Dick “Brown Bear” Schaffert

F-8 Pilot recalls how a good brief by his Flight Lead saved his bacon during a night carrier landing with his Crusader radio not working

F-8 Pilot recalls how a good brief by his Flight Lead saved his bacon during a night carrier landing with his Crusader radio not working

‘A second or two later there is a big, wonderful thump and pull as I catch a wire. I’m the… Read More

4 weeks ago

That Time an RF-8 Pilot did a Super Low-Level High Speed Run Over North Vietnam and Took Photos of Clothes on Wash Lines as he Flew through the Outskirts of Hanoi

On Aug. 17, 1966, RF-8 pilot Lt Andre Coltrin of VFP-63 Det G flew an extremely hazardous photo-reconnaissance mission at… Read More

2 years ago

The Epic Story of the KA-3B Tanker that Flew over North Vietnam, Dodged AAA and SAMs and Saved Dick ‘Brown Bear’ Schaffert’s F-8 Crusader

`We knew we were now violating standing Seventh Fleet orders that no A-3 would go feet dry, yet we also… Read More

4 years ago

Alone Vs six MiGs: the legendary Dogfight of Dick “Brown Bear” Schaffert

Schaffert had survived a gruelling ten-minute solo combat with six MiGs — a classic engagement still examined at Topgun decades… Read More

5 years ago