The US Flying Beast with a Freaking Killing Technique
Captain Steve Ritchie was on fire. He’d already taken out two MiGs in his latest Vietnam tour and was itching for more. On July 8, 1972, his chance came. An American warplane had taken a hit and was leaking fuel and hydraulic fluid like a stuck pig. The desperate pilot called for help on the emergency frequency. Ritchie and his squadron of four F-4 Phantoms picked up the call. They knew the North Vietnamese loved to eavesdrop on emergency channels, sending MiGs to finish off damaged American jets. Without hesitation, Ritchie, with his Radar Intercept Officer Captain Charles DeBellevue, led the charge to the stricken fighter’s location. As they neared, the radio crackled with an urgent alert from ship-based Radar control stations Red Crown and Disco: MiGs inbound. Adrenaline spiked as Ritchie spotted the enemy—a sleek MiG-21 at 10 o’clock. With fuel tanks dumped and afterburners roaring, Ritchie and the MiG closed the gap, zooming past each other in a blistering blur. Ritchie held his fire, eyes scanning for the second MiG. When it appeared, he executed a perfect barrel roll, lining up for the shot. The enemy pilot didn’t stand a chance. The MiG turned down into them—Ritchie squeezed the trigger. The missile hit home, detonating in a fiery explosion that lit up the sky and echoed for miles. Ritchie would later say it was: (QUOTE) “The most intense, the most exciting mission that I ever flew.” But there was no time to celebrate. A MiG suddenly appeared right on top of him. It was a bad spot, but Ritchie was determined to keep his streak alive. He was ready to make it work. – As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. – Credit to : Dark Docs