[Robert A Cook PE]

Notice that the "Bush-haters" are claiming that HE was the one who was "sitting in safety" back home .... While riding in the ejection seat of a troublesome, error-prone supersonic single-engine jet fighter for years.

Now, consider who was safer: Kerry - drinking coffee in air conditioned comfort for 6 months in a frigate sailing far off the coast of Vietnam for only 6 months?

Or Bush?

Notice: "During its long service life, the F-106A had the distinction of recording the lowest single-engined aircraft accident record in USAF history. Despite this, out of a total production of 340 aircraft, 112 (including 17 two-seat F-106Bs) were lost in crashes or in ground fires during the 29 year career of the Delta Dart....

See: Almost 1 in 3 similar fighters (and the F-102 was the earlier, lower powered version of the F-106!) crashed or burned its pilot alive ....

AT HOME. Not even in combat flights - just regular flying caused almost 1/3 of fighter jets to try to kill their pilots. No infantryman faced that level of causalities per man-year.

[TankerKC]

...burned its pilot alive...

No. According to your post the aircraft were lost, not the pilots. You'll need a better stat to prove your point.

[cookcounty]

" Despite this, out of a total production of 340 aircraft, 112 (including 17 two-seat F-106Bs) were lost in crashes or in ground fires during the 29 year career of the Delta Dart...."

Thanks, Cookie. Makes me crazy when people just assume fighter pilot is like taxicab driver with wings on.

I believe it was the F-104 that they dubbed the "Flying Coffin" because of all the crashes and deaths --even though they never were "in combat."

[Alamo-Girl]

Great catch!