Bill Span leads the legendary Ghostriders of
VA-164 in the Alpha Strikes over Hanoi!
Hear how Senator John McCain was shot
down and more!
The Naval Air Battles Over North
Viet Nam and their Secret Stories!
A very young McCain joins the carrier USS Oriskany and gets shot down on
an Alpha Strike over Hanoi in his A-4 Skyhawk - Learn the TRUE
STORY!
Cdr Bill Span and Cdr Bryan Compton lead the missions. Span trains
a young John McCain at NAS Pensacola prior to leading the missions that made
the legends.
Hear the air war stories above Viet Nam as told by Bill Span in the audio
players below.
____________
You have to try a
supersonic flight in a fast and furious MIG-29
Read the story and see the pics of Bill Span flying a MIG in Moscow, Russia
____________
This is the most incredible adventure ever: Go straight up! To the edge of outer space.
Fly supersonic in the MIG 29. The top of the Russian Fighter jet series.
MIGS in Moscow, MIG-29
jets going supersonic. Migs going fast.Mmig-29 in outers space.
Mig 29
Russia Russian space voyage are not free. Charter a MIG supersonic jet trip.
These are Incredible Adventures.
Adrenaline rush, thrill, speed ultimate burn time super fast ride Top Gun
school. Best trip Moscow fighter
ever, try it! If you have
the balls.
Hanoi Power Plant - ORISKANY - A-4 Skyhawk
Stories from the Air War above North Viet Nam as told by Legendary Naval Aviator
Bill Span
by Capt. William F. Span USN (Ret.)
The Original Lady Jessie flown by LCdr. Dick Perry (USN) shot
down over North VietNam in 1967
On Nov. 17, 2015 Bill was asked to
speak to a large gathering of the top Virginia High School Football Players by
Recruit757.com founder Andy Hilton
________________
Click the PLAY button above to hear Bill Span tells
stories of his childhood
Hear Bill Span tell more stories from his childhood
above
More stories of Bill Span growing up in Western
Pennsylvania
Bill starts his long and illustrious career in Naval
Aviation
Bill's early path through Naval Aviation takes him around the world
Bill goes to Korea
Bill goes to War in Viet Nam - The years 1966 - 1969 - >
The Height of the Air Battle over North Viet Nam.
Bill Talks about leading Alpha Strikes over Hanoi and more!
JOHN WALKER: SPY reveals STRIKE DETAILS!
Missiles
shooting up from below - Hellfire raining down from above - Ann Margaret in
Span's Stateroom for cocktails
More War Stories!
Humorous Stories
from the Air War in Viet Nam and Notable Quotes
One last little story and then it's on to checking out all
the pics below!
The Day John McCain Got Shot
Down
By Zalin Grant
McCain’s squadron on the Oriskany was composed
of 15 alpha males who spent most of their time when they weren’t flying or
sleeping in a ready room
no bigger than a medium-sized living room at home. Above all, they admired
officers who remained cool and calm under all circumstances. McCain’s squadron
commander,
Bryan Compton, was considered the ideal officer, though no one wanted to sit
near him in the ready room because the flight suit of “Magnolia,”
as the squadron called him, usually smelled to high heaven.
“I would have followed Bryan Compton anywhere,” said Dick
Wyman, a pilot in Swanson’s squadron. “He was the kind of guy the worse things
got, the better he was.
He was the ugliest s.o.b. you ever saw. But he was our shining star.”
McCain called Compton “one of the bravest, most resourceful
squadron commanders, one of the best A-4 pilots in the war.”
In any case, Oriskany pilots did not have time to pay much
attention to the admiral’s son, because the ship was running bombing operations
against
North Vietnam on a 24-hour schedule.
The Oriskany was a small and undistinguished carrier, commissioned at the end of
World War Two. Nobody could explain why the ship had turned into the leading
combat carrier
of the Vietnam War. It was as though the runt of the litter had grown into a pit
bull.
The squadrons on the Oriskany were front-loaded with
lieutenant commanders like McCain and it was do-or-die time for them in terms of
promotions.
This doubtless accounted, at least partly, for the carrier’s aggressiveness.
These were seasoned professional officers and only the best
and bravest would be promoted to the next higher rank of commander (lieutenant
colonel) and very few to captain (colonel).
The pilots watched each other like hawks, trying to stay even
in the number of missions flown over North Vietnam. Always ready to take the
risks, they developed tactics to survive
the surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft fire they faced every time they
went on a mission. In a war, of course, there was always the factor of luck.
Sometimes you just couldn’t avoid getting shot down.
John McCain
Rear Admiral Bryan W. Compton
The
1st Captain/Commanding Officer of the USS Nimitz CVN-68 which was the 1st
of the Nimitz Class Carriers and at the time the 2nd Nuclear Carrier and the
World's Largest.
This was taken at the Nimitz Association Reunion 2008.
Bryan with his game face on
Video about W & J: Where Bill Span played football
Surface to Air Missile (SAM) similar to the 88
SAM's shot at Cdr. Bill Span
A-4 Skyhawk enroute to target in North VietNam
piloted by Cdr W. F. Span VA-164 on Nov. 21, 1967
MIG 21 similar to the 3 MIG's Cdr. Span destroyed
on the ground at a North Vietnamese airport
VA-146 Squadron
Reunion aboard the USS Midway on Oct. 16, 2011 in San Diego with Cdr. Span in
orange shirt
Bill Span and
North Vietnamese SAM missile operator Sergeant First Class Nguyen Bach
discussing FANSONG Radar Control Tactics
Co Trai Bridge in
NVN still shows bomb damage
I BELONG TO A GROUP OF MEN WHO FLY ALONE. THERE
IS ONLY ONE SEAT IN THE COCKPIT OF MY AIRPLANE. I MAKE THE DECISIONS. I DO
EVERYTHING MYSELF, FROM ENGINE START TO SHUT DOWN. IN COMBAT MY SURVIVAL AND
ABILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION AGAINST SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING ENEMY DEFENSES
DEPENDS ON MY OWN SKILL AND ABILITY. IF I DO NOT SURVIVE, I DIE ALONE. BECAUSE
OF THIS, AND BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I WOULD HAVE IT, I AM OCCASIONALLY
DISDAINFUL OF MULTI-ENGINE MULTI-CREW TYPES. IT IS AN ARROGANT ATTITUDE AND
UNFAIR. BUT, I HAVE LEARNED THE COLD HARD REALISM OF SELF RELIANCE WHICH
SURVIVES ONLY IN THE SINGLE SEAT AIRPLANE. SO, I MAKE NO APOLOGY AS I CLAIM THAT
THE TRULY GREAT PILOTS OF THE DECADE ARE ATTACK PILOTS WITH THE STEEL AND SKILL
OF GENERATIONS OF GREAT MEN WHO HAVE GONE TO WAR WITH ONE ENGINE, ONE SEAT, AND
A GREAT TRADITION OF COURAGE.
Adapted from Richard Bach, provided by Ron Schoff - a Marine A-4 Skyhawk Pilot.
The A-4 Skyhawk could fly at over 550 mph and was
designed to drop a nuclear bomb
See the A-4 Skyhawks Bill
Span flew in Viet Nam
click here
To learn more about the fascinating life of Bill Span click here
VA-163 Newsletter - Sample of the humor of the time
This story became the
biggest news article ever written in the Virginian-Pilot
newspaper on one individual.
On June 19, 2000 Bill Span
and this story was the lead-in to an article in
the Washington Post
Bill Span skiing at Vail in the
spring on 2004
While in Moscow I stayed at the "Intourist" Hotel, a beautiful hotel close
to the Kremlin, Red Square and Lenin's Tomb. I was to take my flight physical,
pre-flight briefings, ejection seat checkouts and flight gear check out at the once
"top secret" Russian Gromov test facility at Zukvsky Air base 30 KM south of
Moscow.
The first day of my arrival
was a day of rest, after a 16-hour flight to Moscow
through Frankfort, Germany. While
adjusting to the 8 hour time difference,
my English speaking Russian tourist guide, "Marina" showed me the sights
of Moscow. This included Red Square, Kremlin, Cathedrals, and Museums.
While we were touring the Kremlin, we got picked up by the KGB for taking pictures
of me holding a "Long & Foster" FOR SALE sign in front of
Yeltsin's office and the Kremlin.
Marina did a masterful job of
getting us released after we were escorted
out by the three KGB from the Kremlin.
Former
Combat Pilot: Bill Span after the
flight of his life! Flying a Russian MIG-29 in Moscow
On the day of the flight the weather was absolutely perfect, a sunny day with high cirrus
clouds and temp in the 70's.
Prior to checking in, Galina (a Russian escort) and Kelly
(an American escort) drove me around Zukovsky Airbase
where we saw the Joint Venture
US/Russian version of the Super Sonic Passenger Concord (TU-144), various
Russian Combat
jets and a few test jets like the SUKOI 31 and 32.
We then went to the Gromov Flight Research
Institute for my flight physical,
given to me by a Russian woman Flight Surgeon.
I was fitted for my "G suit",
flight helmet and oxygen mask. There is a difference in how the Russians wear their
"g suits"
and I compromised and split the difference. "Tanya" who
assisted me with
my flight gear was very persuasive.
I then met with
Alexander Gamaev called "Sasha".
He is their Chief Test pilot and was to fly with me.
photo credits to Incredible Adventures, Inc.
The Instructor "Sasha" = >
aka: Alexander Gamaev bio on Sasha
YOU can go supersonic in the MIG-29 in Moscow like I did!
All it takes is
a little money and it's worth every penny !
He conducted the pre-flight briefings. It is the procedure for all
foreign pilots to fly the MIG 29 from the back seat. I related
all my Navy experience to him and because of that he made
an exception and I was allowed to fly the MIG 29 from the front seat.
There are official controls only operated from the front seat and
it could be dangerous if a pilot did not understand the operation
of those controls. "Sasha" who tests the Russian experimental
aircraft, recently received Russia's highest award, Hero of Russia,
and received a commemorative watch from President Yeltsin.
He was still on a Russian "High" and that was good for me since
I believed it continued throughout our flight. "Sasha" is 36 years old
and is the son of a famous Russian test pilot. Sasha has flown a
total of 3,600 flight hours and has flown over 42 types of Russian
aircraft.
He conducts flight operations all over the world and demonstrates
the famous Russian "Cobra" and "Tailside" maneuvers.
After the briefings we drove out to the
parked MIG 29.
It looked so beautiful glistening in the Russian sunshine but also grossly
threatening as
if to suddenly burst out at the sky. I climbed into the front
cockpit where Sasha
explained the flight and engine instruments.
Strangely enough the cockpit instrumentation was not too different than
the American cockpit. The altimeter was in meters instead of feet, the
air speed in
kilometers per hour and the main flight instrument (VGI) reversed.
In the front cockpit, I had control of the
ejection seat. Sasha said,
"Bill, if I give the word 'EJECT, EJECT, EJECT' that is not a
subject
for discussion,
I go first then you." I agreed completely and without
reservation.
After about 20 minutes of cockpit orientation he climbed into the back seat
and we started the engines. First the left and then the right. We completed
the necessary instrument and flight control checks, received the clearance
from the control tower and then taxied for take off. After our afterburners
were selected and engine checks were made we started our take off roll.
The thrust was so great it reminded me of a catapult shot from an aircraft carrier.
We were airborne in six seconds and 1500
feet.
"Sasha" immediately pulled a 6G
loop and then bottomed out over the runway
at 150 feet, heading down the Moscow River at
600km/h. I took controls as
verified and made several turns. I did a few Aileron rolls
left and right to get
the feel of the airplane.
I was surprised the MIG 29 was very
responsive and easy to fly and control.
While speeding along at an altitude of only 150
along the Moscow River Sasha
pointed out a Russian Church, a small Russian village and a
chemical factory.
Since we were speeding along like a runaway space capsule, I just nodded
my head and gave a polite "DA, PRE KRASNA" (yes, very beautiful).
Russian
phrases came easily to me since I am of Czech descent and my
grandparents spoke Czech to
me (similar to Russian) while I was young.
The Russian Cyrillic alphabet however is much
more difficult to understand.
After that Sasha took control, selected the after burners, pointed the MIG
straight up and
climbed to 53,000 feet, pulling an immeasurable amount
of G's. In addition to the extreme
pressure from my flight suit, I had to force
grunt
to keep from blacking out. I clocked the time at 48 seconds, upon leveling
off he
accelerated and went supersonic to 1.4 MACH.
He asked me prior to the
flight if I wanted to go faster or higher, and I decided
that this was high and fast
enough so we could save fuel and spend more time
on exotic maneuvers. He then said,
"Bill I will do the following maneuvers, then
you will do them!" It sounded like
a Russian order but he had no idea how anxious
I was to do them.
I replied in my perfect Russian
"Da, pre krasna" = > translation:
"Yes, it's beautiful"
photo credits to Incredible Adventures, Inc.
View of a
Russian MIG-29 from the
cockpit of a MIG-25
You can fly supersonic in the MIG-29 in Moscow like I did!
All it takes is
money ! But it's worth every penny !
We then rolled over and did a
"Split S" to a lower altitude into a "7.5 G loop",
followed by an
"Emmelman", a "climbing turn", then the famous "Cobra"
maneuver where the MIG flies at the same altitude but in a vertical position.
He then
recovered and flew the plane straight up, pulled back, both engines
reached "0"
air speed where upon we slid back on our tail in a vertical position.
We then "brought-in" both engines, first the left, then the right.
That was the
"tail slide".
Sasha had done these maneuvers so fast and brilliantly, that I did
not
catch all the G's and air speeds. So when I went to do them I had to rely
on G force
and feel. Sasha then said, "Bill, the airplane is yours, you
will do them". I
then started with the loop and remembered from my
flying days to keep the wings level and
the G's constant.
Since the VGI operates opposite to ours it made the loop a little difficult
at first. At the top of the loop I rolled my head back as we passed through
the horizon and low and behold my wings were level and I completed a
good loop. Sasha said, " Good, good Bill". The Emmelman came as
easy although Sasha said "a little more G Bill".
I thought I had enough as my G suit exerted tremendous pressure
on my legs and stomach. The "G" suit kept me from "blacking out".
These two maneuvers are standard but not so in a MIG 29, they are
done
with great speed, power and high "G's".
The next two maneuvers were
simply awesome. The "Tailslide" was done
by pulling "G" to a vertical position pulling the throttles back to idle while
the air speed dropped to "O" with the MIG pointing straight up. Upon
reaching "0" air speed the MIG slid back to earth tail first. I kicked hard
rudder and fell through a nose-down recovery as we brought the engines
back in, first left then right.
It felt so awesome that I repeated it again. The "COBRA" came next,
as I picked up speed and horsed back on the stick bringing the MIG
again
to a nose-up vertical position, selected proper power while our
momentum
propelled us
forward in a vertical position.
The sensation of flying that
was incredible for an aviator not used to such
an exotic maneuver. I then released back
pressure and while pulling negative
"Gs" recovered to level flight. There again I was so excited I did another
one,
this time with more precision. Sasha performs this maneuver at low altitudes
at air
shows.
I would need a lot more
practice before I would do the "COBRA" that low.
photo credits to Incredible
Adventures, Inc.
A MIG-29 can go straight up in the air = > to
about 60,000 feet and it only takes a minute to get there
After doing each of the maneuvers twice, Sasha told me to take up a heading towards
ZUKOVSKY
air base and make an ILSA instrument approach to a low pass. That
was the easiest
part of the flight since the MIG 29 is so stable and the controls very
responsive. At 100
feet over
the runway I noticed eight parachutists descending on the airfield.
I was surprised after a
discussion in Russian between "Sasha" and the control tower that
we continued. Sasha then said, "Bill, give me control
and I will put on an air show for you".
He then made a hard pull up to
the right then a quick hard turn back to the runway followed by
a series of quick Aileron
rolls, a quick reversal and rolled over to inverted flight down the runaway
at 100 feet.
It was quite a sensation to look at the runway while flying upside down for that long a
time.
He then throttled back pitched up to a downward turn and said,
"Now Bill you take control and we make the landing."
He left me in close to the runway so I turned a tight approach at 300 KM down to a near
perfect landing.
I could not believe how easy it was to land
a MIG 29. We touched down at 230 KM and had a short roll
out but did not deploy the drag
chute.
After turn-off I taxied back to the flight line.
The most difficult part of the flight was to taxi. The MIG 29 has a settable nose-wheel,
you must push a button to engage it and then steer with the rudder pedals.
Upon getting out of the cockpit I shouted in Russian, "YA RAHT! YA RAHT! (I'm happy!
I'm happy!)
I just finished beating the sky to death with the brute force of a MIG 29.
What an ending to a perfect day!
Sasha shook my hand and said,
"Bill you are a true professional, all of your maneuvers were perfect.
You did the
"COBRA" and the "Tailslide" and very few pilots have done that."
I thanked Sasha and told him he was the best pilot that I've ever known.
We then went to
lunch at the Gromov Flight Research Institute.
We toasted to "Peace,
Health and Happiness"
photo credits to Incredible Adventures, Inc.
Capt. Span knew the controls because
they are identical to U.S. military aircraft
I truly felt a bond developing between Sasha and I during the long conversations that
followed. We talked about U.S. and Russian aircraft, tactics and experiences. He was quite
interested in my Vietnam Combat experience and asked several questions about the Russian
SAM's and aircraft during that war. He related his test pilot experiences and the planes
he flew including the U.S. Navy's F--18. I presented Sasha wit ha U.S. Navy flight suit,
an Air Force flight jacket, a bottle of "Military" vodka, a personal computer
organizer, and a "Top Gun '97" baseball cap which he wore for the rest of the
day. I was presented with a model of the MIG 29, a signed certificate of the flight
profile, and a beautiful Russian Watch with a picture of the MIG 29 on the face and an
inscription on the outer watch ring in Russian that read "Defender of the
Native-land".
After lunch Sasha and I
embraced each other and bid farewell respecting our newly found friendship. I detected a
glint in Sasha's eyes. I held back tears in mine as I said:
"Another place another
time we might have fought each other", I continued, I would have hated to have fought
you," Sasha said, "and I you."
All it takes is
money ! But it's worth every penny !
MIG-29 Flight:
The most incredible adventure: Moscow, Russia to the very edge of outer space.
Flying supersonic in the MIG 29, the top of the Russian Fighter jet series!
MIGS in Moscow, MIG-29
jets going supersonic. Migs going fast.Mmig-29 in outers space.
Mig 29
Russia Russian space voyage are not free. Charter a MIG supersonic jet trip.
These are Incredible Adventures.
Adrenaline rush, thrill, speed ultimate burn time super fast ride Top Gun
school. Best trip Moscow fighter
ever, try if if you have
the balls.
Stories from the Air War above North Viet Nam as told by Legendary Naval Aviator
Bill Span
by Capt. William F. Span USN (Ret.)
Click the PLAY button above to hear Bill Span tells
stories of his childhood
Hear Bill Span tell more stories from his childhood
above
More stories of Bill Span growing up in Western
Pennsylvania
Bill starts his long and illustrious career in Naval
Aviation
Bill's early path through Naval Aviation takes him around the world
Bill goes to Korea
Bill goes to War in Viet Nam - The years 1966 - 1969 - > The Height of the Air
Battle over North Viet Nam
Bill Talks about leading Alpha Strikes where Senator John
McCain was shot down over Hanoi and more!
More on the Naval Air War fought in Viet Nam: Missiles
shooting up from below - Hellfire raining down from above
More War Stories!
Humorous Stories
from the Air War in Viet Nam and Notable Quotes