Page 14 - AAPT August 19

Feature

Cold War Tornado Kill

I had my operational CF-18 Hornet which formed the border with France. We anger. On this fateful day, I claimed a
tour with RCAF 421 Tactical Fighter were a mere 20 minutes flying time to the peacetime Panavia Tornado IDS “kill”.
Squadron, in West Germany from enemy borders of Czechoslovakia and The German Tornado was from Jabo
1988-1991. It was the highlight of my East Germany. Oddly enough, Europe 33 (Fighter Bomber Sqn 33, 44+74) at
flying career, great flying, friendships, enjoyed a better level of stability then as Buchel AFB. This German base was
and an intense period of daily combat compared with today, due to the threat of only about 45km west of the event, or
readiness during the Cold War. The MAD, or mutually assured destruction. about four minutes flying time.
Cold War was for real and we practiced Amongst some of my most I was two ship lead tasked as ‘Red
daily for Air to Ground weapons delivery memorable flying experiences, 15 Air’ or Adversary, for another Squadron
and Air to Air combat. My tour coincided August 1991, is a day I won’t ever members’ tactical combat ready
with the “fall of the wall” in Berlin, and forget. Most fighter pilots secretly dream checkout as ‘Blue Air’ or Friendlies.
the collapse of the Soviet Republic and of using their highly honed skills in We launched early as a 2-ship to
their Communist regime. victorious aerial combat. After 18 years be on station prior to ‘fights on’. Full
I was stationed at CFB Baden- of my Military aviation career, trained Afterburner take-off, gear up, A/B out,
Soellingen, adjacent to the Rhine River, as a fighter pilot, I never fired a shot in deploy my wingman to tactical spread,

14