Patron:
Airborne pilot/backseater conversation overheard on Tracon (military) frequency earlier today, (courtesy of my sons who are air traffic controllers). Evidently a stuck mike button caused the intercom to be inadvertently broadcast.
" Patronizer, you got those two on the scope?"
"Yup, left to right, 20 miles, convergence angle looks good, we got one thou advantage height-wise.... they're "paired"..... no gymnastics yet....lock 'em in, Earlie bird".
"Locked.... and ranging....... missile gyros all spinning up ok....all IR's readin' heat......ordinance lights all green... our tail ok?"
"Yup,.... our winger is tucked in and head-swivelling"
"What you think, sidewinders or just swing in on their tails and hose 'em with the pop guns..... the teeny birds ain't cheap, you know".
"Forget the heroics..... we don't pay for that stuff..... unleash the arrows. We're inside the ten ring.... closing fast..... no screwin' around, stick twister boy"
"OK, OK, we're in,...... Locked......ordinance away, and tracking their heat..... peeling left...... keep eyes out for any of their pals n' try to spot their chutes"
"Bingo!! Man, what an aluminum overcast! Scratch one. Looked like a COF to me, but didn't get a real good look before the explosion."
"How 'bout the other?"
"Gonzo". Wings folded, tailfeathers gone."
"Type ident?"
" Big , fat,.... looked like a Provid Mark 3, but hard to be sure".
"Chutes?"
"Nope."
Any other non-"fofed" showing up on the scope?"
"Yep, a bunch of them, but we're low on Jet A and I don't enjoy swimming".
"Ok, OK, back to base. What's the freq for the ordinance boys? Let's see how quickly they can turn us around. Good stuff on the green screen, my lad".
"Yeah, yeah,...... now just get my fanny back on the ground in one piece you clown"
VBG)
Best, Earlie |
