Here's a link to AVWeb.
Posted on 06/01/2022 3:18:20 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
SAN DIEGO (Tribune News Service) — The Marine Corps pilot who safely landed a KC-130J tanker in a California field after a midair collision with an F-35B in 2020 received the highest military aviation award Wednesday in San Diego, the Marines said in a news release.
Marine Capt. Michael Wolff, a KC-130J Super Hercules pilot, received the Distinguished Flying Cross at a ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, the Marines said, for landing “successfully after losing two engines in flight.”
Wolff landed the four-engine plane in a farmer’s field with the help of six crew members and a co-pilot, the Marine Corps said.
What the Marines’ news release doesn’t say is that Wolff lost those two engines due to a midair collision with a Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jet while conducting refueling operations on Sept. 29, 2020. The pilot of the F-35 safely ejected before the jet crashed in the Imperial County desert. The four-engine KC-130, its two right-side engines heavily damaged in the collision, made an emergency landing in a field near the Salton Sea.
“I’m thankful how everything turned out. I’m happy to be alive,” Wolff said in a statement. “I still love flying, and I was happy to get up in the air as soon as I could afterwards. Everyone did their part and came together.”
The Miramar-based 3rd Marine Air Wing did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Wow. The honor sounds well earned.
A friend of mine, an elderly gent received the DFC for some helicopter rescue in Vietnam.
Very dramatic video on Twitter and AvWeb.
There's a fine line between hero and zero.
Impressive. Most impressive.
The C-130 crew was highly motivated because unlike the F-35, cargo planes do not have ejection seats. lol.
I’m joking so don’t lose you cool. I fully acknowledge that the C-130 pulled off some extremely skilled flying, no doubt. Their honors are fully deserved.
The tanker is flying straight and level at a constant airspeed with the drogue deployed. It is the receiver's responsibility to complete the rendezvous and fly to the pre-contact position. Once stabilized in pre-contact position, the receiver then should slowly move forward and connect with the drogue.
“the military probably tried like hell for nine months to nail as responsible for the loss of an aircraft.”
Do you have a basis for that accusation?
WOW! Some job landing that safely.
They can’t afford to be tossing F35s away like this.
He got the cross, I expect , for saving his crew. Well done and semper fi
Nice piloting. Now how do you get the plane out of the field?
So, kinda like my wedding night you're saying.
Decades of history? Guaranteed they went through his flight with a fine tooth comb looking for any procedure not followed throughout that entire flight. Satisfied, they awarded him the DFC.
” Guaranteed they went through his flight with a fine tooth comb”
That would be required in any crash. Also for the F-35 flight.
But that is no proof that they were out to nail him.
JATO bottles, but that hasn’t always worked well. Maybe attach skis, depending on the field?
Lose 2 engines, switch power to balls.
Throughout June, the USMC takes #Pride in recognizing and honoring the contributions of our LGBTQ service members. We remain committed to fostering an environment free from discrimination, and defend the values of treating all equally, with dignity and respect.#PrideMonth #USMC pic.twitter.com/MOyvFmyJiB— U.S. Marines (@USMC) June 1, 2022
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