Aug 20, 2012 - During the Cold War, USAF pilots regularly flew MiG-21 combat fighters over the skies of Nevada. Retired Air Force Col. Gaillard Peck Jr., in a presentation at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, provided insight into the days of F-4 Phantoms and MiG-21 Fishbeds in mock combat.

"Peck said he felt this wasn't the best way to exploit the MiGs. The MiGs needed to be flown by American pilots in aggressive air-combat maneuvers, and other fighter pilots needed experience flying against the MiGs.

'Seeing a MiG in flight for the first time is an eye-opening experience, and every pilot should experience it,' he elaborated. 'If you could see the airplane, it was probably already too late. You needed to learn to look for glints or shimmers as an indication someone was about to jump in your chili.'"

Read the full article at http://www.jber.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123314594