F105thunderchief

[@stadium79]

I could listen to this man talk for hours. Still sharp as a whip. I ran across his 100th mission videos on the national archives a couple years ago (great footage of his parade and being thrown into the pool at Korat, where coincidentally my dad was stationed) and it’s amazing to see him and hear him tell this story so many years later. It’s touching to hear him voice the regret of this particular kill, and of the mutual respect that the pilots had for each other even on opposing sides. God bless him and all the other brave men that served. Thanks for the great video. Sincerely, from Indiana USA

[@Pwj579]

Great story....this is the kind of content we need, before these legendary aviators pass away.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

This is utterly priceless oral history, done very well. We love this channel! Thank you!

[@odinosiris8951]

Excellent story ! Loved this one

[@briansmith2616]

What a great story! Thank you for sharing.

[@caseyholland7860]

Excellent story, much better than most of the “documentaries “ today. The emotion in his speech had me wizzing over that jungle with him. His excitement was second only to his somber acknowledgment of and respect for the airman in the other uniform 🫡

[@oldgoat142]

Such a compelling story from a terrific storyteller. For aviation people like me, this is fabulous stuff. Thank you.

[@wdcjunk]

That is a great story and living history right there.

[@dennisfalzon8946]

I could listen to this gentleman all week! Respect, and God less you Sir!

[@GrimReaper-wz9me]

Excellent! I've heard a previous narrative by this Thud driver on a Robin Old's VHS tape called "MiG Killers". I've never heard what happened to that 105 that was trailing those two MiG-17s? Why wasn't he jinking & hauling ass? Thank you for including that story of your powerfully moving Saturday, where you learned that the exact same MiG-17 ended up being unearthed in a road construction project. That reunion in Hanoi must have been an exciting and emotional event as well. Many thanks and best wishes!

[@fernandosantos05]

Great story! Thank you very very much for sharing this amazing story.

[@chasl2216]

Great Great video

[@TomcatTales]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bryanmaloy4797]

Outstanding recollection slippery....

[@BallisticCoefficient]

Thank you. Amazing!!!

[@MonkPetite]

Every thing comes around. Thanks for sharing.

[@andrewferguson3535]

Amazing story thank you 🙏

[@hl5910]

Excellent story amazing 👍👍👍

[@MikeyRDean]

I'm not crying, you're crying!

[@stephengamber7000]

Great Story!

[@VNExperience]

Man, I would love to hear the Vietnamese pilots' recollections too. Especially as someone who's beel living here for a decade, it shouldn't be impossible finding surviving pilots of the VPAF. Maybe they would speak on camera.

[@thomasbell7033]

I'm an aviation writer and I once reviewed a book of oral histories by NVAF fighter pilots. I'm so sorry I've forgotten the title of it, but it's out there somewhere, and I doubt it was the only one. Amazon is your friend here.

[@57silverwings]

Fast movers rule.

[@anamariatiradogonzalez]

Poetic Justice?

[@kbellanger4140]

I didn't know that. I assumed you shoot to kill.

[@flycatchful]

He bore sighted the cockpit not by mistake. His choice not to be a possible victim of this pilot.

[@growserpilot5332]

Who is the pilot?

[@TomcatTales]

@@growserpilot5332 David Waldrop…great guy! I told him he should write a book after I filmed him.

[@mikemccutcheon8372]

Russian and Chinese flew fighters in nam

[@larrycoonrod5563]

All these videos make it seem like the U.S. pilots were vastly better than the North Vietnam pilots. The truth is the kill ratio was about the same on both sides and NV were flying inferior aircraft.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Oracle brother, says who? And what of other factors? F-105’s coming in daily on identical fully anticipated vectors, and the NV enjoying homeland advantage, with land radar advantage. NV naming bird dog aircraft and helicopters in their stats. Our pilots were hampered by politics. You say “the truth is. . .” Whose truth? Your schtick is simplistic, friend and brother.

[@larrycoonrod5563]

@@Glen.Danielsen the stats are readily available and I’m speaking strictly of air to air engagements. The numbers vary, according to which side you ask, but even the most optimistic U.S. estimate gives American aircraft only a 2-1 kill ratio, which all things considered is not great. MIG-21 vs F4 phantom was about even.Only 17 of the 400 F-105s lost were shot down by NV aircraft. And if the F-105s continuously used the same ingress route, well that’s just poor tactics. And more than likely Russian pilots were flying some of those MiGs. The point of the post once that these videos almost highlight American victories. We lost almost 2300 fixed wing aircraft in combat during the war. Obviously there are stories from the other side that should be told as well

[@Glen.Danielsen]

@@larrycoonrod5563 I don’t buy your statements, stats. But enough.

[@rl64rl]

@@Glen.DanielsenThe NVA claimed “bird dog and helicopters” in air-to-air kills? I recall reading that a Jolly Green or 2 may have been lost to MiGs, but never an O-2 (how often would an O-2 go north of the DMZ?)? Am I misreading you? Can you offer a reference, please? Thanks

[@bks252]

The facts are, the F-4’s had no guns and that generation of heat seeking missiles were very unreliable. Those are facts. The kill ratios went up as our pilots took matters into their own hands. Politics played a paramount role in air to air tactics. Our pilots were hamstruck with rules of engagement when the enemy aircraft had to be positively identified even though we could pick them up immediately after takeoff. They also were not flying inferior aircraft. The MiGs could out turn the F-4’s and had an advantage over the F-4’s in several flight regimes.

[@ElsinoreRacer]

Well, he was supporting conquering another country, you were helping them defend themselves. Not the same thing.