" There were a limited number of fighters available in any UPT CLASS. Top USAF graduates get their first choice (usually fighters) then you get heavies, bombers, etc. Some guys just were not qualified "fighter pilot" material and could not even put in for a fighter."
So Bush was the "cream of the crop" a regular "top gun" sort of guy, and assigned to fighters.
I read he completed over 300 hours.
Also those fighter planes were dubbed "widdow makers" as were very twitchy to fly.
It would be nice to see him re-qualifty and take one for a spin.
No. It didn't matter where Bush finished in his UPT class, he came with the slot for the 102, courtesy of his Guard slot. All he had to do was make sure that he didn't wash out. The Title 10 guys did not compete with the regular USAF guys.
That was one thing that we all envied about the Title 10 guys (of which Bush was one)(yes, they were USAF), they knew what plane they were getting.
Those of us regular USAF guys were going to get the plane according to our rank in class, and the type that had been allotted to our base. In my 30 year career, I only flew single engine, single seat fighters.