[lakeman]

I can hear that US pilot now “Permission to fire! permission to fire! LOL

[tanknetter]

I can hear that US pilot now “Permission to fire! permission to fire! LOL

Back in the late 1940s, during the USN-USAF carrier vs. bomber spat that led to the "Revolt of the Admirals" the USAF was going around claiming that the B-36 flew so high that it couldn't be shot down.

There was some Navy fighter jock (F9F Panther pilot, iirc) who made a VERY public offer to go up and blow one out of the sky, just to prove that it could be done. IIRC the USN did run a couple of intercepts and the USAF generals were decidedly unamused that their precious "magnesium overcast" was getting bounced.