>As an aside, the two Air Force personnel specifically mentioned in
>this piece, General John P. Jumper and Major Kim "Killer Chick"
>Campbell, are real people. Gen. Jumper has the interesting
>distinction of being (as far as I know) the only sitting member of the
>Joint Chiefs of Staff to appear as himself in a fictional television
>program: He was in an episode of Stargate SG-1 while still in
>office. Major Campbell really did nearly get shot down over
>Baghdad in 2003. She brought her A-10 back to base and landed safely
>with a big ol' hole in the tail and no working hydraulics at all, a
>feat of airmanship that won her the Distinguished Flying Cross. No
>disrespect is intended by including either of them here (rather the
>opposite, in fact, though they could be forgiven for not seeing it
>that way).

I'd like to think they'd take this as intended - a fine tribute :) Space Hogs and fly, fight, and win? What's not to like? For folks who've flown and worked with a beloved airplane that's been on the chopping block more times than god, it's nice to have the last laugh!

While we're on the subject :)

http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/Control_the_Air.html

http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/Where-Have-All-the-Phantoms-Gone.html

And I highly recommend this book:

http://www.rossperry.com/American-Air-Force-History/Sierra-Hotel-Flying-Air-Force-Fighters-in-the-Decade-After-Viet/

Capt John Jumper + Capt Ron Keyes, Moody Suter, and a whole host of colorful characters in the USAF's last great "rebuild" phase after Vietnam are key characters...