F-14 Pilot.

[Tikka]

Hi.
Listened to some of this podcast last night. Thought it may interest some given the popularity of Astro's thread.

Interview with Alan "Shoes" Mullen - TOMCAT Pilot and TOPGUN Instructor Pilot | Mondays with Mover - YouTube

 

[wpod]

That is a long video . I will view it is 2 intervals.

 

[Astro14]

Don’t know him, personally, but even when I got to VF-84, in 1989, the whole ”Final Countdown“ movie shoot was squadron lore.

Stories (likely embellished) were still being told in the ready room. The Squadron still had some cool pictures from the production company.

And, of course, whenever we took one of our jets, emblazoned with the “Bones”, anywhere, we were rock stars!

I look forward to hearing what he has to say, because what I knew/heard was third hand at best.

 

[Tikka]

Hi
Yes i think it is a couple of hours or so.

TV is mostly garbage over here so i enjoy listening to an interesting podcast.

 

[Tikka]

Don’t know him, personally, but even when I got to VF-84, in 1989, the whole ”Final Countdown“ movie shoot was squadron lore.

Stories (likely embellished) were still being told in the ready room. The Squadron still had some cool pictures from the production company.

And, of course, whenever we took one of our jets, emblazoned with the “Bones”, anywhere, we were rock stars!

I look forward to hearing what he has to say, because what I knew/heard was third hand at best.

Hi Astro 14
I appreciate you coming to the thread. I never take it for granted.

I learned a lot from him talking about that film. Like his wife in the B25 camera plane, how cool is that?

The added sound of a real cat added to the sound of the F-14 footage when he 'stalls'.

Him touching the boot of the B25 tail gunner with the F-14 refuel probe.

The 'bones' emblem is a very neat.

Great stuff.

 

[Astro14]

I had heard, perhaps in error, perhaps truthfully, that the sound added when the F-14 got near the water was the scream of one of the wives during the footage screening...

They got pretty close to the water. 100 feet is the number I had always heard. Not quite the wavetops that it appeared to be through a telephoto lens, but darn close.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I can just imaging what the fisherman thought when an F-14 going over Mach 1 at 50 ft off the water blows by him (time 1:47:00) ...

I was a bit surprised that he tore up the landing gear when he was taking off from an airport. Seems like a bit unaware of his surroundings in that situation. Too much "brain memory" ingrained from carrier take-offs for 5~6 months I guess.

 

[Tikka]

I can just imaging what the fisherman thought when an F-14 going over Mach 1 at 50 ft off the water blows by him (time 1:47:00) ...

I was a bit surprised that he tore up the landing gear when he was taking off from an airport. Seems like a bit unaware of his surroundings in that situation. Too much "brain memory" ingrained from carrier take-offs for 5~6 months I guess.

Hi.
Yes, i bet that fisherman needed a change of underwear when a F-14 passes over his head at 50ft and Mach 1.25.

 

[Tikka]

I had heard, perhaps in error, perhaps truthfully, that the sound added when the F-14 got near the water was the scream of one of the wives during the footage screening...

They got pretty close to the water. 100 feet is the number I had always heard. Not quite the wavetops that it appeared to be through a telephoto lens, but darn close.

Hi Astro 14.

He claims a cat but obviously i have no idea. He was the Pilot of the Tomcat that did the gun 'kill' on the 'Zero'.

When he is doing the Mach 1+ run over the ocean at 50ft he talks of a 'Dragon Tail'. Can you tell me what that is please?

I enjoyed the story of when he intercepts the RAF Vulcan. The Vulcan apparently did some low passes of the Nimitz. I looked for some cool photos of this but could not find any.

Interesting to hear just how capable of an aircraft the little F5 is in the hands of a good pilot.

 

[ZeeOSix]

He was probably describing the water behind the jet rising/reacting to the shock wave from being so low at Mach 1+.

 

[Tikka]

Hi ZeeOSix.
Thanks for posting that Vid. Perfect example of what the poor guy in the boat would have experienced. I hope the water disturbance did not tip the guy out.

Would love to know where in the cockpit of an F14 you can stash a west highland terrier.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Would love to know where in the cockpit of an F14 you can stash a west highland terrier.

Dog seat in the rear cockpit.

 

[Tikka]

Dog seat in the rear cockpit.

Hi.
With his head stuck out of the cockpit .