Background Curtis R. Dose with RIO Jim McDevitt, and Austin Hawkins with RIO Charlie Tinker of VF-92 were launched off the USS Constellation (CV-64) as a target CAP for a 35 plane alpha strike to Haiphong. Their squadron ---all sign was "Silver Kite", and their F- 4Js were "Kite one" and "Kite two". Shopping for MiGs the two Phantoms kept extending their CAP orbit inland until reaching KEP airfield where they rolled down on two MiG-21s just entering the traffic pattern there. Presumably the tower warned the MiGs as the Phantoms thundered across the airfield in excess of Mach one. The MiGs punched off their tanks and bolted. In the ensuing supersonic chase through the weeds, Curt fired all four of his AIM-9s. Two missed, one malfunctioned and the last went straight into the lead MiG's tailpipe blowing the rear of the jet off and sending it fireballing across a hill. As the "Kites" broke off and fled back to the "Connie" they would later discover that they had kicked off the biggest day of air combat in the Vietnam war; a day in which Cunningham and Driscoll would later bag three more MiGs to become aces. Map Set Up: I H F G (North Up). Game Length: 30 game turns 1. The F-4Js (AP# 1 variant) are uncamouflaged and the MiGs (Des.Falcons) are in air sup. gray colors. The MiGs are spotted but the F4s are only detected (radio call from tower). 2. F4 loads: stations 2,4= two AIM-9D each. 6,7,8,9= AIM-7F each. station 3= 1200L FT. (AIM-9D from AP#3). 3. MiG loads: stations 1,3= AA-2B Atoll each. MiGs 3 and 4 add one 600L FT on station 2. 4. MiGs 3 and 4 start on the ground and must follow the rules in AP#9 to taxi onto the runway and take-off. Their engines are already started and they are parked in revetments East of the runway in hex 1117. 5. Optionals: Fuel- Phantom start= 488, bingo= 100. MiGs 1 and 2 start= 170, bingo= 20. MiGs 3 and4 start= 200, bingo= 20. Crew Quality - all are R, F-4 pilots are both tactics masters (Top Gun Graduates). Additional suggested Rules modifications: Allow IR missile firing at T-level with a +2 modifier to the launch roll. These pilots recorded taking shots from below a hundred feet. Also, make take-off acceleration x2 of that listed in AP#9 rules. That will make take-off distances more consistent with reality. Hope you like this one! Back to Table of Contents -- Air Power # 14 Back to Air Power List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by J.D. Webster This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com