Have heard similar stories from pilots who intercepted/escorted bombers up and down the international airspace line. Favorite was an F-4 pilot who told me about a Bear bubble-gunner who held up a “MiG Pilots Suck Eggs!” sign when they pulled up next to them.

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We used to play this chicken game with the Russians back in the ‘80’s. We were careful to turn off radars and to aim weapons down to the deck to preclude any excuse for a “misunderstanding” and I thought both sides, at least the men on the ships if not the men back at headquarters, pretty-well understood the game. I…