Originally Posted by
Deep Throat
Pushing a a button
Why didn't the UK need a 'Top Gun' or was it enough to set it up for the US? Did the Brit pilots get trained properly on the way to the front line?
Can only talk for the v early 80s' - Lots of "similar" Air Combat Training (ACT), i.e. against same type, at the Tactical weapons units, don't remember much at the Operational Conversion Units but there was an ACT phase as part of your squadron work up to becoming Combat ready.
When it comes to "Top Gun" or something like that then once on the squadron on a fairly regular basis the UK based Air Defence pilots then got involved in Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) with the USAF Aggressor guys flying the F-5's, out of Alconbury...You'd also go up again them whenever you detached pretty much annually to the Instrumented Range at Decimomannu in Sardinia where they had I think a full time presence.