FEATHER DUSTER: Phantoms And Starfighters Dogfight With F-86 Sabres To Prepare For Vietnam, 1965

Lessons Learned?

During the first month of Rolling Thunder, MiG attacks have become more and more frequent and aggressive. Initially, US planners assumed that an obsolete MiG-17 would pose little threat to powerful supersonic US tactical fighters, but they were wrong. Eventually, they built a crash program of dissimilar dogfight training called Featherduster.

During the course of three months, primary USAF tactical fighters have engaged Air National Guard F-86H Sabres in dogfights. This is to understand the strengths, (as well as weaknesses) of first-generation fighters. Still, internal division within the Air Force during the 50s and 60s cost a lot of planes and pilots in North Vietnam. Usually, pilots’ ideas, comments, and especially criticisms weren’t welcomed. 

If the lessons learned from Featherduster have been applied, then that war would have been less costly. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!