8 November 1967– Capt Charlie Neel, flying as Misty 22 remembers, “Bud Day was the first of us to get downed; I, with Guy Gruters, was second.” Charlie was stationed with the 416TFS out of Phu Cat AB, Vietnam, flying F-100F #563764. His aircraft was hit by gunfire while on a mission over SVN to assist troops in combat. Charlie ejected and was rescued uninjured.
Today in History – July 26, 1998 – Burt Rutan launches first flight of the Scaled Composites Proteus
26 July 1998 – Burt Rutan’s “Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-altitude long endurance aircraft designed by Burt Rutan to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. The Proteus is a multi-mission vehicle able to carry various payloads on a ventral pylon. The Proteus has an extremely efficient design,