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Viper Pilot

a Memoir of Air Combat
Aug 04, 2015
A natural read for any military aviation buff! As an F-16 fan, I've long been disturbed by the notion that the most maneuverable fighter of its era--the lithe-but-powerful F-16 Viper (Falcon) was being loaded down for what was described as CAS--Close Air Support. VIPER PILOT let me understand the primary role was on the ground was the ever-dangerous Wild Weasel SAM suppression mission of luring missiles to fire at the fighter, then taking them out before they can impact other American bombers, an enterprise hardly suited to its cousin, the F-15 Eagle! And the telling of Hampton's story is full of bravado, excitement and danger! Best Post-War airborne non-fiction I've read!