|
In the Talons of Eagles by Stan Stokes.
The McDonnel Douglas F-15 Eagle has been the USAFs primary air superiority fighter for more than two decades. McDonnell Douglas won the competition to develop this aircraft in 1969 over competing proposals from North American Rockwell and Fairchild Hiller. The Eagle was designed to counter the threat of new Soviet fighters like the Mig-25. The first development versions of the Eagle flew in 1972. Designed as a single pilot, twin-turbofan, all weather fighter, the Eagle had far superior acceleration and maneuverability compared to the aircraft it would replace. The F-15A was capable of speeds in excess of 1600-MPH and had an operational ceiling of nearly 70,000 feet. Although the attack role was a secondary design consideration, the Eagle can carry an impressive bomb load of more than eight tons (externally mounted.) The F-15 is a large, very sophisticated aircraft, whereas the General Dynamics F-16, a much simpler, smaller, and less complicated design, was planned to compliment the F-15. On the morning of January 17, 1991 a USAF strike force comprised of F-16s, F-15s, F-4G Wild Weasels, and EF-111s left its airbase at Tabuk and headed for their target area the Al Taqaddum Airfield. Leading a group of eight F-15 Eagles on this mission was USMC Capt. Charles Magill, who was on exchange with the Air Force. On their way to the target area the F-15s from the 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing received information from an E-3 AWACS aircraft than a pair of Iraqi Mig-29s were just south of the intended target area. When the Migs turned and became a threat to the task force, Captain Magill split his flight into two four aircraft formations. As he took his flight towards the Migs, the other four F-15s continued to sweep the area for other bogies. As the two Migs turned back into them at a low altitude, Magill fired two AIM-7M Sparrows from a higher altitude at his target. Magill bagged one of the Migs while the second was downed by Captain Rhory Dreger. As a result of their successes during Operation Desert Storm the 58th TFS received the 1990 Hughes Achievement award as the Air Forces most outstanding air-to-air combat squadron. In the hands of some of Americas best pilots, the F-15 Eagle has proven its capabilities against the finest. |
|
