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Nickel On the Grass by Colonel Phil Hands Handley Reflections US Air Force pilot
Nickel On the Grass by Colonel Phil Hands Handley Reflections of a US Air Force Pilot
Soft Cover
208 pages
Copyright 2006
CONTENTS
Table of Figures ix
Preface xv
About The Author xvii
The Rising Sun 1
"Herc" the Great 10
Frozen Stick at 30,000 Feet 30
Killer Vertigo 33
The Survival Schools 37
The Great Dietz 46
"Hoppy the Pilot" 55
Hot Wings at Ubon Ratchathani 62
The Big Easy Flyby69
The Run for the Roses 76
Supersonic Deflection Shot 83
PostscriptCover Art95
A Sobering Call to Spike 97
Eagles to "The Bush" 100
Mach & Career Busting 115
Down To The Last Drop 121
Letters, Ramblings, and Opinions 132
Flight Discipline 132
Cars and Jets 134
The Rescue of Basher 52139
Nixon the Movie 142
Remembering D-Day, June 6, 1944 151
Missiles, Guns and BFM 153
Burning Your Radial-G Green Stamp 155
Fate is the Hunter158
"Bullet"159
"Karst" 175
Mggie" 177
"HaOeld"192
Dedication 195
Glossary of Terms199
Table of Figures
Figure 1Author in F-15A above snow covered Bitburg Air Base, Germany xv
Figure 2Colonel Phil "Hands" Handley United States Air Force (Retired) xvii
Figure 3North American T-28A Trojan 1
Figure 4Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen (Zeke) 3
Figure 5Aviation Cadet Phil Handley on wing of Lockheed T-33A T-Bird at Reese AFB, Texas4
Figure 6Grumman F6F Hellcat6
Figure 7Tactical Air Command Lockheed C-130A Hercules10
Figure 8Douglass C-124 Globemaster II 12
Figure 9The infamous "Chateau" in Acquigny, France 14
Figure 10Typical Citroen CV-2 "Cigarette Roller" casualty of the three-lane road to Pairs 17
Figure 11Author at Leh Airfield, Tibet 22
Figure 12Rotation to vertical climb from takeoff at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio on July 4, 196527
Figure 13Northrop T-38A Talon (White Rocket) 30
Figure 14Philippino Negrito Natives preparing dinner for "Snake School" students 43
Figure 15Ban Phan Nop choke point on the Ho Chi Minh Trail with numerous bomb craters visible 56
Figure 16-0-2 Skymaster56
Figure 17-0V-10 Bronco 57
Figure 18F-100F as used by the Misty FACs operating from Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam 57
Figure 19AC-130A Spectre on ramp at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand58
Figure 20Spectre's twin 20mm gatling guns each with 100 rounds per second rate of fire59
Figure 21-8th Tac Fighter Wing "Wolf Pack" F-4D 62
Figure 22"Guns Valley" near "The Caves at Sam Neua." 63
Figure 23Spectre I.O. scanner in observation position on the AC-130's open, aft cargo ramp 65
Figure 24Four ship diamond formation of F-4E Phantoms71
Figure 25"Run for the Roses" 76
Figure 26McDonnell Douglas RF-4C79
Figure 27Rhino Charge Painting83
Figure 28Overhead view of air-to-air engagement 84
Figure 29Maj. Phil Handley & 1/Lt. Jack Smallwood after landing at Udorn RTAFB, Thailand 94
Figure 30- 1/Lt. Jack Smallwood, WSO, Sgt. Steve Accup, Crew Chief, Major Phil Handley, Pilot 94
Figure 31Rich Thistle at his easel in creation of Rhino Charge.95
Figure 32Suspended scale models of aircraft and bullet stream used by artist. 95
Figure 33Geometrically accurate drawing used to depict visible tracer rounds on painting. 96
Figure 34The first F-15A Eagle, 76-049, delivered to Bitburg Air Base, Germany and flown the author on its initial sortie110
Figure 35-1973 Chevy Z-28 "Mercedes Eater" 115
Figure 36Lockheed F-104C Starfighter119
Figure 37Flight of F-4 Phantoms air-refueling from KC-135 tanker 122
Figure 38MiG-21 Fishbed C126
Figure 39Lockheed RC-121 (Disco) 128
Figure 40KC-135 Boomer's view of F-4E in refueling position 129
Figure 41-1964 Porsche 356C and McDonnell Douglas F-4C138
Figure 42Sikorsky HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" Helicopter 140
Figure 43Mu Gia Pass choke point with numerous bomb craters visible 144
Figure 44"The Roadrunner" VR landmark on PDJ of the Barrel Roll combat operations sector of Laos 145
Figure 45Wolf FAC entering Ban Karai Pass at "The Dog's Head" VR landmark 149
Figure 46North American F-86F Sabre155
Figure 47-1/Lt Don "Bullet" Boulet159
Figure 48-1/Lt. Jack "Karst" Smallwood on ramp at Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand.175
Figure 49Squadron Dinner Party 196
Figure 50Wives Cockpit Orientation Day 197
ON THE BACK COVER
Nickel On The Grass is a series of vignettes that capture the life of an extraordinary aviator, fighter pilot and leader, Colonel Phil Handley. In a career that spanned 26 years "Hands" earned a reputation as an exceptional pilot and leader in war and peace. I do not know anybody who served with him who does not admire him for his dedication, integrity and courage.
The central theme of the stories he relates is that the fraternity of true fighter pilots is made up of men who share a love of adventure, have exceptional flying skills, are willing to risk all rather than admit defeat and believe earning the respect of their peers is their greatest accomplishment. The really good ones possess a sixth sense about people and machines that gives them an edge over mere mortals in the air and on the ground. This is a book about a man who lived most of the stories and counts among his friends and acquaintances the central characters in the others. It has been my privilege to have been his friend and fellow fighter pilot for the past 30 years.
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