Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 05/01/2026 1:13:18 AM PDT by Red Badger
For 25 years, Soviet pilots flew impossible missions—chasing an American aircraft that flew higher, faster, and more untouchable than anything in their arsenal. The SR-71 Blackbird operated at 85,000 feet and Mach 3.3. Soviet MiG-25 interceptors? They could barely reach 80,000 feet at Mach 2.8—and only for minutes before their engines burned out.
This is the story of over 800 failed intercept attempts. Of pilots who whispered the truth in ready rooms while filing false reports for Moscow. Of the psychological toll of chasing excellence you can see but never reach.
March 6, 1982: Major Mikhail Myagkiy climbs toward 80,000 feet in his MiG-25, fuel gauges plummeting, knowing the SR-71 above him will simply accelerate away. He's done this before. Every Soviet interceptor pilot has. And they all know the same terrible secret.
They're not defending Soviet airspace. They're performing theater for politicians who refuse to accept reality.
36 Minute Video at link..................
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
AVIATION PING!................
AEROSPACE Ping!....................
“...while filing false reports for Moscow.”
I watched some youtube last night about the USA’s use of battlefield reports during WWII. It was probably AI, but it sounded reasonable.
The Germans beat us terribly at Kassarene (sp?) Pass, but a month(?) later the same US troops beat the Germans. The Germans couldn’t understand. The video said that information was gathered and distributed so quickly so that all of the US troops got the new information on tactics. Even privates could submit action reports on what they saw - what worked and what didn’t.
The video said that the Germans would file false reports to avoid demotions and the ire of Hitler.
I’ll chime in a little bit to agree with you. The Germans were top down focused. And we were spongie... We absorbed our Intel and put it to go use. A private or Sgt could point out a weakness. And they were taken seriously.
Rotations of personnel also leads to innovations be used in the field. An example from personal experience if I may. A shore assignment in a repair facility provided hands on use of innovative techniques on piping systems aboard different vessels. Then during a sea assignment an emergency in an engine room lube oil pipe to the engine reduction gears occurred while underway. As an E4 I had the knowledge and confidence to make a temporary fix with the pipe still online as CPO and other E5 and 6s watched and learned. Our services are excellent at adaptation and improvement.
There was a mig that was flown to the U.S. by a Soviet defector. I think this was around the end of the Vietnam war or shortly after if I remember correctly. American engineers reported it was overblown hype pertaining to the jet’s capabilities, performance and structure. They said it would be like flying a high powered garbage can and would probably come apart if flown at top speed for even a short time, due to poor metals and weak welds. It was high powered junk.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.