European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Visible sir Bol no each aircraft s Success emblazoned on the plane As Well As noted in its records. Quot its a visual representation of Hill said. A a a a. A. A $ t for 1st it Dav id a Abby Svedu the taste of Victory Quot was t great. But it could have fasted. Like ammonia and i still would have drunk he was referring to a bottle of russian Chain pagne that had sat unopened at the 525th tac fighter so also known As the bulldogs since the 1970s. A. A to be opened by the first bulldog that kills a Mig a said the Slicker posted on the bottle by the Champagne s donor. It to Turkey where drinking is Legal for the War Quot just in a Svedin did no to Register the Squadron s first kill but he made its second during the same encounter in which capt. Dave a spy Row Prather logged the first. Prather shared the bubbly with Sveden who had to engage in a dogfight to get his plane. Now there a a new bottle of Champagne waiting for a bulldog Pilot. This time its French made most amp Chandon a Dom Perignon. The message on the front reads a to the next bulldog to kill a Mig Mirage from �?o1 can to say it was fun flying in Iraq a Sveden said a but i can to say i would have traded places in the world with a. A a the War was Over and a temporary cease fire had been called when Hehemann and Dietz each but does it add up was it a kill or was t it although Pitburg a Germany and a Glin fab. Fla., each claims 17 Quot kills Quot from the persian Gulf War. The air Force officially lists Only 52 total As far As the air Force is concerned a Quot kill Quot Means that first. An enemy aircraft crashed and second a is. Pilot was responsible for forcing the aircraft Dow n. Of the 52 kills the air Force has acknowledged on its official list Pitburg and Eglin both arc credited with 15 apiece. I Lowcher a . Central Conul air forces air to air Hoard has confirmed the remaining two kills claimed by Pitburg. Including the March 22 incident involving 1st it. Robert Hehemann according to a . Air forces in Europe background paper. The paper reports that the results Are not official because it. Gen. Charles a. Horner Central air forces commander has not vet signed a confirmation aircraft engagement review Board stud is incidents of downed enemy aircraft to do Termine if they also should be classified As official kills. Quot a he business of confirming kills has taken on new facets As a result of the Gulf crisis. Some Ait borne run ins resulting in enemy air Craft crashes such As Schemann s encounter with the iraqi Pilot who bailed out plane have presented the Board with Situa ions that Don t necessarily meet the tradition Al rules of air to air combat. Another instance that caused More than a few people to scratch their Heads involved an air Force aircraft knocking an enemy Heli Eop Ter out of the sky by dropping a 2. H 0-Pound bomb on top of it. Quot i be got More Gray hairs from that kill list than anything Dur Itig the War Quot an air l once source said. Dee Dee Arrington doff staff writer picked up his third kill in the persian Gulf. A we were in the right place at the right Hehemann said with a shrug. There was the Pilot who jumped out of his pc-9 with the camouflage paint Job. But the Pilot of a soviet made Soukhoi fitter aircraft that also was in the area had t thought As far ahead As the pc-9 flier. Dietz Schemann s patrolling partner. Took out the filter with a Well aimed missile. For Dietz memories of his successes also bring to mind less comforting thoughts of a Friend assigned to an a-10 Thunderbolt ii unit. A Quot i had a buddy who got shot Down. Every Lime 1 think about this a he said referring to the three planes he shot Down Quot i have to think about him a i 1 first it. Robert Hehemann left and capt. Tom Dietz each downed three iraqi aircraft during the Gulf w a bringing bit urge a total to 17.page 5
