Behind the Wings ®
The Podcast – S4, Trailer
The Behind the Wings® Podcast is back for Season 4!
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The Behind the Wings Podcast is back this February with Season 4 and 10 new episodes! Hear from Ed Dwight Jr, the first Black astronaut candidate, world record holder Michael Combs, and dive into topics like The Mental Health Pilot Parodox and the history of The Women Airfare Service Pilots (WASP).
New episodes come out every other Monday, starting February 19th. Subscribe wherever you listen, because we’ve got a lot to explore!
Key Takeaways:
- John Mann served 24 years in the US Air Force where he had the opportunity to fly many aircraft, including the F-4, F-15, MiG-21, and MiG-23.
- Mann first flew as a trainee at Constant Peg and later flew the MiGs as a trainer.
- The MiG-23 was a very fast, beefy airplane, but it didn’t turn well.
- Pilots would attend to overcome “Buck Fever”, learn how the MiGs flew, and practice dogfighting.
- The maintainers at Constant Peg were the backbone of the program, facing specific challenges sourcing parts, with no maintenance book, and often receiving aircraft that were in a compromised condition.
- John Mann’s advice: There are lots of opportunities in aviation. Go pursue your dreams!
Resources:
- Red Eagles: America’s Secret MiGs by Steve Davies
- CONSTANT PEG: Secret MiGs in the Desert > National Museum of the United States Air Force™ > Display (af.mil)
- Red Eagle Brief
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 MLD “Flogger” | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (wingsmuseum.org)
- Dark Eagles : a history of top secret U.S. aircraft programs
- AF Declassifies Elite Aggressor Program (archive.org)
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