Russian AF Cold War tricks
Hi all,
Would love to hear some stories of some of the tricks that the Soviets used to get up to when Bears etc would get intercepted by NATO fighters during the Cold War. I've heard about them shining lights into the eyes of pilots for example. I imagine the long endurance of the Bear would give them opportunities for some interesting and imaginative routings. I've heard that some Bears would take the usual route to Cuba and double back to try and catch the RAF out.
With no radar coverage out in mid Atlantic once a Bear got far enough out to be left alone by fighters it could turn back and if it dropped down to low-level and popped up near the UK coast I suppose it might have given the guys that monitored the UKADR during the Cold War a surprise or two. Any folks out there got some interesting tales or know of any.
Also during the Cold War did any Soviet aircraft ever breach the 12 mile limit of national airspace and actually enter what is officially UK airspace?
Also seen an old pic on PPrune of a VC10 alongside a Bear. Do the QRA tankers these days ever get close to the Russians during an intercept or is it just the fighters.