America's Secret MiG Squadron: The Red Eagles of Project CONSTANT PEG (General Aviation)

This book is the story of a group of military pioneers who were intent on using their experience and knowledge to develop a new training paradigm for fighter pilots. As a Vietnam veteran and Phantom F-4 pilot, Col. Gail Peck (call-sign "EVIL") had been disappointed with the level of training offered to US fighter pilots. He was determined to ensure that US fighter pilots were unbeatable in the air particularly against their Cold War adversaries flying the already legendary MiG fighter jets. Working with the support of General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr., and under conditions of the upmost secrecy the CONSTANT PEG program was launched with Peck as the original "Red Eagle." This fascinating unknown history was first revealed in Steve Davies' acclaimed Red Eagles: America's Secret MiGs but this book is the insider's perspective complete with never-before published anecdotes and photographs, revealing how Peck battled bureaucracy and skepticism to ultimately establish the premier fighter pilot training center. Along the way Peck explores many of the central questions surrounding the project: why did the combat Air Forces of the USA find themselves in need of a major revision in their approach to air-to-air combat training? How did they secretly build an airfield to clandestinely conduct air-to-air combat training using actual MiGs as the adversary training platforms? What was it like to be a Red Eagle pilot or maintainer and what were the major challenges they faced on a daily basis? What did the USA get out of the program in terms of a return on investment? Was it worth it and where do we go now? Despite operating for a decade no single pilot ever revealed the secret nature of the training until the program was eventually declassified in 2006. Now for the first time we can read about what it felt like to build the airfields, source the MiG aircraft and finally take them to the skies above America itself all in the quest to establish the USAF as the premier fighter jet force the world over. For more than a decade at the height of the Cold War, the US Air Force operated a covert, top secret training program called CONSTANT PEG. In 2006 the program was eventually declassified and the incredible story of America's secret MiGs emerged. For the first time one of the original "Red Eagles" - Col. Gailliard Peck Jr - reveals what it was like to learn to pilot secretly obtained Soviet aircraft, enabling American pilots to train against the hardware they would have to face if the Cold War ever ran hot. America's Secret MiG Squadron is the story of a group of incredibly brave military pioneers who put their lives on the line to establish a training program that would prepare the US Air Force for a potential Cold War battle with Soviet aircraft. As a F-4 Phantom II piolot in Veitnam, Col. Gail Peck had been shocked by the technicalolgical abilities of the Soviet-built aircraft, and at the poor level of training available to US pilots to aid them in their battles with the Soviet MidGs in the skies over Veitnam. Working with the support of Gen. Hoyt S. Vendenberg, Jr and under conditions of extreme secrecy the CONSTANT PEG program was launched with Peck as the original Red Eagle. This is the fascinating history of the men who trained to fly and maintain covertly obtained MiGs, which for the first time provids an insiders persepective, personal anecdotes and photographs, revealing how Peck battled bureaucracy and skepticism to ultimately establish the premier fighter pilot training center - the real Top Gun. The personal account of the original “Red Eagle” of the establishment, equipment, and training practices of the highly classified MiG squadron of the USAF.America's Secret MiG Squadrons is the story of a group of incredibly brave military pioneers who put their lives on the line to establish a training program that would prepare the US Air Force for a potential Cold War battle with Soviet aircraft.As a F-4 Phantom II pilot in Vietnam, Col. Peck had been shocked by the technological abilities of Soviet-built aircraft, and at the poor level of training available to US pilots to aid them in their battles with Soviet MiGs in the skies over Vietnam. Working with the support of Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr., and under conditions of extreme secrecy, the CONSTANT PEG program was launched with Peck as the original Red Eagle.This is the fascinating history of the men who trained to fly and maintain covertly obtained MiGs, for the first time providing an insider's perspective, personal anecdotes, and photographs, revealing how Peck battled bureaucracy and scepticism to ultimately establish the premier fighter pilot training center – the real Top Gun. As a Vietnam veteran and Phantom F-4 pilot, Colonel Gail Peck (call-sign EVIL) had been disappointed with the level of training offered to US fighter pilots. He was determined to ensure that they were unbeatable in the air, particularly against their Cold War adversaries flying the already legendary MiG fighter jets. Working with the support of General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Jr., and under conditions of the utmost secrecy, the CONSTANT PEG program was launched with Peck as the original Red Eagle. This book is the insider's perspective, complete with never-before published anecdotes and photographs, revealing how Peck battled bureaucracy and skepticism to ultimately establish the premier fighter pilot training center På højden af den kolde krig havde US Air Force et træningsprogram som de kaldte CONSTANT PEG. De amerikanske piloters træning mod de sovjetiske fly var næsten fraværende og derfor måtte der gøres noget drastisk. I 2006 blev dette program nedklassificeret, og vi kan nu få historien om, hvordan amerikanske piloter hemmeligt blev uddannet i at møde de sovjetiske MIG fly ved realistiske øvelser mod MIG-17 og MIG-21. Endvidere giver bogen et godt indtryk af det bureaukrati, som initiativtagerne til dette træningsprogram var oppe imod. Forfatteren var selv igangsætter og havde fløjet F-4 Phantom i Vietnam Tells the story of a group of military pioneers who were intent on using their experience and knowledge to develop a new training paradigm for fighter pilots. This book offers an insider's perspective, complete with photographs, revealing how Peck battled bureaucracy and skepticism to ultimately establish the premier fighter pilot training center.