Our Man In Afganistan

Mike Bates · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:30 pm

Great pictures and a big thanks for serving our country!

Nice load out, like the looks of the Sniper pod.

Mike

Beachy · **Joined:** Sat Apr 08, 2006 6:20 am **Posts:** 1104

Beautiful!!!! One of the very few non-prop jobbies that can make my little heart go pitter-patter!

Thank you..........

vg-photo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:30 pm

One word...AWESOME!

Chicoartist · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:37 pm

Who dat?

Wade

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3333

Chicoartist wrote:

Who dat?

Wade

Randy Haskin

Nice shots Randy. Stay safe out there!

Chicoartist · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:49 pm

Does he really fly those things?

Wade

Chicoartist · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:56 pm

Just messing with you, Mike. Besides being able to handle a jet and camera with equal aplomb, Hacker is also a connoisseur of the arts, with exquisite tastes, if I do say so myself! :wink:

Wade

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3333

Chicoartist wrote:

Does he really fly those things?

Wade

For now................ :shock:

(where do you put the nose art on these things?) :lol:

Ryan Harris · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:58 pm

I think the best nose art for that thing, is anything that would finish the Humpback Whale look!

Awesome photos Randy! Are you taking these or is someone taking them of you?

CAPFlyer · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:36 pm

Mike Bates wrote:

Great pictures and a big thanks for serving our country!

Nice load out, like the looks of the Sniper pod.

Mike

Yep, the SniperXR is a neat toy for those guys. I guess it's gotta be a bit of a chest puffing for Randy to be able to say he flies for the first unit to use both the SniperXR and SDB operationally.

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:41 pm

Thanks for the warm comments, everyone.

Yes, they are all taken by me. My equipment is a spankin' new Nikon D80 with a 18-135 lens (kit lens, I know). Fortunately, I have a back seater (and a nifty altitude hold) that can handle the stick-and-rudder duties while I am wielding the camera.

The object of posting the photos was to show the American Flag jet's oddly-colored spare parts (see the Anorak thread). The other two shots were pretty much just for me to show off.

vg-photo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:58 pm

Feel free to show off some more then.

Thanks for those and more importantly, thanks for your service!

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:39 am

Mike wrote:

(where do you put the nose art on these things?) :lol:

It goes on the left side of the nose just above the pitot boom and in front of the AOA vane. In the American Flag photo you can see some minor nose art that the crew chief drew with a Sharpie pen...it's a pair of red lips and the name of his wife.

If you search here on WIX, I have previously posted a photo-essay of the noseart I painted on my 336FS jet back in 2003 for the Iraq war. That will illustrate the answer much better.

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:42 am

CAPFlyer wrote:

Yep, the SniperXR is a neat toy for those guys. I guess it's gotta be a bit of a chest puffing for Randy to be able to say he flies for the first unit to use both the SniperXR and SDB operationally.

It is a real great system. I have flown with the previous two FLIR pod systems -- LANTIRN and LITENING -- and I can say absolutely that SNIPER is head and shoulders better in most areas.

I was lucky (right place at right time) to be the first pilot in my squadron to drop the SDB in combat. Interesting little weapon...that's all I'll say about that!

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