From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot
This behind-the-scenes account of a USAF career is “an absorbing read, written with the classic humor fighter pilots seem to have” (Flight Line Book Review). 

From Baron von Richthofen to Robin Olds, the mystique of the fighter pilot endures. The skill, cunning, and bravery that characterizes this distinctive band of brothers is well known, but there are other dimensions to those who take to the skies to do battle that have not been given the emphasis they deserve—until now.

You don’t have to be an aviation aficionado to enjoy Colonel Steve Ladd’s fascinating personal tale, woven around his twenty-eight-year career as a fighter pilot. This extremely engaging account follows a young man from basic pilot training to senior command through narratives that define a unique ethos. From the United States to Southeast Asia, Europe to the Middle East, the amusing and tongue-in-cheek to the deadly serious and poignant, this is the lifelong journey of a fighter pilot.

The anecdotes are absorbing, providing an insight into life as an Air Force pilot, but, in this book, as Colonel Ladd stresses, the focus is not on fireworks or stirring tales of derring-do. Instead, this is an articulate and absorbing account of what life is really like among a rare breed of arrogant, cocky, boisterous, and fun-loving young men who readily transform into steely professionals at the controls of a fighter aircraft.

“This book will appeal to a variety of readers with its Vietnam War combat stories and accounts of flying the Warthog in Cold War Europe. Fun, flying, international experiences—you won’t want to put it down.” —Aviation News
1136615085
From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot
This behind-the-scenes account of a USAF career is “an absorbing read, written with the classic humor fighter pilots seem to have” (Flight Line Book Review). 

From Baron von Richthofen to Robin Olds, the mystique of the fighter pilot endures. The skill, cunning, and bravery that characterizes this distinctive band of brothers is well known, but there are other dimensions to those who take to the skies to do battle that have not been given the emphasis they deserve—until now.

You don’t have to be an aviation aficionado to enjoy Colonel Steve Ladd’s fascinating personal tale, woven around his twenty-eight-year career as a fighter pilot. This extremely engaging account follows a young man from basic pilot training to senior command through narratives that define a unique ethos. From the United States to Southeast Asia, Europe to the Middle East, the amusing and tongue-in-cheek to the deadly serious and poignant, this is the lifelong journey of a fighter pilot.

The anecdotes are absorbing, providing an insight into life as an Air Force pilot, but, in this book, as Colonel Ladd stresses, the focus is not on fireworks or stirring tales of derring-do. Instead, this is an articulate and absorbing account of what life is really like among a rare breed of arrogant, cocky, boisterous, and fun-loving young men who readily transform into steely professionals at the controls of a fighter aircraft.

“This book will appeal to a variety of readers with its Vietnam War combat stories and accounts of flying the Warthog in Cold War Europe. Fun, flying, international experiences—you won’t want to put it down.” —Aviation News
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From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot

From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot

From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot

From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog: Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot

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Overview

This behind-the-scenes account of a USAF career is “an absorbing read, written with the classic humor fighter pilots seem to have” (Flight Line Book Review). 

From Baron von Richthofen to Robin Olds, the mystique of the fighter pilot endures. The skill, cunning, and bravery that characterizes this distinctive band of brothers is well known, but there are other dimensions to those who take to the skies to do battle that have not been given the emphasis they deserve—until now.

You don’t have to be an aviation aficionado to enjoy Colonel Steve Ladd’s fascinating personal tale, woven around his twenty-eight-year career as a fighter pilot. This extremely engaging account follows a young man from basic pilot training to senior command through narratives that define a unique ethos. From the United States to Southeast Asia, Europe to the Middle East, the amusing and tongue-in-cheek to the deadly serious and poignant, this is the lifelong journey of a fighter pilot.

The anecdotes are absorbing, providing an insight into life as an Air Force pilot, but, in this book, as Colonel Ladd stresses, the focus is not on fireworks or stirring tales of derring-do. Instead, this is an articulate and absorbing account of what life is really like among a rare breed of arrogant, cocky, boisterous, and fun-loving young men who readily transform into steely professionals at the controls of a fighter aircraft.

“This book will appeal to a variety of readers with its Vietnam War combat stories and accounts of flying the Warthog in Cold War Europe. Fun, flying, international experiences—you won’t want to put it down.” —Aviation News

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781526761255
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date: 01/04/2022
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 320
Sales rank: 377,944
File size: 13 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Colonel STEVE LADD, DFC, MSc, BSc was a career USAF officer fighter pilot and commander for 28 years. During his career, he amassed over 4,400 hours’ flying time, equally split between the F-4 Phantom and the A-10 Warthog. His Phantom credential includes over 400 hours (204 missions) of combat experience over North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Since retirement from the USAF he has been employed as a CAA Aerodrome Inspector, Operations Director of Cardiff International Airport, Fast Jet Curriculum Development Lead for Ascent Flight Training, Ltd., and adjunct Professor of Aviation Science and Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Foreword ix

Nickel on the Grass: A Prologue xi

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1 Flight Training: Bug Smasher to Combat-Ready 1

Chapter 2 Getting There Was Half the Fun 27

Chapter 3 My Personal War: An Anti-Climax 46

Chapter 4 Squadron: The Fighter Jock's Tribe 56

Chapter 5 The 'Lucky Devils' 68

Chapter 6 The Wonderful World of Instructing 97

Chapter 7 FWIC: The PhD in Fighter Aviation 105

Chapter 8 Death and Related Unpleasantries 119

Chapter 9 Iran: Training Fred's Air Force 122

Chapter 10 Enter the 'Hog 133

Chapter 11 Dritte Staffel (Third Squadron) 178

Chapter 12 Berlin: Cold War Personified 191

Chapter 13 The Eureka Moment 203

Chapter 14 Paradise Regained: Back to the Weapons School 205

Chapter 15 The Staff Job: Fighter Pilot Purgatory 222

Chapter 16 The Overseas Fighter Wing 246

Chapter 17 Command and Senior Rank: Good News and Bad News 250

Chapter 18 Flying Safety is Paramount 253

Chapter 19 The Idyllic Cruise that Wasn't 265

Chapter 20 The Peace Dividend 267

Chapter 21 Air Warrior: The Last Hurrah 269

Epilogue: Ode to the Missing Man 280

Appendix I Glossary of Terms 282

Appendix II Glossary of Referenced Aircraft 293

Appendix III Chronology of Assignments 295

Appendix IV Maps 297

Appendix V Simplified Organizational Chart 301

Appendix VI USAF Rank Structure 302

Notes 303

Index 304

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