Nasty’s worst day Navy starts when a young Tomcat hopeful hears “you’re a qual” on the radio, then “you’re a disqual” at the ladder. Consequently, that gut punch on the Lex knocks his timeline off, pairs him with Bug Roach, and quietly sets the stage to help save two lives later. Actually, he walks from Key West heartbreak in a TA-4J Skyhawk to the bridge of Nimitz, with failures, promotions, and a near-buoy strike with an admiral watching. Furthermore, he digs into rules of engagement over Afghanistan, AI-driven factories that can out-build China, and why straight, honest leadership keeps people alive at sea and in combat. The “wait, what?” is how Nasty’s worst day Navy becomes the best thing that ever happened to his career, and to a couple of people who are still breathing because of it.

This week we acknowledge the tragic loss of RS-2 Tyler Jaggers US Coast Guard. Please consider donating to help support his family in this difficult time: https://tinyurl.com/tylerjaggers

He Heard Me Go By pilot story comes from Navy pilot Stretch Curran, who flew the massive A-3 / EA-3 Skywarrior “Whale,” the largest jet routinely launched from aircraft carriers.

In Episode 201 of So There I Was, Stretch joins us for a wide-ranging hangar-talk conversation about flying the Whale from carriers, the realities of multi-crew naval aviation, and the kind of moments that make pilots stop talking for a second.

Furthermore, Stretch describes launching at night from USS Midway when an electrical fire and system failures suddenly complicate the mission. Consequently the crew must stabilize a very large jet in darkness and poor weather while troubleshooting failures in real time.

But that’s only one of the stories.

The episode also explores the unique world of EA-3 electronic warfare missions, life operating the largest aircraft ever routinely flown from carrier decks, and the culture of the Whale community.

Then comes the moment that gave the episode its title.

During one maneuver another pilot later reported he “heard me go by.”

Wait… what?

Consequently the conversation turns to close passes, crowded training airspace, and the kind of unexpected moments that become legendary sea stories.

If you enjoy naval aviation stories, carrier flying, and ridiculous pilot bar stories, Episode 201 delivers all of it.

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#navypilot #aviationpodcast #a3skywarrior #carrieraviation #navalaviation #militaryaviation #pilotstory #aviationstory #carrierlanding #aviationhistory #navyaviation #aviationlife #aviationgeek #fighterpilotstories #sothereiwas

Royce Williams Medal of Honor recipient joins the show to recount a legendary tale. Imagine bringing a knife to a gunfight. In this case, the knife is a subsonic F9F Panther. Furthermore, the guns are seven Soviet MiG-15s. This was just a typical Tuesday for Captain Royce Williams.

In this episode, we unpack a 35-minute dogfight hidden for half a century. The government kept it secret to avoid a “diplomatic risk.” Consequently, we dive into how Royce used his underpowered jet like a ballerina. He dodged 760 rounds of Russian spite. Then, he limped back to the carrier in a jet that looked like Swiss cheese.

Actually, this is the greatest naval aviation story you weren’t allowed to hear for fifty years. It finally features a new Medal of Honor and 73 years of “I told you so.” If you’ve ever wondered how a lone naval aviator survives a supersonic ambush, this is for you. We explore pure pilot skill and aggressive engine management.

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#MedalOfHonor #KoreanWar #MiG15 #NavalAviation #Dogfight #F9FPanther #AviationHistory #PilotStories #AviationPodcast #RoyceWilliams #NavyHero #DogfightStories #MilitaryAviation #FlightTest #FighterPilot