Douglas DC-8-63CF vs MiG-17PF, cold war escort.
On September 26, 1983, Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov of the Soviet Air
Defense Forces received a warning that the U.S. had launched an ICBM
towards the Soviet Union. He dismissed it as a false alarm. Later four
additional missiles were detected, and again, Petrov decided they were
phantoms. He was right, but he couldn’t have been certain. If he had
followed protocol he might have started a full scale nuclear exchange
between the U.S. and Soviet Union. Investigations confirmed, it was the
satellite warning system that malfunctioned.
Not all heroes wear capes.
On September 26, 1983, Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov of the Soviet Air
Defense Forces received a warning that the U.S. had launched an ICBM
towards the Soviet Union. He dismissed it as a false alarm. Later four
additional missiles were detected, and again, Petrov decided they were
phantoms. He was right, but he couldn’t have been certain. If he had
followed protocol he might have started a full scale nuclear exchange
between the U.S. and Soviet Union. Investigations confirmed, it was the
satellite warning system that malfunctioned.
Not all heroes wear capes.
A nuclear bomb arming-set switch. Possibly used on ‘tactical’ fighter aircraft.
‘ground-burst’ of a nuke from such a
small, low-flying aircraft would involve a ‘lay-down’ of the weapon with
a parachute and soft landing. A timer would delay detonation until the
aircraft had gotten a safe distance away. Always gets my imagination
going: cut to scene of elderly babushka lady cursing and beating with rake on H-bomb that has landed on her prize turnips.
Soviet Tu-95 Bear crew member signalling Western fighter pilot during Cold War era interception, circa 1970s.
via reddit
Soviet Tu-95 Bear crew member signalling Western fighter pilot during Cold War era interception, circa 1970s.
via reddit