Desert Storm - Mission 03 - Wild Weasel

[beachav8r 360]

With the early morning strikes out of the way, and the sun peeking over the edge of the desert, it is time for some daylight action. First up will be the F-4G Wild Weasels. In the first night alone, F-4Gs expended 118 HARM missiles as they systematically started the destruction of the Iraqi air defense network.







Our two-ship flight heads toward Kuwait to start our patrol..



It isn't long before our radar warning receiver starts lighting up...







After identifying the SA-8 vehicle I back off a bit and lob a HARM at him...



The SA-8 is down and I move on to a radar guided AAA vehicle..



I get stupid close and the AAA reaches up and tags me. No problem..just one engine on fire, I can limp back to base on one!



Errr..OK, maybe not. I point toward the Gulf and hope to make the coast before I have to eject..



It doesn't work out so well, and after a minute of burning my F-4 explodes.

Elsewhere in the theater the air-to-air action is heating up..







After the first three days of the air war, commanders weighed the effectiveness of the bombing against the aircraft/crew losses and moved to restrict bombing to above 10 to 15-thousand feet. I probably would not have been shot down if I'd have stayed above 15,000'...

BeachAV8R
 

[MigBuster 2,861]

Great job - Really like the shots you put in these!
 

[Stratos 3,167]

One of my favourites Phantoms!