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Everyone recognizes the F-14 as the star of the 1986 hit movie Top Gun ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001K3K5MO/ref=as_li_tl?camp=1789acreative=9325acreativeASIN=B001K3K5MOaie=UTF8alinkCode=as2alinkId=f97742e02d5b7e63b573c517fd84969datag=ftrpltpdcst18-20 ) , but few can readily identify the Western fighter that acted as the Tomcat’s nemesis—a role it was perfectly suited for and still performs for the U.S. Navy ( https://www.navy.mil/ ) and Marine Corps ( https://www.marines.mil/ ) today. On this episode, retired U.S. Navy Reserve ( https://www.navy.com/contact?activity=1228857acid=ppc_gg_b_stan_generalagclid=Cj0KCQjwpsLkBRDpARIsAKoYI8y7n47XzismNTVNUrQXXJ4tSUnn7p4vpirKpb2I1kgSIM1wrbcziRYaApTGEALw_wcBagclsrc=aw.ds ) Commander Paco Chierici joins us to describe how the Northrop F-5 ( http://www.northropgrumman.com/capabilities/f5tiger/pages/default.aspx ) began life in the 1950’s as the ‘Freedom Fighter’ but became and is now known as the Tiger II, still flying 60 years later as a capable adversary aircraft. Paco—the mastermind behind the naval aviation documentary Speed a Angels and author of the novel, Lions of the Sky ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NSGRXCZ/ref=as_li_tl?camp=1789acreative=9325acreativeASIN=B07NSGRXCZaie=UTF8alinkCode=as2alinkId=1e43002fb01137d7dd6abbd2f88fc022atag=ftrpltpdcst18-20 ) —not only answers our standard ‘aircraft series’ questions but goes on to tell us about the time he was involved in an F-5 mishap that nearly cost him his life. During the listener question segment, Jell-O and Sunshine opine on why a bachelor’s degree is a requirement to be a military pilot and who would have prevailed had the two of them dueled it out in the skies. Negative G limits, reasons for the Blue Angels’ flight control modifications, and entry-level pay ( https://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/CO.html ) and benefits for military pilots are also covered. Click here ( https://www.fighterpilotpodcast.com/related_media/flying-with-the-aggressors/ ) to read the Flying with the Aggressors article mentioned in the interview and check out our Patreon page ( https://www.patreon.com/ftrpltpdcst ) for bonus content with Paco. Bumper music by Jaime Lopez / announcements by Jim Hendersho ( https://militaryrf.com/ ) t. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands