- Book Review: ‘Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat’ by Dan Hampton
Article
CID:
- 180995
Authors:
- Ward, Andrew
Publication Date:
- 01 July 2023
Journal Title:
- Air and Space Power Review
Volume Number:
- 25
Issue number:
- 2
Page Numbers:
- Pages 194 - 195
Language:
- English
Abstract:
- Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat is a highly readable aircrew account, but this book is more relevant and operationally-focussed than the traditional ‘there I was, inverted’ type. Along the way we find out more about the sacred United States Air Force (USAF) ritual of assigning aircrew their call signs. Lt Col Dan ‘Two Dogs’ Hampton (USAF Ret) flew the highly versatile F-16 in both Iraq conflicts and the Balkans, all recollected in high G-force detail in Viper Pilot. Hampton’s discussion of tactical flying as a ‘Wild Weasel’ is relevant to the mission sets we train for in today’s air forces. A suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) mission will likely be air’s contribution to a joint campaign on ‘day one of the war’. The former Soviet Union surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems Hampton
Websites: