Not to take anything away from perry who did sevrve our country very honorably BUt he flew C\130’s
That is a fighter
now it is cooler
but he was pretty cute bacl then and didn’t really need to enhance anything
Yes, but to me (and I may well be wrong), it looks like a T-38 Talon, which is actually a jet trainer, not really a fighter (though some countries have used it in a combat role, we’ve not). All USAF pilots end up training in those eventually.
Even “Herc Jocks” learned in two seat trainers. That is a two seat trainer.
Are you sure a fighter? Could have been a T-38 trainer.
you train in fighters.
At the time that Governor Perry was at UPT (Undergraduate Pilot Training) it was one of the two primary aircraft used for pilot training. After you mastered the slower T-37 you advanced to the faster (supersonic capable) T-38. The T-38 was still being used for UPT at Vance AFB, Enid OK as late as two years ago.
Since both aircraft were equipped with ejection seats, the photo of Lt Perry standing on the steps of the T-38 with his life support equipment is totally accurate. I think, but do not know, that teh picture is a common AF public affairs publicity photograph sent home to most hometown newspapers.