Flying & Fighting the Fulcrum with 'Spanky' (ep. 159)

Former #usairforce #f15eagle, F-5 Tiger, and #f16viper pilot, and Fighter Weapons School graduate, Fred "Spanky" Clifton, describes flying the #mig29 Fulcrum as a #luftwaffe exchange #pilot following German reunification after the Iron Curtain fell.

0:00 The hook
0:44 Episode introduction
1:33 Guest welcome
4:25 First exposure to the MiG-29
11:28 Air Force Weapons School Graduate
15:07 First day in the squadron
17:15 First Fulcrum flight
21:55 Helmet-mounted sight
25:39 Dogfighting in the MiG-29
30:18 The MiG-29's air-to-air victories
32:00 Fulcrum fit & finish
35:13 MiG-29 tactics vs Western fighters
41:13 Longest & shortest flights
47:43 Fastest flight
49:29 Hours in the Fulcrum
50:06 Ejection seat
50:41 HOTAS
52:08 Parting thoughts (gun, chaff, long burns)
1:02:04 Credits

#fighterpilot Podcast

Original music by Jaime Lopez. Video produced by Kevin Harold of Showgun Media.

[WhiskeyGaming]

Man, at 500 hours he probably has more hours than most pilots in the MiG29 who were from countries who actually operate(d) the dang thing.

Great interview! Thanks!

[weidles]

This is the best fighter pilot interview I have heard. Hats off to you Spankey, your the best.

[fmatt]

Couldn't help but chuckle at the comment about shooting down balloons and V1's in earlier wars and "I guess a kills a kill" with what's been going on the last little while.

[pierre-alexandre]

Awesome interview! I loved that episode, the Mig-29 is one of my favorite planes.
Greetings from Montreal. I fell in love with podcast when i discovered it a few months ago and i'm listening to all the episodes one by one since and introducing it to my friends that are into aviation like me. Keep up the good work!

[maximilliancunningham]

Excellent ! Thank you ! Spanky has an amazing background. He's got an easy going, modest self effacing way about him, extreamly intelligent, and I bet he's a very, very formidable adversary, in the air.

[Guysmly]

Love it! And totally agree, the content trumps any concerns about video or audio quality. When the discussion is good, it's good.

[TheJunior]

@FighterPilotPodcast

Can't believe I just found your stuff. Really fantastic to hear the professional stick and rudder guys talk. All you guys are bad ass!

[tiion]

Finally, finally, finally, finally! Jell-O you have answered my prayers and interviewed Spanky! Ever since I read an old interview with him I have wanted to hear more. Aircrew Interview had a German pilot on and he said the MiG-29 eval really got professional once Spanky came along. Now I have to watch this interview...

[mikebridges]

Can't wait to hear about the MiG-29; hope to hear comparisons between the Fulcrum and the F-16!

[jesseleblanc]

Great interview as usual! I stayed up until almost midnight to listen to the video because it was so informative! Thank you!

[superrantam]

Great interview and video! Love how you've added additional info in the form of extra footage and overlays :)

[fantabuloussnuffaluffagus]

1986 - Some Russian aircraft had come to the Abbotsford International Airshow. I was working as aircraft sheet metal worker working on the Challenger Biz jet. I was wandering the ramp at the show and noticed a Mig -29 sitting by itself, no ropes, no guards, nothing. I walked over and had a close look, stuck my head up in the wheel well, looked into all the open panels. The workmanship on the plane would have gotten me fired. Under driven rivets, over driven rivets, lumpy skins. It was ugly up close.

[jg]

Been in the Valley some 25 years so could relate to his early stories. And great podcast overall 👍🏻

[Scott]

It's a pity the AIM-97 Agile didn't make it to production. Atleast VTAS aka the first in-service helmet mounted sight, made it to a few F-4S squadrons. 2 amazing systems we had in the 1970's we missed the boat on.

[AbuctingTacos]

I love the new format and great guest!

[alexdentondxiw]

I like how Spanky said " The 29 is like a Hornet on steroids." It will be interesting to see what the Fulcrum has done in this new conflict in Europe.

[HILLEVILOVE]

Absolutely great interview. Keep up the good work! :)

[therocinante]

Boy I love this podcast. Enjoying the pivot to video!!

[J.Runk]

This is fantastic Jello and Spanky. I really like the video format now.

[richardfenner]

The first Fulcrum to come to NA was in August 1989. It came for the Abbotsford Airshow in Canada. They brought a -29 plus a -29UB. The demo was flown by Anatoly Kvochur, who had a low level ejection at Paris about 4 months before. Hell of a display and their support a/c was the An-225 Mira. On the Sunday, Captain Bob Wade RCAF became the first western pilot to fly the MiG-UB. I wuz there....and it was a hoot of a w/e!!