This reference of the F-4s glide ratio or something similar is often mentioned tongue and cheek in articles regarding its performance. In reality, if you jettison all the stores, it had a 7 to 1 glide ratio.

Some poster below found the real video which doesn't include the falling bomb. The explosion was the gun misfiring. You're right though, that the guy holding his ears was expecting the artillery piece to fire. It just didn't fire correctly.

I'd have to agree with VVVV. The blast looks too small for a MK-82. The guy in the foreground holding his ears...expecting a blast...very suspicious?? Looks more like a demolition with a few pounds of C-4 to me. It's not hard to layer a blurred LGB onto only one frame with editing software or photoshop even. …

Some weapons cost a fortune, yup. But the article said that maybe 4 laser guided bombs (GBU-12s) were dropped which cost $22,000 apiece. A far cry from your million. However, the cost of the mission,overall, was probably quite costly. Your reference of deystroying only a $10 grand pickup, makes better sense if a…

"Although the ZU-23-2 was designated as an anti-aircraft gun, I have yet to see a credible report that it actually shut down anything in it's 60+ year long history."

Oxygen sensors won't do any good if they're ignored or don't work. This aircraft and all civilian pressurized aircraft have cabin pressure warnings. If the cabin pressure goes above 10,000 feet, sirens or horns go off meaning do something about it. Or the pax and pilots will soon become hypoxic if they don't get…

Every civilian pressurized aircraft I've flown had an audible warning (siren, horn) if the cabin exceed 10,000-14,000 in addition to an annunciator warning if it was built in the last 20 years. Don't now why this didn't work in this case.

The major in this video is not an Air Force rated aircraft pilot. He was trained as a navigator and has nav wings. Navs can apply for, and receive assignments as UAV pilots after the proper training. Maj Shilawski undoubtedly has had a stellar career but he will never be an air force pilot of manned aircraft…

I think you made this comment on another topic some where.....For the record: The flight suit is the standard, normal uniform for all flight crew and UAV operators. They occasionally dress in Air Force blues just for special occasions or if , unlucky, have a staff assignment at some higher HQ.

"- it would have been shot down if they thought the plane was going to descend and crash in a populated area"

It all depends if the bullet retains it's spin and nose pointing forward. An average 30 cal leaves the muzzle at around 3000 fps. If it is fired near vertical it will tumble on it's way down and maybe reach 200-400 fps due to the drag. If it maintains it's spin and orientation (say fired around around 45 degree …

In the operational fighter squadrons there are always a few pilots who bad mouth the Thunderbirds as 'ass kissers', or worse. Most of that feeling is generated by envy. The selection process is more than 'who you know', but the detractors seem to think that is the main criteria and that's it's more 'studly' to just…

Your friend if indeed is an airline pilot, needs to go back to aerodynamics 101. 'Skidding' around trying to turn with yaw (rudder)only is not only highly inefficient but totally uncomfortable. You have to tilt the lift vector by banking and then increase the angle of attack to get an aircraft to turn efficiently.

Yes, the ADIZ is just that: 'air defense identification zone'. It is still international airspace. Most countries do have an ADIZ. We intercept aircraft in the ADIZ if they haven't identified themselves, but it's legal for foreign aircraft to fly in and we do it all the time in Chinese and Russian ADIZ's.

"Russian bombers have penetrated US airspace 16 times in the last TEN days."

That's why I mentioned calm winds. Landing with a tailwind of over 10knots ramps up the risk factor considerably.

"So having a hangar as close to where the aircraft launches and recovers is beneficial."

Couple of jet/prop combo aircraft. I'm sure there's more.

"Additionally, the pilot barely has to trim the jet, which is pretty amazing considering how dynamic the flying is during this video"