Quite agree on the 'little careless front' but what does one expect from a low-time pilot thrown into the chaos of SE Asia?
Flying techniques and seemingly foolish exploits may have come about from the fact that the author was flying in a war zone! You stayed together, despite the fact that landing on a hot LZ could be deemed as foolish, because that was the way the tactics were meant to work - mutual support - techniques so widely used today.
No one is suggesting that the author is of the award-winning stuff....he joined as a grunt remember (tongue in cheek there folks)
I'm keen to read the book that the comparison of such 'carelessness' stems from though, should be a great read!
From my point of view, Chickenhawk is a great read, not because of the tales of 'daring-do' but the struggle of the author coming to terms with the fact that there were so many dickheads that were meant to be on his side! Something that I'm sure many of can relate too. Yep, it helps to be familiar with the vehicle for this guy's story but the extra bo77acks that he has to put up with from within HQ/establishment is typical.....a soothing feeling that it happens everywhere. They may get their tax-breaks but atleast they still have to cope with the mouthy, trumpet-blowing arse-holes that you just know would cock-up the very same situations that they seem all to well to blather on about!!
I couldn't hear the sound of bullets, just saw the puffs of smoke.
Last edited by EESDL; 22nd July 2021 at 06:50.